General

Description of assignment title: Project Support Officer

Assignment country: Kenya

Expected start date: 01/02/2023

Sustainable Development Goal: 17. Partnerships for the goals

Volunteer category: International UN Volunteer Specialist

DoA reserved for persons with disabilities: No

Host entity: UNEP

Type: Onsite

Duration: 12 months

Number of assignments: 1

Duty stations: Nairobi

Details

Mission and objectives

Since its inception in 1972, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works through its divisions as well as regional, liaison and out-posted offices and a growing network of collaborating centres of excellence.

Context

The ACP MEAs is an EC-UNEP partnership programme which begun in March 2009 as an initiative of the European Commission to address challenging environmental is-sues through the implementation of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in the African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) regions. The main objective of the project is to strengthen the implementation of MEAs in the biodiversity and chemical and waste clusters at the national and regional levels in the ACP countries. Specifically, this will be done by supporting the countries in addressing the challenges associated with the sound management of chemicals and waste, marine pollution, coastal erosion and loss of biodiversity. UNEP/Law Division is the overall coordinator and facilitator of the programme. The programme is implemented in collaboration with eight partners that all operate in the ACP region, some of which are internal to UNEP. The partners include: The African Union Commission (AUC); The Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM); The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP); The Abidjan Convention; The Cartagena Convention; The Nairobi Convention; The Nairobi Convention; The Noumea Convention; The European Environmental Bureau – zero mercury campaign. The project has 3 components. The first objective is Enforcement of and compliance with MEAs related to biodiversity and chemicals and waste, the second one is Better management of coasts and oceans and effective implementation of the related regional seas conventions and the third objective is Enhanced mainstreaming of biodiversity and of the sound management of chemicals and waste in agriculture in ACP countries in line with related MEAs The first two are implemented by UNEP while the third objective is implemented by FAO. This position is being recruited to support implementation of Objective 2 of the project on ocean governance

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Program Manager, ACP MEAs 3 Program within the Environmental Conventions and Governance Brach of the Law Division, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

•  Assist in the implementation of the ACP MEAs III project.
•  Monitor project submissions and schedules and ACP MEAs related requests.
•  Provide administrative support in relation to the project and general office support functions, such as supporting in contracting of consultants, budget monitoring, procurement and meeting/workshop requirements, and in compliance with the UN administrative rules, regulations and guidelines.
•  Prepares various written outputs such as presentations, publications, background papers, reports, project workplans, newsletters, project documents, etc.
•  Undertakes collection and analysis of data and produce statistical summaries and other data-related documents.
•  Participates in the preparation and conducting of workshops and meetings.
•  Oversee and ensure the maintaining of updated files and data.
•  Works with internal and external partners such as staff, governments, donors, etc. and other partners.
•  Contribute to capacity building of project stakeholders e.g. implementing partners, government staff, project staff, etc.
•  Undertake self-learning and participate in internally organized capacity building activities
•  Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment Results/Expected Outputs
•  Timely monitoring of project progress.
•  Timely and quality submission of project deliverables in compliance with set schedules.
•  Effective and efficient execution of administrative and office support functions in compli-ance with UN rules, regulations and guidelines.
•  Quality and timely production of documentation (e.g. project reports, workplans, summar-ies, analysis, presentations, etc.)
•  Up-to-date and organized filing system and data maintaining.
•  Enhanced knowledge and capacities of project partners.

Eligibility criteria

Age: 27 – 80

Nationality

Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Requirements

Required experience

4 years of experience in development project or programme management is required. progressively responsible work experience in an international organizations is desirable

Area(s) of expertise

Development programmes

Driving license

–

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required French, Level: Working knowledge, Desirable

Required education level

Bachelor degree or equivalent in development studies, project management, economics or a related field is required.

Competencies and values

Accountability Client Orientation Communication Integrity Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Technological Awareness Working in Teams

Other information

Living conditions and remarks

The Republic of Kenya is an equatorial nation on the coast of East Africa, neighbouring So-malia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the Indian Ocean. Kenya has two levels of Government; National Government and 47 sub-national Governments called Counties. Counties are further divided into sub-counties. Kenya is a multi-party state with Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Kenya’s population of more than 40 million is growing at an annual rate of 2.2%. The country’s GNP per capita estimated at purchasing power parity (PPP) is $975, and the GNP is growing at an average rate of 0.1% annually. More than 26% of Kenya’s people live below the international poverty line of $1 per day. Kenya’s main food crops are “maize, wheat, pulses, roots and tubers.” (FAO). Nairobi is a modern metropolitan city where most basic goods and services, health facilities, public transport, telecommunication and banking services and educational facilities are readily available. The city is widely connected through its main airport, Jomo Kenyatta Inter-national Airport and the smaller Wilson Airport. Air transport is also available to many up country destinations. The city is home to some 3,000 UN personnel mainly attributed to the fact that it serves as the headquarters for both the UN HABITAT and UNEP. The socio-economic and cultural background of the immediate society the UNV would be living and working in is diverse and prevailing security conditions at the place of assignment is modest. The topographic and climatic features of the assignment location is highland cool and warm tropical climate.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person’s race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) in line with the applicable host entity policy