Programme Management Officer at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Responsibilities
Supervision of Project Implementation of the Enabling Activity Portfolio of Projects:

• Prepares project supervision plans under his/her portfolio for their entire duration and applies adaptive management principles to the supervision of the projects.
• Organizes and manages the project inception meeting.
• Provides oversight to project execution and prepares reports in accordance with UNEP and Global Environment Facility criteria, rules and regulations.
• Participates or delegates participation when needed, in relevant Project Steering Committees and ensures that Project Steering Committee fulfills its function.
• Regularly monitors project progress and performance and rates progress towards meeting project objectives, project execution progress, quality of project monitoring and evaluation, and risk. Monitors reporting by project executing partners.
• Promptly informs management of any significant risks or project problems and takes action and follows up on decisions made.
• Prepares reports in accordance with Global Environment Facility and UNEP requirements.
• Maintains adequate project-related documentation.
• Applies adaptive management principles to the supervision of the project.
•  Assists with the preparation of project revisions.
• Reviews project outputs, provides technical input and ensures quality standards are met. Manages any mandatory project(s) reviews.
• Supports the project terminal evaluation when relevant or project final reports.
• Takes responsibility to ensure that project is financially closed in a prompt manner after completion of project activities.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Supervises and mentors junior professionals, consultants and general service staff.

Enabling Activity Project Identification and Development:

• Liaises with internal and external partners to identify relevant and eligible project concepts.
• Discusses and clears such concepts with the Senior Programme Officer.
• Consults with UNEP’s Divisions and regional offices as necessary.
• Advises project proponents on how to revise concepts to respond to issues raised by the peer reviewer and other reviews.
• Monitors Global Environment Facility project milestones to avoid delays and potential project cancellation.
• Addresses Global Environment Facility Secretariat and Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel reviews and ensures that Project Review Committee recommendations are considered in further project development by the executing agency.
• Works with the Fund Management Officer to internalize the Project Preparation Grant upon approval.
• Supervises Project Preparation Grant execution in accordance with UNEP and Global Environment Facility policies and procedures.
• Supports Project Preparation Grant execution in accordance with UNEP and Global Environment Facility policies and procedures. 
• Verifies that the project proposals meet Global Environment Facility quality-at-entry standards before submission to Senior Programme Officer and Global Environment Facility Coordination Office for Project Review Committee review.
• Supports the executing partners in mobilizing Co-financing for the project. Upon Global Environment Facility Chief Executive Officer approval, works with the Fund Management Officer to internalize the project document.

Economy Division Knowledge Management and Data Management:  

• Identifies and codifies lessons emerging from project implementation; 
• Ensures accuracy and completeness of project data in the project information system and the risk management system for all projects under his/her supervision;
• Contributes to project data reconciliation exercises within the Division and with the Global Environment Facility Secretariat;
• Identifies media and other outreach opportunities and materials and provides project information and materials;
• Participates in events organized by Global Environment Facility and UN Environment to disseminate information on project results and lessons.

UNEP and Global Environment Facility Corporate Tasks:  

• Contributes to the Global Environment Facility Council document reviews as needed. 
• Provides input to UNEP and Global Environment Facility policy and information documents as necessary;
• Identifies opportunities to complement the UNEP Programme of Work with GEF-financed initiatives;
• Represents Economy Division in UNEP and Global Environment Facility –related meetings;
• Participates in the UNEP Project Review Committees;
• Provides regular substantive backstopping to UNEP senior colleagues and partners, including the regional and liaison offices;
• Provides input to Global Environment Facility corporate evaluations, country portfolio evaluations, thematic evaluations and impact evaluations and to the preparation of the Management Action Record.
• Maintains the enabling portfolio of projects and risk management records and contributing to UNEP and Global Environment Facility information and knowledge management;
• Keeps abreast of developments in his/her technical field and further develops competencies and skills; and undertakes at least one relevant learning activity each year; 
• Prepares his/her annual work plan for result based management with clear goals and indicators.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM:  Knowledge and understanding of concepts, templates, processes and approaches relevant to the Global Environment Facility projects on climate change mitigation reporting to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. Knowledge and understanding of all cycles of project management.  Ability to source, design and develop large climate change mitigation convention reporting projects. Ability to work with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and (Least Developed Countries) LDCs in developing climate change mitigation convention reporting projects. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. 
• Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.
• PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develop clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; Identify priority activities and assignments, adjust priorities as required; Allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; Foresees risks and allow for contingencies when planning; Monitor and adjust plans and actions as necessary; Uses time efficiently.
• CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients ” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

EMPOWERING OTHERS:

• Delegates responsibility, clarifies expectations, and gives staff autonomy in important areas of their work; Encourages others to set challenging goals; Holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility; Genuinely values all staff members' input and expertise; Shows appreciation and rewards achievement and effort; Involves others when making decisions that affect them.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Engineering, Environment, Economics, Energy or Climate Change related field. 
• A first-level university degree in the relevant field in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience in the area of climate change mitigation reporting to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (National Communications and Biennial Update Reports) is required
• At least two (2) years’ hands-on experience in engaging and negotiating project development and implementation with a wide range of Government institutions in Least Developed Countries and Small Islands Developing States is required.
• International experience in developing and implementing Global Environment Facility climate change mitigation (non-land use) project is required.
• Experience in managing and providing technical advice to at least fifty multi-country, global and complex UNFCCC reporting programmes on climate change mitigation is required
• Experience in managing geographically dispersed teams and overseeing a large global portfolio of climate change projects is required.
• Experience working with the United Nations system is desirable.
• Two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
• NOTE: "Fluency equals a rating of "fluent" in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of "confident" in two of the four areas