Manager, P-5 Transparency Division

Position description

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the focus of the political process to address Climate Change. The UNFCCC secretariat supports the Convention, its Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement through a range of activities, including substantive and organizational support to meetings of the Parties and the implementation of commitments. It is a dynamic organization working in a politically challenging environment to help resolve one of the defining environmental issues of our time.

Where will you be working

This position is located in the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn, Germany, in the Transparency division which supports the intergovernmental process related to the measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and enhanced transparency framework (ETF) under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol under the Paris Agreement including by providing technical assistance to developing countries and training to experts engaged in the reporting, review and analysis processes. It supports work on relevant methodological issues, including in relation to greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, REDD-plus, agriculture, land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), IPCC guidelines and common metrics. It also maintains a transparency data hub, which includes data and information management and analysis.

What you will be doing

Reporting directly to the Director, Transparency, the Manager leads the MRV/ETF Reporting and Review subdivision, which is responsible for advice, planning, resource management and technical leadership provided to all Parties in the implementation of and readiness for transparency, including reporting and review of biennial transparency reports and national GHG inventories, national communications, biennial reports, biennial update reports, and REDD-plus submissions and related processes under the Convention and the Paris Agreement. This includes the reporting on and tracking of progress on implementation of the nationally determined contributions.

The MRV/ETF Reporting and Review subdivision consists of four units:

• BTR Review Planning and Coordination Unit;
• NDC Tracking Unit;
• GHG Inventories Unit;
• REDD+, Agriculture and LULUCF (Land use, Land-use Change and Forestry) Unit.

Your responsibilities

The Manager will provide managerial oversight on negotiations, external communications and outreach related to these activities and liaise with the other subdivisions in the Transparency Division and the Director’s office on all issues of a cross-cutting nature on ETF implementation. Specifically, the incumbent:

• Ensures the provision of strategy, policy and operational guidance to facilitate the achievement of subdivision mandates. In particular, the Manager:
  • Provides in-depth guidance on evolving mandates and emerging issues;
  • Develops and implements a strategy for interacting and cooperating with external entities, in particular with Parties to the UNFCCC, United Nations agencies, research institutions and other relevant governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations in the area of transparency;
  • Provides advice to the Director and the senior management team on subdivision activities, in particular on the status of the design and implementation of evolving requirements from developed and developing country Parties in the area of reporting, review and multilateral consideration.
• Provides technical leadership in meeting current and evolving mandates of the subdivision, and in particular:
  • Provides substantive leadership and policy guidance to the subdivision; manages support for the intergovernmental negotiations on the agenda items under the subdivision’s responsibility; manages the organization of intersessional activities such as workshops, expert meetings and informal consultations; develops and implements measures for quality control of the subdivision outcomes, including official documents and communications with relevant external actors;
  • Ensures relevant mandates, decisions and implementation guidelines are elaborated into technically sound, viable, sustainable programmes of work, prioritizing and planning activities and outputs within resource constraints;
  • Ensures synergy and coordination of the work of the subdivision with that of other organizational units in the Transparency Division and in other divisions within the secretariat; and in the same context provides substantive and organizational support to the Director to achieve internal consistency in approaches to Party support activities in the secretariat, while contributing to the overall strategic goals of the secretariat;
  • Launches new activities as mandated by the COP/CMP/CMA including resource identification and planning, project methodology, as well as design and implementation, etc.
• Ensures the effective and accountable management of resources, and in particular:
  • Plans and manages the financial resources of the subdivision with integrity and accountability to the secretariat and its donors, as well as other contributors, monitoring budgets and expenditures and deciding on relevant follow-up action; provides substantive input to budget documents and raises supplementary funds as needed;
  • Ensures the equitable and fair management of subdivision staff; plans and establishes human resource needs of the subdivision based on their most effective use to contribute towards achieving the core mandates of the secretariat;
  • Leads and manages staff of the subdivision, providing technical, policy and administrative guidance while delegating relevant responsibilities; advises on the relevant unit work strategies to achieve the subdivision goals, monitors the performance of staff (as second level supervisor) and follows up on staff performance through counselling and training activities;
  • Ensures material resources allocated to the subdivision are maintained and secured.
• Ensures representation in promoting partnership and networking both internally and externally. In particular:
  • Represents the UNFCCC secretariat at relevant fora within the United Nations system and links the MRV/ETF Reporting and Review subdivision activities with those of other organizations;
  • Ensures partnerships and communication are also externally focussed in providing information to Parties in building and consolidating partnerships with external actors and organizations;
  • Serves as a member of relevant management committees; directly supports and represents, as necessary, the Director in policy and technical discussions at the working group, SB Chairs and COP/CMP/CMA levels during intergovernmental processes;
  • Exchanges information with and receives guidance from and enhances coordination with representatives of UNFCCC Parties, UN and other international organizations and bodies, as well as research institutions and officers of the negotiating bodies of the UNFCCC.
• Enhances the secretariat’s effectiveness in resource mobilization efforts and knowledge management. In particular:
  • Identifies potential donors and/or approaches Parties that request additional activities in order to discuss financial resource requirements for potential or ongoing projects;
  • Provides substantive input to the secretariat’s finance team and resource mobilization team;
  • Ensures synergy and coordination of the work of the subdivision among other subdivisions, as well as with other divisions within the secretariat to ensure the subdivision is informed of other relevant activities and contributes to achieving the overall mandates and goals of the secretariat;
  • Leads and participates in environmental scanning for current knowledge and science, best practices and lessons learned, ensuring internal dissemination thereof;
  • Contributes to the identification, creation, distribution and adoption of substantive data, information, insights and experiences relating to UNFCCC’s mandate, processes, global best practices and lessons learned.
• Performs any other job-related activity required to meet the overall Transparency division as well as secretariat-wide mandates, goals and objectives, including participating in the overall management of secretariat-wide and division-wide activities, such as serving as a member of relevant management committees as assigned, and deputizing for the Director as needed.

