Kenya: Chief of Programme, Chief of Branch

Nov 12, 2021 | United Nations Environment Programme
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The United Nations 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 Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

This position is in the Disasters & Conflicts Branch of the in Ecosystems Division, located at the Nairobi duty station. Under the supervision of the Deputy Division Director, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

1. Policy and Strategy

  • Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Branch. Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Branch; ensures that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Branch, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, as appropriate;
  • Serves as a thought leader in respect of environmental challenges in disaster and conflict affected countries;
  • Contributes to the formulation of policies, strategies and actions in the area of and Disasters and Conflicts within the context of UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work;
  • Analyzes developments at the national, regional and international levels to provide thought and strategic leadership in setting the policy direction for UNEP’s interventions in addressing environmental challenges in disaster and conflict affected countries;
  • Ensures high-level representation of the Branch, both within and outside the UN system, including at international, regional and national meetings, and holds strategic discussions in the area of Disasters and Conflicts with partners as required;
  • Formulates, together with the Division Director and Deputy Director, a programme of work for the Branch, including strategy, objectives, priorities results and budget towards policy and analysis, disaster risk reduction, response and recovery;
  • Develops project proposals and funding strategies for the programmes and follow-up activities of disasters and conflict management interventions;
  • Conceptualizes and implements resource mobilization and fund-raising strategies and activities.


2. Coordination and Liaison

  • Consults with other UN agencies, international organizations, donors, host country government/administration to ensure cooperation on all areas of the Branch’s work.
  • Ensures synergy between the Branch and other UNEP initiatives, ensuring the harmonization of these initiatives with the aims of the cluster/Branch;
  • Promotes teamwork and communication between the Branch and the Division, UNEP as a whole and across organizational boundaries;
  • Cooperates with other divisions, clusters and regions within UNEP for provision of expert advice and support in the field of disasters and conflicts;
  • Provides appropriate support to regional activities for the formation of partnerships and exchange of good policies and best practices in the area of disasters and conflicts;
  • Liaises on behalf of the Branch with national governments, other United Nations agencies, and NGOs, on matters related to disasters and conflicts;
  • Liaises with other UN and Non-UN organizations to design and promote linkages and partnerships in UNEP post-conflict and disaster management programmes;

3. Management

  • Oversees the management of the Branch, providing substantive guidance to the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of the substantive work programme, developing work plans and budgets and identifying political difficulties and proposing solutions; ensures coordination within and outside the Division and with other UN organizations as appropriate;
  • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to inter-governmental bodies such as the Committee of Permanent Representatives, the UN Environment Assembly, the UN General Assembly and other policy-making organs, as appropriate;
  • Coordinates and oversees the preparation of reports to inter-governmental bodies and donors on project status, budget/programme performance or programmatic/substantive issues;
  • Oversees the management of administrative, budget and personnel operations of the Branch;
  • Provides supervision and guidance to staff in the Branch, managing and overseeing the work of the Branch’s staff members, performance management; making long and short-term projections of the work of the Branch and staffing requirements;
  • Ensures that staff members of the Branch receive the necessary guidance, training and professional development;
  • Supervise the evaluation, adaptation and management of the Division’s information exchange systems through the internet and other electronic systems; monitor the use of technology and identify overall needs for equipment and related software.
  • Perform other duties as required by the Division and/or UNEP Senior Management Team.

Education

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political sciences, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, international law or a related field.
  • A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

  • A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible experience in programme management, development and international relations in the field of environment is required.
  • A minimum of five years’ of work experience at the international level, three of which should be in a supervisory capacity is required.
  • A minimum of five years’ of work experience in the area of disasters and conflicts’ management is desirable.
  • Experience in high-level negotiations and resource mobilization is desirable.

Languages

  • English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.
  • Knowledge of French is desirable.
  • Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

'Fluency' equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand) and 'Knowledge of' equals a rating of 'confident' in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Initial appointment against this post is for a period of one year and may be subject to extension.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Internal Applicants – When completing the form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations.

Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.