How can you make a difference?
The Regional Adviser, Sustainable Environments (Africa) reports directly to the Deputy Regional Director, WCARO, in coordination with MENA and ESARO, with a dotted line on technical issues to the Senior Adviser, Climate and Environment, based in the Division for Data Research and Policy, UNICEF Headquarters.
The Adviser serves as an authoritative adviser to the Regional Directors, Deputy Regional Directors, the Regional Management Teams, Country Offices and Government institutions/officials on strategies, policies, approaches, best practices and knowledge on climate change, sustainable energy and other environmental issues. The adviser will also advise the Africa regions on greening UNICEF’s operations, support knowledge exchange, and monitor progress made.
Regional advisory services and technical support on strategic planning and resource mobilisation
Advise key national government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners on policies, strategies, approaches and best practices on Child sensitive/child centered climate change, sustainable energy and other environmental issues to support program development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
Participate in regional/country program planning, preparation and review to provide advice on situation analysis, formulation, design, management, resource mobilisation and communication of climate change, sustainable energy and other environmental policy, including setting priorities and results-based management goals.
Participate in regional key events and strategic discussions to influence policy discussions and agenda setting on climate change, sustainable energy and other environmental issues.
Develop and/or recommend regional program policies, strategies and approaches. Lead and/or organize regional strategic discussions and planning on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental programming issues.
Provide inputs to and facilitate a multi-sector analysis and dialogue to better understand the situation, trends and risks for African children with regard to environmental pollution, climate change, and in relation to other regional dynamics like urbanization and migration.
Undertake a mapping of relevant resource mobilization opportunities including climate and environment-orientated global funds, regional funds, and bi-lateral donors. In coordination with partnerships specialists, develop guidance for regional and country offices on how to access the funds and prepare the required technical documentation.
Work with the regional teams to ensure inclusion of climate change, sustainable energy and other environmental issues across UNICEF’s work, including but not limited to WASH, Health, Education, Social Inclusion, Nutrition, Urban, Disaster Risk Reduction, Resilience and humanitarian situations.
Promote children’s role in addressing climate change and mitigation of risks
In cooperation with the regional chief of operations, provide guidance and technical advice to Country Offices to green their operations.
Support to country offices on program development and planning
Collaborate with Regional Management/Country Office teams throughout all stages of programming to provide technical support to program preparation, implementation and monitoring for results.
Provide policy guidance and technical support to national external partners/internal colleagues to develop national policies/strategies for UNICEF assisted programs.
Contribute to the planning and conduct/update of situation analysis to ensure that current and evidence based data on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental issues, are available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on child rights.
Manage and coordinate technical support around climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental issues ensuring it is well planned, monitored, and implemented in a timely fashion so as to adequately support scale-up and delivery. Ensure risk analysis and risk management are embedded into overall management of the support, in close consultation with UNICEF programme sections, Cooperating Partners, and governments.
Keep abreast of national/regional/international development priorities on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and environmental policy to leverage UNICEF’s position and competencies with donors, national governments, communities and constituents to advocate/promote interventions and policies related to climate change, sustainable energy and other environmental issues affecting children.
Provide technical advice to facilitate the inclusion of climate change, sustainable energy, issues related to the urban environment, and other environmental issues in the Country Programme and to ensure alignment of programs goals with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plan.
Consult and collaborate with national/global colleagues/partners/allies to develop a partnerships framework to address specific needs and to leverage resources for enhancing/scaling up initiatives to address climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental issues, and child-responsive and sustainable urban development affecting children
Evaluate/facilitate synergy, integration, coherence, and harmonization of programs and projects with UNICEF Strategic Plans and priorities, donors’ development strategies/policies, national priorities/competencies and UN System development interventions/initiatives.
Regional program monitoring and assessment
Ensure effective and efficient monitoring and evaluation of different country programmes within the region. Ensure that climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environment related initiatives enhance policy dialogue, planning, supervision, technical advice, management, training, research and support; and monitoring and evaluation
Collaborate with HQ Advisers, Regional/Country Monitoring and Evaluation Advisers/Officers to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environment related initiatives.
Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual sector reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine and to provide advice on required action/interventions to achieve results.
Assess Country Offices monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
Submit/share assessments on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environment related initiatives, in country offices highlighting critical issues and suggestions for enhancing performance and delivery of sustainable results.
Monitor progress made with greening UNICEF’s operations
Advocacy, networking and partnership building
Develop context-specific, evidence-based advocacy messages and materials for use by UNICEF Senior Management, regional and country teams to advocate for a sustainable environment for children.
Establish effective partnerships with the Government, bilateral and multilateral donors, NGOs, civil society and local leaders, the private sector, and other UN agencies to support sustained and proactive commitment to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and to achieve global UN agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai DRR Framework.
Collaborate with/advise country offices in the region to develop strategies and implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support resource mobilization for climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environment related initiatives.
Participate and/or represent UNICEF (as delegated/designated) in key events/meetings and in inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are clearly articulated and fully considered/integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with regional inter-agency partners/colleagues UNDAF planning and preparation of related programs and projects.
Innovation, knowledge management, evidence generation and capacity building
Promote critical thinking and introduce technological and program innovations, approaches and good practices in the region for climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environment related initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.
Keep abreast of, research, benchmark, introduce and implement best and cutting edge practices in the region related to climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental issues.
Identify, assess, vet and disseminate a roster of qualified experts and highly recognized institutions for easy access and use by stakeholders.
Lead and/or develop policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.
Lead/plan/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on climate change, sustainable energy, the urban environment and other environmental issues related programing, advocacy and technical support.
Lead knowledge exchange including collecting and sharing best practices and lessons learned on greening UNICEF’s operations
To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…
Advanced university degree in environment, energy or climate change, or other relevant disciplines. Qualifications in urban development or planning is also preferred.
A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant work experience focused on developing countries, in areas related to development cooperation in climate change adaptation, low carbon development, environment, air pollution, sustainable energy, Disaster Risk Management, and the urban environment is required.
Specific expertise in programme/project formulation, implementation, monitoring and review and evaluation related to climate change adaptation and low carbon development in developing countries is an asset.
Proven experience in successfully developing, formulating and overseeing the implementation of adaptation and low carbon development projects for the GEF/LDCF/SCCF, Adaptation Fund, and/or other sources of climate finance is an advantage.
Knowledge of climate change impacts, climate risk assessments, and adaptation solutions is required.
Knowledge of greenhouse gas emissions and low carbon development solutions, especially related to sustainable energy is required.
Knowledge of sustainable urban development solutions, is required.
Familiar with children’s rights and gender in the context of climate change adaptation and low carbon development and/or natural resources management.
Experience with greening the operations of an organization is an asset.
Excellent analytical and writing skills, advocacy and presentational skills is required
Fluency in English and French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language spoken in the Africa regions is an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
The technical competencies required for this post are:
Leading and supervising (III)
Formulating strategies/concepts (III)
Analyzing (III)
Relating and networking (III)
Deciding and initiating action (III)
Persuading and influencing (III)
