Climate Change Adaptation Specialist at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Through three main areas of work:
• catalysing country level action by accessing international finance for adaptation on behalf of developing country governments and supporting governments to execute Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) projects,
• distilling evidence for normative policy and programming guidance to catalyse more action on climate change and by strengthening networks and dialogue processes between people and groups engaged in adaptation, in particular on EbA. In so doing, UNEP promotes actions to improve the scientific basis of policy and planning processes particularly in relation to finding solutions to adaptation through the natural environment. Under the Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) 2022-2025, Climate Action is one of UNEP’s three strategic objectives.
• The expected 2030 outcome of this UNEP strategic objective is that government and non-government development action are compatible with the long-term mitigation and resilience goals of the Paris Agreement. UNEP has a mandate to work on EbA which comes from Resolutions passed by member states at UNEP Assembly (UNEA) 1/8 and 2/6.
• The UNEA 2 Resolution on the Paris Agreement requests the Executive Director, within the mandate of the UNEP and in collaboration with other relevant organizations and stakeholders, to strengthen collaboration between UNEP, relevant United Nations bodies and other relevant stakeholders on work related to adaptation, mitigation and the transition to a sustainable future; and to accelerating support to countries to build national readiness capacity to implement the Paris Agreement, implementation capacity and capacity to access finance and technology.
• The promotion and dissemination of adaptation knowledge, science and practice at UNEP is steered by the Global Adaptation Network (GAN). Founded by UNEP and partners in 2010, the GAN provides a worldwide platform to distribute and exchange climate change adaptation knowledge in a variety of ways. As an umbrella organization spanning most continents, the GAN compromises of regional networks and partners, each of which provides knowledge services in their respective regions. This GAN is a thriving network community that provides considerable benefits to member states and partners.
• The GAN Secretariat is composed of seven staff, consisting of Global, Regional, Communication and Administrative staff hosted by the UNEP. This assignment will contribute to advancing the key outcomes of the UNEP Medium Term Strategy 2022-2025, specifically enhanced assistance to capacity building, technology, and finance in support of the Paris Agreement.

Qualifications/special skills

• Master’s degree in resource management, forestry, environment, economics, development, development studies, international relations, public relations, Climate Change or a closely related field is required.
• Experience: at least 7 years of practical adaptation to climate change or international development experience working at the policy level is required.
• Experience in working and collaborating with multi-stakeholder partnerships is desirable.
• Working with organising policy roundtables and knowledge networks is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in preparing, conducting and documenting is stakeholder engagement including surveys/interviews is desirable.