Organization: UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
Location: Remote | Istanbul
Grade: Level not specified – Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
Operations and Administrations
Banking and Finance
Environment
Biology and Chemistry
Agriculture and Forestry
Natural Resource Management
Closing Date: 2024-07-25
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.
Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provide technical advice to Country Offices, advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private, government and civil society dialogues, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.
UNDP’s 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlighting 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.
BPPS’s Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste (NCEW), with the support of the Vertical Fund Programme Support Oversight and Compliance Unit, works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste. This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses:
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests;
Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems;
Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS;
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation;
Sustainable Energy;
Extractive Industries;
Chemicals and Waste Management;
Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy; and SCP approaches.
This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.
In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships in NCEW, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds (VFs), UNDP provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.
The GEF Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support (GBF EAS) Project supports developing, middle income, and small island nations in their commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): early action on the post-2020 global biodiversity Framework (GBF), National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), and National Reporting. This project connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject matter experts to facilitate early implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Furthermore, the GEF created a global programme to support countries to design a national Biodiversity Finance Plan following the BIOFIN Methodology. 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 Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN – was developed to provide a comprehensive methodology for governments to 1) review the existing policy context, 2) measure expenditure levels for biodiversity, 3) calculate future financial needs and 4) design strategic plans to deploy the right mix of finance solutions, tailored to the country context. The methodology has been conducted in 40 countries to date, with many now having reached the implementation stage.
UNDP is seeking the support of Biodiversity Finance Analyst to support the GBF EAS Project and the National Finance Plan GEF project.
The ultimate purpose of this assignment is to support national teams and government counterparts to scope, design, develop, and implement the prioritized finance solutions identified through the BIOFIN process, to achieve finance results in the country.
Duties and Responsibilities
Support the Design of national Biodiversity Finance Plans
Provide support for country implementation of project activities related to biodiversity finance.
Provide support to the EAS team and the Global UNDP-BIOFIN team for the planning and development processes to develop and run knowledge products and online webinars and training.
Liaise with participating countries upon request, including one-on-one calls and to provide technical support, in coordination with UNDP Global BIOFIN team.
Gather and analyze data from participating countries and use it to support the development of project progress reports, donor reports, trainings, and presentations.
Support communication and coordination with key project partners and other relevant stakeholders.
Provision of technical services for development of project documentation
Provide support to develop technical guidance documents, tools, and trainings biodiversity and policy, including – but not limited to – biodiversity finance.
Provide support to develop reports and policy recommendations related to the targets in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
Support implementation of finance solutions
Support the Technical Advisor in assisting National BIOFIN teams and government counterparts in identifying, developing, and implementing the right mix of finance solutions, tailored to the country context.
Support the Technical Advisor in designing and reviewing finance solution proposals developed by national BIOFIN teams following the BIOFIN Finance Solution Proposal template;
Provide feedback for the development of terms of reference, country workplans, selected M&E activities, bi-annual reports, inception reports, final reports and other relevant documents;
Provide feedback on technical documents related to finance solutions, such as feasibility studies, concept notes, policies, laws, regulations, by-laws, organisational charts/HR Plans, resource mobilisation plans, enforcement strategies, economic valuations, advocacy plans, or any other technical reports that are required;
Provide support the design and implementation of finance solutions and engage with key stakeholders to develop opportunities of collaborations for finance solution implementation;
Guide national BIOFIN Teams to relevant experts, knowledge platforms, tools and other guidance material related to the prioritised finance solutions/mechanisms;
Support the Technical Advisor in assisting national BIOFIN teams to identify opportunities to promote gender equality and sustainable livelihoods when designing biodiversity finance solutions.
Support the projects’ capacity development efforts with partners and stakeholders
Support the Technical Advisor in engaging in capacity assessments and capacity development of national stakeholders as required, helping to build up a large pool of experts in each country that possess the basic skills to implement the BIOFIN tools;
Support the Technical Advisor in strengthening the capacity of a wider group of national stakeholders on prioritised finance solutions to beginner/intermediate level (as relevant), and support the process of institutionalisation with national training institutes and universities;
Provide inputs to global, regional, and national technical workshops, regional conference calls, technical webinars, and website discussions as requested by the global BIOFIN team.
Ensure facilitation of knowledge building and sharing and provide guidance related to BIOFIN to all stakeholders
Enable countries to share experiences through virtual and on site discussions;
Write up articles, case studies, and other materials emerging from the BIOFIN process, summarizing key experiences and lessons from core countries;
Provide support to the development of tailored guidance materials or other knowledge products on selected finance solutions, and provide inputs into project proposals for resource mobilisation as required;
Support the continuous improvement of the BIOFIN, methodology and specific tools and other materials provided to core and non-core countries as part of BIOFIN’s methodology development objectives;
Deliver high quality inputs for bi-annual donor reports on progress and impact in BIOFIN countries within given deadlines, and provide other inputs as required for briefing notes, case studies, knowledge management products, press releases, and other media products develop by the global BIOFIN Team.
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 Biodiversity Finance Analyst will work from his/her home-base, working with a team from different time zones, but in particularly with Istanbul and New York time zones.
The Biodiversity Finance Analyst will work under the supervision of the Technical Advisor, GBF-EAS Project. The Biodiversity Finance Analyst will closely work with the global BIOFIN Team, national BIOFIN Teams, UNDP Country Offices, core and donor country governments, other international/multi-lateral organizations, and contractors;
Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the Biodiversity Finance Analyst is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones where applicable;
The Biodiversity Finance Analyst will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
The Biodiversity Finance Analyst will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, relevant software, etc.) and shall have access to a stable, secure, and reliable internet connection.
Competencies
Core competencies:
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 and Technical competencies:
2030 Agenda: Planet-Nature Climate and Energy
Ecosystems and biodiversity: Biodiversity Finance.
2030 Agenda: Planet-Nature Climate and Energy
Environmental Governance: Global Environmental Governance.
2030 Agenda: Planet-Nature Climate and Energy
Environmental Governance: Multilateral Environmental Agreements (e.g. CBD and UNCCD)
2030 Agenda: Planet-Nature Climate and Energy
Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Conservation and Sustainable use of biodiversity, land, forests, and oceans
Business Management-Communication
Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
Business Direction & 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 Management-Project Management
Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Master’s degree (or equivalent) in public finance, private finance, economics, environmental economics, public administration, financial management, or natural/environmental sciences, social sciences is required or
Bachelor’s degree in the said fields, with two additional years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of advanced university degree.
Specialization in environmental finance and development, or other closely related field is an asset.
Experience:
Minimum of 2 years (with a Master’s degree) or 4 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of experience in public or private sector finance, sustainable development/environmental finance, resource mobilisation, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, or a related field;
Languages:
Fluency in English is required.
Proficiency in another UN language is an asset.
Required skills:
Prior experience in designing or implementing environmental finance mechanisms or projects;
International experience with developing countries;
Desired skills:
Prior experience in the development of knowledge materials would be an asset.
Experience in planning and conducting exchange workshops and technical trainings at the international level would be an asset.
Experience with UNDP policies, procedures, and practices particularly in relation to project development and implementation and/or working experience in an international organization is an asset.
The following documents shall be required from the applicants:
Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.
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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