South Sudan: Climate and Security Programme Analyst (NPSA8)

Mar 20, 2023 | United Nations Development Programme
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UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

The impacts of climate change have become an issue of growing significance for UN field missions under the premise that majority of peacekeeping operations and field-based special political missions are deployed in areas highly vulnerable to climate change, weak governance system, and socioeconomically fragile. South Sudan is among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, and with a long history of conflict. It faces both slow-onset and sudden (surprised) climate events, including erratic rainfall, flooding, drought, heat stress, and locust infestations that exacerbate risks to peace and security. With around 95 per cent of the population dependent on climate-sensitive livelihoods, climate shocks severely stretch the resilience and coping capacity of communities and add on to existing tensions. There is the prevalence of inter-communal conflicts linked to climate-induced migration and mobility, and reduction of the threshold and carrying capacity of natural resource systems (e.g., green pasture and water) to mutually support different livelihood activities thereby resulting in the perennial farmer-herder conflicts that occur in South Sudan.  

In 2021, the UN Security Council for the first time recognized the adverse effects of climate change, among other factors, on the humanitarian situation and stability in South Sudan, emphasizing the need for comprehensive risk assessments and risk management strategies by the Government of South Sudan and the United Nations to inform programs relating to these factors. In Resolution 2625, UNMISS was also tasked to provide gender-sensitive assessments on the adverse effects of climate change.

Leveraging on the strategic orientation of peacekeeping operations in providing context-specific solutions, there is an opportunity to address the key drivers of conflicts in a holistic way, especially climate induced drivers. Similar opportunities also exist under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, particularly under the triple Nexus Approach in consolidating peacebuilding using humanitarian and development activities, and in turn, enabling a steady transitioning to sustainable development through capacity building and improving social infrastructure following the signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

The signing of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the South Sudan (R-ARCSS) by the parties to the conflict, and the reconstitution of the government of national unity, signals increased space and opportunities to advance reconciliation and peacebuilding between the conflicting parties, and promoting peaceful coexistence among communities at the subnational level. Consolidating peace at the subnational level is vital in laying the foundation for sustaining the national peace process as inter-communal conflicts, among others, triggered by climate impacts could be exploited by opportunistic political elites for their selfless interests.

It is thus, important to help UN special political missions and peacekeeping operations to assess and address the impact of climate change on peace and security. Similarly, it is also important to support UN Agencies, especially under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework to streamline climate response actions in support of the Government of South Sudan, in providing tailored and targeted climate-related security risks solutions in strengthening sustainable peacebuilding. Given the highly context-dependent impact of climate change on peace and security, this will establish an understanding of the pathways connecting climate stressors or shocks to security outcomes. This is critical to promote an integrated approach by situating climate-related security risks within peacekeeping operations which is an integral part of the UNMISS mandate, as well as within the triple nexus approach under the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

It is within this premise that a  Programme Analyst is being recruited to support both UNMISS and the UN Country Team (UNCT) for the integration and application of climate security in their strategic plans, programmes, activities, advocacy and mediation. S/he will be based in Juba but with extensive travels to field locations, and engage with a wide range of development partners, government institutions and local stakeholders. He/she will directly report to the Senior Climate and Security Advisor.

The goal of the position, therefore, is to strengthen the capacity of the staff in UN peace operations and UNCT in addressing the interlinkages between climate change, prevention, and sustaining peace using coordinated and integrated approaches, with the application of appropriate analytical tools, data sources, scenarios and early warning systems that specifically address climate-related security risks.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Support the application of climate and security, especially with a gender lens, in UNMISS procedures and practice areas such as conflict-sensitive analyses, peace mediation, and enhancing peaceful coexistence between communities;  
  • Undertake the characterization of the diverse climate-related security risk profiles of different regions and locations of UNMISS operations in South Sudan;
  • Enhance the understanding of climate-related security risks, and the basic capacity of key staff to conduct integrated climate-related security risk analyses in UNMISS field missions and peacebuilding operations;
  • Organize training workshops for UNMISS field missions in customizing climate security within the context of their field operations, and designing methods for data collection relevant for situation analysis, local conflict analysis, and formulation of response actions;
  • Support UN agencies under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, in integrating climate-related and security risks analysis into their strategic priorities, programming and operational plans;
  • Support the application of climate security within the Humanitarian, Peace and Development nexus approach under the UNCT;
  • Support the activities of the Climate and Security Working Group in programming meetings, preparing updates, reports, and coordinating joint activities, (e.g., field trips, workshops etc.);
  • Support the development of a robust multi-dimensional early warning and preparedness system that integrates climate and security alertness for South Sudan;
  • Develop knowledge products (policy brief, technical notes etc.), preparing of reports, talking points, updates etc;
  • Support awareness raising, advocacy, communication and visibility actions on climate and Security by the UN in South Sudan;
  • Support the government with the strategic orientation of climate and security for the implementation of the NDC, NAP and other national plan and policies;
  •  Other services as required.

Institutional Arrangement

The Climate and Security Programme Analyst will directly report to the Senior Climate and Security Advisor.

Competencies

Core

  • Achieve Results:  LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work.
  • Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking.
  • Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning.
  • Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
  • Act with Determination:  LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
  • Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships.
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

  • Crisis and Fragility Policy and Engagement: Data/ Analytics for early warning and crisis management.
  • Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery: Crisis and environment.
  • Nature, Climate and Energy: Environment: Environmental and social impact assessments, including data collection and analysis.
  • Nature, Climate and Energy: Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Natural resource management and early warning.
  • Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: Land, Natural Resources and Conflict.
  • Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions: Peacebuilding and Reconciliation.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in climate change, environment and natural sciences, economics, water resources, land management or a related area is required.
  • A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in relevant field in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • Minimum 2 years (Bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible working experience on climate change is required;
  • At least Two (2) years of work experience in regional or international organizations, preferably within the UN system or similar organization is required;
  • Experience working on climate adaptation issues at global and national levels is desirable;
  • Experience of ecosystem-based adaptation; familiarity with key climate adaptation stakeholders and networks is desirable;
  • Experience working in South Sudan and/or the Horn of Africa is desirable.

Required Language(s)

  • Excellent English Language is required.
  • Arabic is an advantage.

Disclaimer

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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