Competencies

• Applying Professional Expertise: Creates a culture across the unit/programme which values expertise and multidisciplinary cooperation, and takes action to address behaviors which undermine this culture; Promotes alternative sources of expertise and best practice to create cutting edge, robust and sustainable solutions; Engages with substantive leaders outside the business unit and organization to maintain professional expertise; Institutionalizes coaching and professional development within the business unit to build substantive expertise; Sets benchmarks and performance standards for delivery in accordance with identified best practice, and monitors the business unit’s capacity to deliver;
• Communicating with impact: Promotes the organization’s mission and values with authority and gravitas to external stakeholders at all levels; Engages effectively in complex and sensitive negotiations; Communicates regularly and openly with staff at all levels within the business unit and across the organization; Expresses views and messages that reinforce the strategic goals of the organization; Identifies and involves key staff in constructing and delivering critical communications with stakeholders;
• Deals swiftly with inappropriate or inaccurate communication, and takes responsibility for the communications standards in the programme/unit.

Managerial Competencies:

• Managing Performance and Developing People: Provides teams, and the wider business area, with clear expectations regarding performance, and an understanding of how the performance of each individual unit impacts the wider organization; Holds managers accountable for providing honest and regular performance reviews for every staff member reporting to them; Fosters a performance management culture that focuses on results, high performance and collaboration; Mentors high potentials, strong performers and women in the business area and ensures managers provide coaching, support and relevant development opportunities to help staff realize their full potential;
• Thinking Strategically and Building the Vision: Generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; Understands the broader organizational and political context in which the unit / programme operates; Is aware of and sensitive towards the strategic priorities of the organization, external partners and the wider development and humanitarian context.

Your qualifications

Educational Background:

• Required: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in natural or social sciences, engineering, environmental sciences, economics or a related discipline is required. A combination of relevant bachelor’s degree and additional two years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience:

• Required: At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of global climate change issues, including strategic planning and management, national transparency systems, and climate change policies and actions, and intergovernmental processes. A minimum of 5 of the 10 years must include formal experience in leading teams of professionals engaged in climate change or other environmental activities. Three years’ experience in an international environment is a requirement.

Language skills:

• Required: Fluency in English, including the strength in both written and oral communications as demonstrated through the writing of technical and other official documents and experience in representation and catalyzing consensus among diverse partners is required. Knowledge of a second official UN language an asset.

Specific professional knowledge and skills:

• Specific professional knowledge:
• Intergovernmental negotiations;
• Managing technical professional and general service support staff.

Job-related skills:

• In-depth understanding of the strategic direction of climate change mitigation;
• Proven ability to identify, develop and/or assess medium to long-term policy requirements; Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks as well as to convey difficult political issues and positions to senior management;
• Proven ability to provide effective leadership to staff.

Application instructions

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