Director, Programme Management at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Responsibilities

• Directs and manages a major programme(s) of the Organization.
• Contributes to the formulation of the department’s overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues, and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director on the climate action subprogramme; contribute to the overall management of the Department’s activities and operations.
• Provides leadership to the development of innovative and/or change management programmes and leads complex organizational change management processes and communication to engage staff and establish the relevant organizational structures and engagement with member states on common messaging on the new vision for climate action division.
• Formulates and implement the substantive work programme of the Climate Division, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery, in co-operation and co-ordination with other UNEP divisions and offices and with other organizations of the UN System, donors and agencies.
• Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Division, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division, working closely with UNEP Regional Offices through the UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams.
• Prepares and implements activities pertaining to the protection and development of the climate action aimed at building the capacity of Governments and other stakeholders, especially those in developing countries, to address climate change and providing technological support.
• Co-ordinates and oversees analysis, the preparation of reports, policy briefs and presentation to donors and intergovernmental bodies such as UN Environment Assembly of the UN Environment Programme, Committee for Programme Coordination, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions, Committee for Permanent Representatives, Economic and Social Council, other subsidiary bodies of the General Assembly and other policy-making organs as well as relevant regional and global platforms.
• Reports to UNEP Senior Management Team, intergovernmental bodies on budget/programme performance or on programmatic/substantive issues, as appropriate, particularly those presented in biannual and/or annual reports.
• Works collaboratively with Regional Offices to mobilize resources from global and regional sources for project funding. Clears the allocation of the necessary financial and human resources for the delivery of results related to the strategic objectives based on the recommendations from other Division Directors, Regional Directors, and Sub-Programme Coordinators.
• Ensures close and effective engagement with Regional Offices to ensure co-design of projects that contain regional and national components. Ensures accountability for delivery of project results that fall within their division’s expertise and mandate.
• Ensures that the outputs produced by the Division maintain high-quality standards; that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all outputs produced by the office/division under his/her supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates.
• Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based management including budgeting, development of staff work plans, and evaluation of staff performance (PAS).
• Oversees the recruitment of staff for Division taking due account geographical and gender balance and other institutional values.
• Manages, guides, develops, encourages, and trains staff under his/her supervision; foster teamwork and communication among staff in the Division and across organizational boundaries.
• Chairs meetings, seminars, etc., on substantive-related issues; represents the Organization at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conference; provides programmatic/substantive expertise, and, when appropriate, holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions.
• Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
• Perform other related duties as requested by the senior management of the Organization.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Ability to demonstrate professional competence and mastery of subject matter, in particular the international response to Climate Change with a focus on mitigation and adaptation measures. Ability to formulate and lead strategic visioning exercises and complex organizational change management and reform initiatives, particularly on climate change agenda through intergovernmental and environmental governance processes. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management is desirable. Shows ability to produce reports and papers on technical issues and to review and edit the work of others. Shows ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations.
• COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. Tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
• ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• LEADERSHIP: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing.
• MANAGING PERFORMANCE: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental Management, International Relations, Social Sciences, business or public administration, Economics, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience

• Over fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in human resources management, administration, logistics, financial management, budget or related field is required. Experience in programme and organizational management either in government, intergovernmental entities and/or United Nations is required. Experience in climate change multilateral and intergovernmental processes at a senior level is required. Experience in policy analysis, formulation and implementation is required. Experience at the senior level managing human and financial resources is required. Experience working in an international setting is required. Experience in building capacity of developing countries or countries with economies in transition on climate change is required. Experience with UN country or regional strategies, particularly UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCF) and UN Common Country Analysis (CCAs), is desirable.

Deadline : Apr 10, 2024