Programme Management Officer at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Responsibilities
Contribute to International Water (IW) corporate strategy development and programme coordination by:  

• Drafting UNEP/GEF IW focal area strategy and business plan and conducting relevant consultations (internal and external) on it in the context of UNEP’s approaches, strategies and priorities for the GEF.
• Providing input into the UNEP/GEF Fee model as needed and reporting progress against agreed targets on a quarterly basis.
• Coordinating UNEP/GEF IW team meetings periodically and maintaining a record of its deliberations and conclusions.
• Representing UNEP in the GEF Focal Area Task Force meetings.
• Contributing to UNEP’s programming and ensuring that the UNEP/GEF IW portfolio is reflected in the PoW.

Contributes to UNEP & GEF corporate knowledge management, data management, communications, and outreach by: 

• Identifying and codifying lessons emerging from the IW portfolio and project implementation (over and above individual project knowledge management).
• Overseeing portfolio data entry into the project information system and monitoring team compliance with data entry and quality of entry.
• Contributing to project data reconciliation exercises within/for both UNEP and GEF.
• Identifying media and other outreach opportunities and contributing portfolio and project information and written materials to be used by communications and outreach officers.

Supervises portfolio development and implementation by:

• Providing technical guidance to IW focal area Task Managers concerning project design and implementation and coordinating project concept peer reviews as needed.
• Coordinating responses to GEF Secretariat project review sheets and STAP comments and monitoring quality of project supervision by individual Task Managers in the focal area.
• Reviewing quality of the yearly Project Implementation Reviews (PIR) prepared by Task Managers and Preparing focal area reports.
• Identifying projects-at-risk and monitoring implementation of remedial actions.

Develops projects and supervises project implementation of selected projects by:

• Liaising with national organizations and international partners for identifying GEF-eligible project ideas within UNEP’s comparative advantage.
• Overseeing project concept development and project preparation, providing technical advice to the executing agencies and translating GEF guidance and policies.
• Liaising with GEF Secretariat focal area staff to ensure projects meet GEF requirements.
• Support in responding to Council, STAP and GEF Secretariat project reviews.
• Assisting in mobilizing co-financing for the projects and obtaining letters of endorsement from GEF National Focal Points.
• Being a member of the project steering committees, reviewing technical and financial reports, assessing quality of outputs, providing relevant technical advice to project partners, assessing progress towards outcomes, preparing reports and documentation for project revisions, coordinating mid-term management project reviews and related management responses, providing input to project terminal evaluations, and other tasks associated with project implementation supervision in accordance with UNEP/GEF’s Project Operations Manual.

Manages the Focal Area team and supervises and mentors staff 

• Briefing new staff on UNEP and GEF policies, strategies and procedures. 
• Harmonizing workloads within the team and assigning project portfolios.
• Providing on-going feedback on performance and guidance on workplan implementation.
• Conducting the e-PAS mid-term review.
• Mentoring the Focal Area team staff for career development and capacity development.

Performs corporate tasks in the following areas:

• Council document review and preparation of comments and briefings for management.
• Participating in the UNEP Project Review Committee (PRC) and providing input to UNEP and GEF policy and information documents and providing input to GEF corporate evaluations.
• 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

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to particular sector, functional area or another specialized field.  Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases.  Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities.  Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. 
• PLANNING & ORGANIZING:  Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts 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.
• LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow; empowers others to translate vision into results; is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives; establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support; anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions; Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo; shows the courage to take unpopular stands.

Education

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Marine or Fresh Water biology, Ecology, Oceanography, Hydrology or Chemistry, Coastal zone and river basin management or environmental engineering.
• A first-level university degree in combination with 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.

Job - Specific Qualification

• Relevant training in the protection and management of international waters issues is required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, administration or related area is required.
• A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in GEF project management and project development is required.
• A minimum of three (3) years within UN or at the international level with key international organizations related to International Waters or other relevant GEF Focal Areas or GEF Integrated Programmes is required.
• Work experience in programmes or projects management in developing countries in the fields related to transboundary waters is required.
• Demonstrated successful experience in large-scale project design, management, supervision, monitoring, and evaluation is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience of working with different climate and environment funds such as such as GEF, GCF in a multicounty context 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 this position fluency in English is required 
• 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 area.