USA: Policy Specialist, Climate and Security Risk

Jul 21, 2022 | UNDP
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UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains supporting the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Crisis Bureau guides UNDP’s corporate crisis and fragility-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response, and recovery. The Bureau is responsible for support to prevention, crisis response, resilience, recovery, and peacebuilding work under the auspices of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. Crisis Bureau staff provide global strategic advice to UNDP management and technical advice to Regional Hubs and Country Offices; advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. As part of the Global Policy Network (GPN), the Crisis Bureau works in an integrated manner with UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), ensuring that issues are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. Peace outcomes are delivered in a coherent manner, working across the GPN includes the Governance team in Bureau of Policy and Programme Support.

Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions

The Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions (CPPRI) Team covers the following thematic/programming areas as part of the GPN:

  • Conflict prevention and peacebuilding
  • Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE)
  • Core government functions, including local governance in transition, conflict, and fragile settings
  • Climate security

Job Purpose and Organizational Context

The Policy Specialist – Climate and Security Risk - New York will be responsible for the following duties:

Summary of functions:

  1. Policy and programming
  2. Partnerships
  3. Resources and funds mobilization

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Policy and programming

  • Supports the implementation of the UNDP’s offer on climate, environment, peace and security with other teams in the GPN 
    Supports UNDP’s work under the joint DPPA-UNDP-UNEP-DPO project, "Strengthening the UN's capacity to address climate-related security risks"
  • Backstops climate security regional programmes/ initiatives, project management and operations 
  • Through provision of authoritative, substantive guidance supports the implementation, acceleration and scaling up of the Climate Security Mechanism field initiatives in the region. 
  • Guides Country Offices in mainstreaming climate security and environmental peacebuilding approaches into national and local policy, strategy and planning processes, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), peace processes, UN
  • Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs) and Common Country Assessments (CCAs).  
  • Monitors overall implementation based on programmatic indicators, as well as on corporate reporting and evaluation requirements. 
  • Provides inputs to analysis and assessments of climate-related security risks, analytical reports and papers, including to the General Assembly, Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission, etc., making use of the UN Climate Security Mechanism Toolbox, as appropriate

2. Partnerships

  • Develops and maintains partnerships, and provides support on climate, environment, peace and security with Member States, international and regional organizations, Special Political Missions and Peacekeeping Operations, the research community and civil society in support of UNDP’s climate security initiatives in the region.
  • Maintains close contact with relevant UN focal points working on climate security in the region.
  • Participates in conferences, seminars and academic fora related to his/her assigned area of expertise.
  • Drafts notes, background papers, talking points, speeches and other correspondence for senior UN officials.
  • Performs other related duties as required.

3. Resources and funds mobilization

  • Analyzes trends and identifies opportunities for resource mobilization, conducts donor mapping and contributes to resource mobilization strategies and ensures alignment with corporate and regional goals
  • Supports the preparation and submission of concept notes and project proposals on climate security, and advises on regional and country pipelines. 
  • Ensures compliance with partner’s requirements, including monitoring, narrative and financial reporting, and evaluation. 
  • Prepares presentations, updates and project briefs for as per donor’s requirements

4. Communications and advocacy

  • Supports UNDP’s climate-security communications and advocacy efforts.
  • Guides and coordinates cross-regional exchange of knowledge by collaborating with policy teams in the Regional Hubs to research, develop and share knowledge-based tools and guidance to help influence/advance policy dialogue in the thematic area and present such material at various fora.
  • Supports UNDP knowledge generation, lessons, innovations, policy developments, programmatic offers and practice experiences on climate security in the region.
  • Drafts notes, background papers, talking points, speeches and other correspondence for senior UN officials.
  • Provides up-to-date information to senior officials regarding substantive political matters and country or regional issues with a focus on climate-related security risks.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree) in Political Science, Conflict Studies, Political Economy, Climate, Environment, or other related Social Sciences or
  • A Bachelor’s university degree with additional two years of experience will be given consideration in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:

  • Minimum of seven years with Master’s Degree or nine years with Bachelor’s Degree of progressively responsible experience in the areas of climate security, climate change, environment, conflict prevention and/or peacebuilding;. 
  • Experience working with the UN/UNDP and/or other international institutions on climate security, climate change, environment, conflict prevention and/or peacebuilding is required;
  • Experience in climate change, environment, conflict prevention and/or peacebuilding programmes in is desired;
  • Experience in conflict and political analysis, and strategy development required;
  • Programme design and management, and results monitoring experience within the United Nations system in climate security, climate change, conflict prevention, peacebuilding will be considered an asset;
  • Proven policy, advisory and advocacy experience, and track record of engagement with senior officials in the UN, government and external partners is desired.

Language:

  • Fluent written and spoken English is required;
  • Fluent French or Spanish is desirable;
  • Knowledge of other UN languages is a plus.

Please note that continuance of appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.