Job Identification : 14086

Locations : Phnom-Penh, Cambodia

Posting Date : 10/11/2023, 07:51 AM

Apply Before : 10/26/2023, 04:59 PM

Job Schedule : Full time

Agency : UNDP

Grade : NPSA-9

Vacancy Type : National Personnel Service Agreement

Practice Area : Nature, Climate and Energy

Bureau : Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific

Contract Duration : 1 Year

Education & Work Experience : Master’s Degree – 2 year(s) experience OR Bachelor’s Degree – 4 year(s) experience

Required Languages : English and Khmer

Vacancy Timeline

2 Weeks

Job Description

Background

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Over the past two decades, Cambodia has realized exceptional rates of economic growth averaging over 7% prior to the pandemic, with persistent declines in poverty and rapid improvements in human development. Yet Cambodia faces several development challenges. Pressures stemming from Cambodia’s rapid progression as a Middle-Income Country (MIC) have tended to be resource and carbon intensive, resulting in environmental challenges and natural resource depletion. For example, forest coverage has been declining for decades, and from 2010 to 2018 shrank from 57 percent to less than 47 percent of national territory.

To sustain Cambodia’s vital ecosystems and environment, the Government has implemented environmental governance reforms. These include new policies and legal frameworks, jurisdictional reforms resulting in the creation of protected landscapes that cover 7.4 million ha of land (41% of the country), a new draft Environment and Natural Resources Code, decentralization of natural resource management functions, and a moratorium on new economic land concessions. The government has also embraced the REDD+ agenda.

REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries) is a global policy initiative under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to tackle climate change threats by addressing emissions from the forest and land use sector. The goal of REDD+ is to prevent forest degradation and deforestation and promote forest conservation, sustainable management, and forest enhancement through policy approaches and positive incentives to developing countries.

Cambodian national development policies, strategies, and programmes have incorporated REDD+ as part of their strategic agendas. Guided by the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, Cambodia has established four interconnected elements as part of its national REDD+ architecture: 1) a National Strategy or Action Plan (NRS), 2) a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS), 3) a Safeguards Information System (SIS), and 4) a Forest Reference Emissions Level/ Forest Reference Level (FREL).

UNDP has been a key partner of the Government during the REDD+ readiness phase (e.g., through the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility – FCPF) and will continue to provide support during the implementation and result-based payments phases. More broadly, UNDP will support Cambodia in the design and implementation of national policies and measures to reduce deforestation and manage forests sustainably under strict environmental and social safeguards framework for both stand-alone forest projects and national or subnational programs, hence contributing to the mitigation of climate change and advancing sustainable development.

As part of implementation initiatives, the UNDP-led Climate Promise 2.0 (CP2) is supporting Cambodia to be ready for the implementation of REDD+ under the UNFCCC, facilitating consultations, reviewing, and adjusting safeguards compliance and monitoring mechanisms at various jurisdictional levels among others to enable the country to access compliance and voluntary carbon markets as well as results-based payments through the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in the near future.

Duties and Responsibilities

The REDD+ Safeguard Coordinator will be supervised by the Climate and Forest Specialist and will work closely with project team members, consultants, partners, Programme Analyst, and other colleagues within the Country Office. The incumbent may be required to undertake field missions to various provinces of Cambodia where applicable to conduct project-related activities or meetings, stakeholder engagements, and monitoring purposes. Any travel related to the official performance of duties will be covered by the UNDP project.

The position may also be required to take on other programmes/projects/initiatives within the scope of TOR depending on the workload at the time.

The REDD+ Safeguards Coordinator will perform the following key functions:

•  Coordinate project support for the government and stakeholders for the ongoing works related to REDD+ safeguards under Climate Promise 2.0. and Forest, Land, and Nature (FLN) work areas across the Climate and Forests (C&F) portfolio.
•  Provide quality technical guidance for REDD+ safeguards and other land and nature work areas to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of safeguards requirements of REDD+ Safeguards and Safeguard Information System (SIS) operation, REDD+ projects, and across the C&F portfolio.
•  Acting as liaison person, coordination support partnerships building and knowledge management for REDD+ safeguards implementation at the national and sub-national levels, with NGOs, project teams, local communities, relevant line ministries, and other stakeholders.

Coordinate project support for the government and stakeholders for the ongoing works related to REDD+ safeguards under Climate Promise 2.0 and Forest, Land, and Nature (FLN) work area and across the Climate and Forests portfolio.

