Chief Technical Advisor at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Specific tasks and responsibilities

• The CTA will undertake the following duties, in close collaboration with the Project Manager and members of the Project Management Unit (PMU) and the National Project Director.

Technical Advisory Responsibilities and tasks:

• Provide overall technical and operational guidance and support to the Project Manager and Project Steering Committee to ensure that project objectives are being met and that activities are carried out with high technical standards.
• Provide advice on best suitable ecosystem-based adaptation approaches and methodologies for the timely achievement of project targets and objectives.
• Provide quality assurance and technical review of project outputs such as inception reports, studies, assessments, training materials, and knowledge products.
• Provide advice and assist in putting in place activities on gender, knowledge management, communications and awareness-raising, and document lessons from project implementation.
• Assist the PM in planning the implementation of project activities, and in adjusting the project Results Framework, Work Plan and Budget as required and in line with corporate requirements.
• Draft or review, as requested, terms of reference (ToRs) for technical consultancies and sub-contracts, and assist in the selection and recruitment process.
• Undertake technical reviews and provide quality assurance of project outputs (e.g. technical reports, studies and assessments) and field activities.
• Provide guidance and technical inputs to the work carried out by national and international consultants, project implementing partners, and contractors.
• Assist in monitoring the technical quality of project M&E systems (including AWPs, indicators and targets, and against the GEF Climate Change Strategy Indicators)

Project management Advisory Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Support and mentor the Project Manager and PMU members to prepare annual Project Implementation Reviews (PIRs), including reporting on Project’s Co-financing expenditure and achievements against Project’s indicators and GEF’s CC Adaptation Results Framework indicators and its tracking sheet.
• Support and mentor the Project Manager and PMU in the conduct of project reviews and evaluations, and in revisions of the implementation strategy and work plan, based on review and evaluation results.
• Support and mentor the Project Manager and PMU in preparing and conducting Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting for more effective strategic coordination and engagement of PSC members and implementation and coordination of project activities.
• Support the project team in administrative and financial reporting.
• Where requested, advise the PM in liaison work with project partners, donor organizations, NGOs and other groups to ensure the effective coordination of project activities

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: sustainable development, international development, environmental sciences, development studies or a related field is required or A first level degree with additional two years of qualifying experience maybe accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience, of which at least four are related to implementation of climate change adaptation projects, preferably applying ecosystem-based adaptation approaches in Zambia or in southern Africa countries and Knowledge of local languages spoken in Central and/or northern Zambia.
• Demonstrated work experience in institutional strengthening and capacity-building;
• Demonstrated work experience of leading, and coordinating a large, multidisciplinary team of experts and consultants;
• Previous work experience in the management and coordination of bilateral, multilateral or GEF/LDCF/SCCF/AF funded projects; Previous work experience in project planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation, and familiarity with gender mainstreaming and adherence to GEF environmental and social safeguards;