United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
WEC Background:
The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.
WEC effectively operationalizes partners’ agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.
The NDC Partnership:
The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work through 120 partners supporting almost 80 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC).
Country Context:
Malawi submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 30 July 2021. The updated NDC advances ambition with broader sectoral scope, quantified mitigation targets and adaptation measures and SDG alignment. The Government of Malawi (GoM) is committed to taking urgent action to mitigate and adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. As a Party to the UNFCCC, the country seeks to contribute to the ambitious goal of limiting temperature rise as agreed under the Paris Agreement.
The Government of Malawi developed and launched its NDC Implementation Plan and Resource Mobilization Strategy in August 2022. To enable and accelerate implementation of the activities outlined in the Implementation Plan, Malawi plans to develop an Investment Plan and use it together with the Resource Mobilization Strategy to accelerate resource mobilization. At the same time, Malawi needs to develop project proposals from the NDC Implementation Plan.
The Government of Malawi is looking to engage a regional Climate Finance Specialist to provide technical assistance for the mobilization of resources for NDC implementation and will support the development of project concepts and bankable project proposals from the NDC Implementation Plan and the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy. The Climate Finance Specialist should preferably be from the sub-Saharan Africa region, particularly within the SADC community, to bring in regional experiences and best practices.
As the country is now focusing on NDC implementation, monitoring, tracking and reporting, the regional Climate Finance Specialist will support the implementation of the NDC and implementation of theNDC Resource Mobilization Strategy in Malawi. The Specialist will support the resource mobilization efforts for NDC Implementation based on the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy and will support the government in engaging development partners to mobilize resources for NDC implementation.
*** As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Malawi or have a valid residence permit in the Country.
In addition to the day-to-day activities that may be required from the Specialist, the following outputs would be expected to be delivered.
- A pipeline of bankable concept notes on various NDC relevant projects to inform robust resource mobilization for Malawi’s NDC.
- A fully fledged bankable project proposal developed that can be presented to potential financiers.
- Secure potential project funders or partners to advance the developed project concepts.
- Sectoral and other stakeholder consultations on aligning the NDC Implementation Plan and the Resource Mobilization Strategy into national/sectoral strategies.
- Engagement of project financiers/developers and donors on a regular basis through conferences, roundtables, workshops, meetings, etc. in consultation with the EAD to provide updates on priority areas in the NDC Implementation Plan.
Specifically, the Regional Climate Finance Specialist will undertake the following:
- Provide technical guidance to the Government of Malawi on the development of project concept notes that align with the NDC Implementation Plan.
- Operationalize the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy.
- Lead the formulation of a pipeline of project concept notes that align with the NDC Implementation Plan and the Resource Mobilization Strategy to be presented to potential financiers/funders.
- Develop a fully-fledged bankable project proposal aligned with the NDC Implementation Plan and the Resource Mobilization Strategy.
- Facilitate awareness raising on the operationalization of the NDC Implementation Plan and the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy.
- Provide timely technical advice and guidance on international funding opportunities from which NDC relevant projects may benefit and facilitate exchange between national contacts and various sources of funding.
- Support the organization of results-oriented donor resource mobilization exchanges including conferences, roundtables, workshops, etc. aimed at mobilizing resources for the country to advance NDC implementation and the NDC Resource Mobilization Strategy. The Specialist will take the lead to design the conference’s format, content, and concept paper in a way that will yield the intended results.
Institutional Arrangement
The Regional Climate Finance Specialist will be based in Malawi for the duration of the assignment and will report to and perform under the overall guidance and supervision of the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist, in close collaboration with the Director of Environmental Affairs, and will work hand in hand with the In-country Facilitator who is embedded within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change in the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD). S/he shall work across ministries, key stakeholders, and the NDC Partnership. Official reporting shall be by monthly, quarterly and end of assignment reports submitted to the government and the NDC Partnership.
This is a retainer position requiring engagement of the staff to support the Government of Malawi for initially 1 year, working 220 days a year.
- Master’s degree in a relevant field, climate change, climate finance, development studies with an orientation towards the economics of the environment, climate change or natural resources management. A PhD in a relevant field will be an added advantage.
- Bachelor degree in related discipline in combination with additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Experience
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in policy analysis, programme planning and development, project planning and appraisal, implementation, resource mobilization, monitoring and evaluation, organizational review, preferably with a bias towards environment and natural resources management.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills including consultation and facilitation, with ability to express ideas clearly, logically, and effectively, both orally and in writing is desirable;
- Result orientation including being conscious and efficient in meeting commitments, paying attention to detail, observing deadlines, and achieving agreed targets id desirable.
Language
Proficiency in English is required.
*** As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Malawi or have a valid residence permit in the Country.