•  Design roadmaps and annual work plans of safeguards activities related to C&F portfolio in Cambodia (Consultations, activities, SIS implementation, SIS online operation, Summary of Information Draft, etc.).
•  Design and coordinate key activities related to safeguards in partnership and consultation with C&F team and relevant stakeholders.
•  Provide technical guidance to Cambodia and UNDP on safeguard-related activities, initiatives, and requirements from UNFCCC (Safeguard Information System SIS, Summary of Information SOI), international approaches, private schemes, standards, etc (stand-alone REDD+ projects and jurisdictional approaches).
•  Develop ToRs of and supervise relevant consultants and provide quality assurance related to the REDD+ safeguards.
•  Provide technical and management support to the day-to-day safeguards’ implementation at the national and local levels through the circulation of documents, drafting concept notes, coordinating internal and stakeholder meetings, trainings and awareness building, and providing information feedback.
•  Contribute to the development of quarterly and annual project progress reports of Climate Promise 2.0. FLN work areas and other initiatives (government agencies, UNDP and UN-REDD, etc.) under C&F portfolio according to their respective reporting guidelines/requirements.
•  Monitor and keep track of safeguards’ activities, reporting, and events (workshops, training, etc.), ensuring the proper integration with other forest-related projects and initiatives (UN-REDD TA, CSLEP, etc.), which results can impact or strengthen the REDD+ Safeguards.
•  Ensure the gender and human rights-based approaches set by UNDP in such a way fulfils the global indicator related to all participatory/consultation activities
•  For projects assigned, ensure funds are made available and proper use of project resources in line with UNDP’s Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures
•  Conduct and coordinate regular field visits with counterparts and project teams to monitor the implementation of REDD+, Nested System, stand-alone or subnational REDD+ projects from the safeguard perspectives and assist with the organization of visits, the preparation of back-to-office reports and supervision missions from cooperating institutions.

Provide quality technical guidance for REDD+ safeguards and other land and nature work areas to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of safeguards requirements of REDD+ Safeguards and Safeguard Information System (SIS) operation, REDD+ projects, and across the C&F portfolio.

•  Support the REDD+ Taskforce (RTF) and REDD+ Secretariat (RS) in management and monitoring progress related to REDD+ safeguards and SIS implementation ensuring timely delivery of project outputs.
•  Support the RS in the preparation of quarterly and annual technical work plans for safeguards-related activities and budgets.
•  Support preparation of RTF and RS meetings and follow up on the implementation of safeguard-related recommendations made by the RTF and RS.
•  Support the RS in organizing and conducting effective stakeholder meetings in line with the safeguard workplan and reporting requirements (SOI reports, SIS operational, safeguards implementation, etc.).
•  Take minutes for key meetings including those of the RTF/RS and translate these into both English and Khmer for access by stakeholders; and
•  Coordinate with other REDD+ initiatives ensuring proper technical integration of activities related to safeguards and other works which could generate relevant inputs to define and execute Safeguards Implementation Plan (SIP), roadmaps and annual work plans, and SIS’s operation at the national and at regional levels.

Acting as liaison person, coordination and support partnerships building and knowledge management for REDD+ safeguards implementation at the national and sub-national levels, with NGOs, project teams, local communities, relevant line ministries, and other stakeholders.

•  Assist the Country Office and the RS to coordinate and organize safeguard-related stakeholder meetings/events/workshops nationally and locally related to the REDD+ programme, SIS, and Nested System implementation and disseminate their results and progress.
•  Assist the Country Office and the RS to explore the potential for safeguard-related private sector partnerships on C&F portfolio.
•  Contribute to Country Office’s resource mobilization efforts, specifically by providing technical guidance on safeguards.
•  Contribute to the development of safeguard knowledge products and communications about the activities, progress, and results under the REDD+ programme especially linked to Climate Promise 2.0’s FLN work area.
•  Contribute to the consolidation of knowledge and lessons learned around REDD+ safeguards at multiple levels and disseminate progress on SIS’s operation and reporting through the SOI.
•  Provide effective communication, coordination and cooperation between the members of the RS, C&F portfolio team and line ministries in safeguards planning, monitoring and implementation process; and
•  Contribute to consolidate knowledge and lessons learned and disseminate good practice on safeguards.

Competencies

Core competencies:

•  Achieve Results: LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
•  Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
•  Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
•  Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
•  Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
•  Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
•  Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making

People Management competencies:

•  UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross Functional and Technical Competencies

Business Management

•  System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
•  Results-based Management: Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
•  Project Management: Ability to plan, organise, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
•  Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
•  Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results

2030 Agenda: Peace

•  Conflict Prevention Institutions: Peacebuilding and Responsive: Land Use, Land-use Change and Forestry
•  Nature, Climate and Energy: Climate Change Policies: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

•  Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Environmental or Social Science, Natural Resource Management, or a related field with the REDD+’s safeguards as social sciences, social anthropology, local communities and indigenous peoples’ studies, rural and sustainable development is required.
•  A first-level university degree (Bachelor´s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of Master´s degree

Experience:

•  A minimum of two years (with Master’s degree) or four years (with Bachelor’s degree) in managing development projects in the area of REDD+ safeguards in Cambodia
•  Proven experience and knowledge of the country’s institutional framework and safeguard policies and regulations related to forests and natural resource management is an asset.
•  Advanced understanding of community dynamics around conservation, forest and non-forest production, and forest livelihood perspectives, as well as land rights, consuetudinary tenures, and community-based organizations in Cambodia.
•  Working experience with with local community and indigenous people is an advantage.
•  Experience in working with multi-stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs, donor agencies, private sector, and CSOs related to REDD+ biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management is an asset.
•  Experience in implementing programmes across the UN agencies and across the Royal Government of Cambodia is an advantage.
•  Forest and development: Knowledge of forestry and development and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
•  Climate change: Knowledge of climate change (Including climate change international regime) and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
•  REDD+ Safeguards: Knowledge of REDD+/Cancun Safeguards, Private standards related to safeguards and the ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations
•  Resource mobilization: Ability to identify and organize programmes and projects to implement solutions and generate resources

Language Requirement

•  Fluency in English and Khmer is required.

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (‘Green Card’ holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

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Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Non-discrimination

UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

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