Job Description

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

The UNEP Vienna Programme Office hosts the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. Additionally, to activities in the Carpathian Region and its portfolio in the South-East Europe, the Vienna Office – supporting the Mountain Network of UNEP -is currently coordinating various activities in other mountain regions related, in particular, to climate change adaptation such as “Adaptation at Altitude” project and PRIMA (“Promoting innovations for sustainable development in mountain areas”).

“Adaptation at Altitude” Project

In view of the unprecedented speed and magnitude of climate change especially in mountain regions adding to rapidly changing conditions, climate change adaptation (CCA) strategies have to be developed and practical solutions implemented urgently to help mountain communities to conserve, restore and sustainably manage the key ecosystem goods and services on which their livelihoods depend.

Against this background, the Global Programme Climate Change and Environment (GPCCE) of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has launched the “Adaptation at Altitude – Taking Action in the Mountains” programme with the overall objective to increase knowledge on climate change and appropriate adaptation solutions in mountains and feed it into science-policy platforms for informed decision-making in national, regional, and global policy processes. Within this programme, UNEP is leading the work on regional policy and practical action in the South Caucasus (targeting Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) and East Africa (targeting Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania) as well as fostering inter-regional exchange.

The Associate Programme Officer will operate in this framework and will support the implementation, in particular, of the aforementioned projects and related activities. Under the supervision of the Head Of the Vienna Office and within delegated authority, the Associate Programme Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

• Works with key clients to facilitate the development, implementation, and evaluation of the assigned projects, etc.; monitors and analyzes specific aspects of the project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and recommends corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties; identifies and tracks follow-up actions.
• Carries out basic research on selected aspects of the project, operations, and other activities, etc., to include collecting, analyzing, and presenting statistical data and other information gathered from diverse sources.
•  Provides substantive support for policy coordination and evaluation functions, including the review and analysis of emerging issues and trends, participation in evaluations or research activities and studies.
• Assists in performing consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change.
•  Participates in survey initiatives; assists with design of data collection tools; issues data collection tools, reviews, analyzes, and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares preliminary conclusions.
•  Contributes to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g., draft background papers, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
•  Provides administrative and substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying and proposed participants, preparation of background documents and presentations, handling logistics, etc.
•  Undertakes outreach activities; participates in the development of training workshops, seminars, etc.; participates in and makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
•  Participates in field missions, including provision of substantive and administrative support, data collection, etc.
•  Contributes to activities related to budget funding (project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and preparation of related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).
•  Performs other duties as required.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in a field relevant to climate change adaptation, including environmental sciences, sustainable development or landscape architecture and planning, or a related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in climate change adaptation (including Ecosystem-based adaptation and regional governance) is required.
• Previous experience in policy mainstreaming and advocacy including at national level is required.
• Experience with policy and strategy development and previous experience working in international organizations is desirable.
• Experience in implementation of Multilateral Environment Agreements and other international programmes including regional mechanisms/platforms is desirable.
• Experience in developing tools, methodologies, and guidance, preferably with a focus on climate change adaptation is desirable.
• Previous experience in climate change adaptation issues especially in the Eastern Europe region such as South Caucasus and Carpathians is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.