Description
Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan.
UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.
In recent decades, biodiversity finance tools and solutions have demonstrated their importance for achieving biodiversity goals and broader sustainable development objectives. Improved choice, design and implementation of effective, well-tailored finance solutions will strengthen countries’ chances of achieving national and global biodiversity targets. Biodiversity Finance Plans have become increasingly recognized as a relevant tool to help countries to identify and fill the biodiversity finance gap, including through the work of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative www.biofin.org. In December 2022, parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Montreal-Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework. This included numerous targets with relevance for financing. Target 19 on resource mobilization includes reference for countries to design and implement national biodiversity finance plans.
The GEF created a global programme to support countries to design a national Biodiversity Finance Plan. A Biodiversity Finance Plan includes a systems analysis of a country's economy including to map existing financing mechanisms, subsidies with potential harmful impacts on nature, drivers of biodiversity loss and gain, public and private expenditures committed towards biodiversity objectives and a country's national financial needs for biodiversity. The biodiversity finance plan itself consists of a series of actions with the aim to significantly scale up available funding, green or phase out harmful finance flows and improve the effectiveness of available expenditures. The programme allows for active sharing of experiences across countries and includes a knowledge sharing platform and the provision of continuous technical support to country teams.
The implementation of the project in Ghana falls under the GEF8 Umbrella programme for the development of the first National Biodiversity Finance Plan. The overall implementation of the project will be led by the Project Lead/Senior Finance Specialist with the support of a technical team and in coordination to a government project director and the National Steering Committee.
For the implementation of the GEF8-BFP Umbrella program at the national level, UNDP is recruiting a national team composed of a Senior Finance Specialist (Project Lead), a Project Support Associate, an Environmental Policy Analyst r and a Biodiversity Finance Manager.
The Environmental Policy Analyst will lead the production of the Policy and Institutional Review and will provide initial input to support the Project Lead to develop the Biodiversity Finance Plan.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the over-all guidance of the Senior Finance Specialist (Project Lead), the Environmental Policy Analyst is expected to lead the production of the Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) and provide initial inputs to start development of the Biodiversity Finance Plan, following the guidance provided by the latest version of the BIOFIN Workbook and with detailed data.
The Environmental Policy Analyst will also, as much as possible, provide input to all other national outputs, including critical stakeholder analysis for the Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER) and summarize critical priorities and policies for the latest part of the methodology Biodiversity Finance Plan. The Environmental Policy Analyst should provide input to the feedback on the BIOFIN methodological framework.
The Environmental Policy Analyst will assess and describe major biodiversity related policies, legal framework and identify existing finance solutions relevant to biodiversity finance as described in the most recent version of the BIOFIN Workbook. The Environmental Policy Analyst will focus on the most recent National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) that would ideally be in the process of alignment with the new Kunming Montreal GBF Framework.
The Environmental Policy Analyst will produce drafts and analyses that will be reviewed and ultimately validated by the Senior Finance Specialist (Project Lead) and the BIOFIN Global Team.
1.) Provide Policy and Institutional Reviews (PIR)
- Advise and support the Senior Finance Specialist (Project Lead) in the conception and preparation of the PIR;
- Plan and implement the PIR step of the BIOFIN methodology;
- Identify relevant stakeholders to inform and participate this step;
- Stock take and analyze relevant biodiversity related policy instruments and studies (such as harmful subsidies analysis that might be delivered prior or parallel to this step of the methodology), these include NBSAPs and beyond;
- Develop an inventory of existing Biodiversity Financing Mechanisms in the country;
- Review existing economic valuation studies relevant to the BIOFIN process;
- Review legal framework relevant to the BIOFIN process;
- Review other sources relevant to BD finance;
- Identify existing national positive and negative incentives/subsidies following available guidance.
2.) Ensure provision of Biodiversity Expenditure Reviews (BER)
- Describe relevant stakeholders, sectors and institutions to inform the BER analysis.
3.) Contribute to the Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment (FNA)
- Provide relevant findings of financial mechanisms that contribute to biodiversity finance and potential areas in need of finance.
4.) Contribute to the formulation of Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP)
- Support the Senior Finance Specialist (Project Lead) with summary of findings, finance mechanism baseline and initial preparation guidance of the BFP.
- Support detailed feasibility analyses on a range of financing mechanisms depending on knowledge and experience.
5.) Facilitate Project Outreach and Communication
- Preparation of workshops, meetings, networking and presentations as required, to complete the Policy and Institutional Review.
- Provide substantive comments and feedback on how to improve the existing methodologies.
6.) Facilitate Knowledge Management and Reporting
- Document decisions and assumptions made while completing the Policy and Institutional Review (PIR);
- Document lessons learned from conducting the BFP project ranging from institutional considerations to technical issues;
- Prepare reports and case studies, as required, for submission to global meetings (e.g. CBD COP);
- Provide insights and recommendations for the BFP
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Environmental Policy Analyst will be under the direct supervision of the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead). UNDP shall be entitled to intellectual property and other proprietary rights over all materials that have a direct relation to the project.
- Expected duration of work 2.5 years.
- Indicate target date for the start of work and expected completion date, including conditions to determining both dates, if any.
- Provide the estimated lead time for UNDP or Project Implementing Partners to review outputs, give comments, certify approval/acceptance of outputs, etc.
- The PIR is the first step of the BIOFIN Methodology, any form of delay in the completion of the work might delay completion of rest of steps and finally BFP delivery.
Competencies
CORE
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
2030 Agenda- Planet : Nature
- Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme: Nature-positive economy and Biodiversity Finance
Business Direction and Strategy System thinking:
- Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
Business Development: Collective Intelligence Design
- Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information, ideas, and technology to solve problems and design solutions or services. Knowledge and understanding of Collective Intelligence Design principles, methodology and practices.
Digital & Innovation: Data storytelling and communications
- Skilled in building a narrative around a set of data and its accompanying visualizations to help convey the meaning of that data in a powerful and compelling fashion.
Digital & Innovation: Data Governance
- Knowledge of data science, skills to develop data management tools, organize and maintain databases and operate data visualization technologies
Digital & Innovation: Data Collection
- Being skilled in Data Sorting, Data Cleaning, Survey Administration, Presentation and Reporting including collection of Real-Time Data (e.g. mobile data, satellite data, sensor data).
Digital & Innovation: Data analysis
- Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data (including Real-Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Public Policy, Economic/Finance Policy, with an Environment /Biodiversity/Economic focus or an Environmental/Biodiversity degree with public policy focus is required. Or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- Minimum of 2 years’ (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in environmental finance, economics, management or related field is required;
- Proven track record of communicating effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner;
- Proven experience in exercising the highest level of responsibility and be able to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
- Experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions;
- Knowledge of key software packages (MS Office);
- Proven track record of ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations;
- Familiarity with the government, environmental policy and legal framework, environmental financial mechanisms is strongly desired;
- Demonstrated experience and exposure to environmental issues or biodiversity is desirable;
- Previous experience with environmental finance would be an asset;
- Demonstrated ability to work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team is an asset.
Language Requirement
- Fluency in English is required.
Disclaimer
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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