Project Review and Harmonization Expert - Consultant - Level C at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Setting:

The UN 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. UNEP's Policy and Programme Division (PPD) is responsible for facilitating the development and implementation of the organization's overall strategy and programme of work, including project design, development, performance review and monitoring. This consultancy will report to the Head of Programme Coherence and Assurance Unit under the overall direction of the Director of the Policy and Programme Division of UN Environment Programme.
The project quality assurance and review mechanism are serviced by the secretariat of the Project Review Committee (PRC). The formal UNEP secretariat is located within the Programme Coherence and Assurance Unit in PPD. The PRC was established in 2010 to ensure that projects being developed would deliver results defined in the UNEP Programme of Work (PoW), which is approved by the UN Environment Assembly on a biennial basis. PRC acts with high level of independence in relation to the design of project proposals which are produced at Regional and Divisional level. In the accountability framework, the PRC has also been given authority in the UNEP accountability framework to clear project proposals, an essential prerequisite before approval.
Notwithstanding, the GEF Coordination Office and the GCF Coordination Office are situated within the UNEP Corporate Services Division. These Coordination Offices manage all project cycle related issues for GEF and GCF projects, including the formal relationship with both funding entities, to which UNEP is an accredited entity. The PRC function in PPD provides independent technical reviews to all projects developed under GEF or GCF, yet it does not manage the entire project review process, nor is it asked to provide final clearance for the GEF and GCF projects before submission to donors, primarily due to the large volume of project documents, and their technical complexity related to the GEF and the GCF portfolios. Therefore, these reviews are currently done by the GEF and GCF Coordination Office itself. Likewise, the Adaptation Fund projects are not processing through the PRC Secretariat/PCAU in PPD, neither are other projects such as the Regional Seas, nor the OzonAction projects. These will all be explored through this exercise.

The main issue that the above situation brings is that whilst the current practice ensures a strong alignment with specific donor funding priorities (i.e., GEF, GCF, AF…) there is concern that many projects may not fully and optimally align with UNEP’s strategic priorities and operating mandate from Member States through its strategic plans. Furthermore, opportunities for meaningful synergies and a ‘critical mass’ of aligned effort with many non-GEF/GCF UNEP projects are being missed out and is currently lacking. Likewise, the implementation of results-based management approach across all portfolios may be also lagging.

The consultant will undertake a review of the various Project Review processes currently used in UNEPs core projects and projects funded through global funds ; and make recommendations for a consolidated and harmonized Project Review Committee (PRC) to increase efficiencies and effectiveness with the ultimate objective to provide greater strategic coherence to UNEP’s programme as it is delivered through projects. In developing a single coherent process, we will need to ensure full consideration of the requirements of our bilateral donors and global fund processes.

Methodology and scope:

1. The review/assessment is expected to use quantitative and qualitative research methods, including, but not limited to following:
2. Interviews with individuals to obtain the different positions existing in regard to the processes, standards and potential shortfalls, options for harmonization.
3. Focus group discussions with PPD and other UNEP relevant actors to identify the perceived threats and consequences of the lack of harmonization and possible solutions.
4. Research and desk study of relevant documentation, audit reports, evaluations and internal project data, which will cover also identification of types of projects and review processes/quality assurance mechanisms in place. Namely for Non/GEF/GCF, GEF, GCF, AF, Ozone and Regional Seas.
5. Proposing solutions to the relevant gaps and shortfall of processes, templates and mechanism found.
6. After reading and review of relevant documentation, interviews and focus groups, produce and deliver a report (draft and a final one with recommendations This includes to present the report and get feedback and redesign accordingly.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. The consultant will review analyze; current procedures, processes and requirements of the known PRC processes mentioned (UNEP, GEF, GCF, others), including the specificities of the entire project workflow in each case.
2. The consultant will review similar processes in other organizations (e.g., UNDP, WB) to obtain ideas on best practices and approaches.
3. The consultant will design a means to harmonize PRC processes to attain coherence among projects and the alignment of approved projects to organizational strategic priorities.
4. The consultant will identify gaps and ‘pain points’/’bottlenecks’ in the current distinct cycles and will identify the means to address them.
5. The consultant will make recommendations on necessary changes to current PRC structures for improvement and streamlining of the PRC process based on findings. Recommendations for a single PRC process will be explicitly articulated, including ToRs for the PRC process.
6. The consultant will consider whether the necessary 'firewalls' are in place i.e. whether the PRCs are conducted with sufficient independence from the proposing Units.
7. Similarly, it is important to review the first approval role of the PRC in IPMR (UMOJAs Integrated Planning, Management and Reporting) and how this role is exercised for all specific funds, and whether and how harmonization would be needed.
8. This consultant will identify opportunities and actions to enhance alignment the decentralized way in which fundraising operates in UNEP. i.e. GEF/GCF environment operates with considerable autonomy and a strong focus on resource mobilization, but which may not necessarily result in full alignment with UNEPs priorities. This is also the case for other donor funded project mentioned, Adaptation Fund, Ozone, regional Seas.
9. The consultant will also review the main project document templates in use by the project types mentioned (non/GEF/GCF, GEF, GCF, AF and Regional Seas), providing recommendations on how these templates could be simplified and or harmonized to further support synergies across the organization.

Qualifications/special skills

1. Academic Qualifications: Advanced University degree (Masters or equivalent) in development, environment, public policy or a similar discipline is required. 
2. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience: 

1. A minimum of seven years in a relevant field of work, preferably with a focus on development, strategy, project management, results-based management and knowledge management, organizational issues, evaluation is required.
2. Practical operational experience with development or multilateral agencies quality assurance, and analytical work that informs strategy implementation, programme and project cycle management is required.

Language: 

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in written and oral English is required.

DEADLINE: 24th March 2022