The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global 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.
The post is located in the Civil Society Unit of the Governance Affairs Office at the Nairobi duty station. Under the supervision of the Director of the Governance Affairs Office the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:
• Leads, sets priorities and manages the development, implementation and evaluation of UNEP’s Major Groups and Stakeholders programme in line with UNEP’s Stakeholder Engagement Handbook and in accordance with the Rules of Procedures of the United Nations Environment Assembly and established practice.
• Coordinates policy development related to a strengthened engagement of Major Groups and Stakeholders in the United Nations Environment Assembly and its subsidiary organs, including the Committee of Permanent Representatives and other UNEP-led intergovernmental processes.
• Undertakes surveys related to Major Groups and Stakeholders; guides design of data collection instruments; reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares conclusions and recommendations.
• Prepares substantive outputs, including background papers, analysis, substantial sections of reports and studies and internal briefing notes on the contribution of Major Groups and Stakeholders in improving the global environment.
• Oversees the accreditation of Major Groups and Stakeholder to the United Nations Environment Assembly, in line with applicable rules and regulations.
• Maintains regular and constructive relations with Major Groups and Stakeholder accredited to the United Nations Environment Assembly, including through UNEP’s Major Groups Facilitating Committee.
• Designs and conducts training workshops, seminars, and gives presentations, lectures, briefings related to stakeholder engagement in environmental matters
• Coordinates activities for mobilizing extra-budgetary resources, including project proposals, progress reports.
• Contributes to relevant activities related to budget and funding in support of Major Groups and Stakeholders engagement (programme/project proposals, progress reports, financial statements and donor reports, and ensures preparation of related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget.
• Coordinates the Unit’s strategic collaboration with other parts of UNEP, including substantive Divisions and Regional Offices on follow-up of mandates and processes and ensures consistency of approaches and actions within UNEP with regards to Major Groups and Stakeholder engagement in UNEP activities.
• Establishes and maintains partnerships, undertakes consultations and liaises on substantive issues with relevant Member States, international organizations and institutions, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, media representatives and other stakeholders, and maintains, promotes and facilitates operational partnerships and collaboratives undertakings. Initiates, oversees and ensures dissemination of relevant knowledge products and relating to the promotion of Major Groups and Stakeholders participation, internally and externally.
• At the request of the Director, represents UNEP at relevant conferences, meetings, working groups, workshops, trainings, and presentations relating to the participation of Major Groups and Stakeholders.
• Manages the day-to-day operations of the Civil Society Unit team and coordinates the division of work among team members and team activities.
• Provides strategic advice to the Division Director and to UNEP Senior Management on matters relating to Major Groups and Stakeholders.
• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
• Performs other duties as required.
PROFESSIONALISM: Proven knowledge, expertise and understanding of the role and function of Major Groups and Stakeholders in the context of international cooperation. Direct experience in policies and practices relevant to the engagement and participation of Major Groups and Stakeholders in intergovernmental processes. Excellent understanding of the UN system and/or the work of the United Nations Environment Programme. Ability to conceptualize, design and implement programmes to promote the contribution of Major Groups and Stakeholders in international processes. Ability to identify key strategic issues, opportunities and risks. Ability to generate and communicate broad and compelling organizational direction. Ability to communicate clearly links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals. Ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Demonstrated ability to provide innovative technical leadership by performing and/or overseeing the planning, development, and management of operation. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply good judgment. 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.
PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
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 improvements; 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.
JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; gathers relevant information before making a decision; considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; checks assumptions against facts; determines the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; makes tough decisions when necessary.
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, environment, economics, public policy, public administration, finance, natural resources management, law, social sciences or a related field is required.
A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in project or programme management, or in multilateral cooperation in the field of sustainable development or environmental management is required.
Experience in servicing intergovernmental bodies and/or international NGOs is required
Experience with United Nations system institutions and bodies working in the area of sustainable development or environment is desirable.
Experience working with Major Groups and Stakeholders in intergovernmental fora is desirable.
Experience working with Member States and other actors for the purposes of fundraising is desirable.
Experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.
NOTE: 'Fluency' equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand) and 'Knowledge of' equals a rating of 'confident' in two of the four areas.
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a substantive assessment which will be followed by a competency-based interview.
For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or underrepresented in the UN Secretariat as of 31 December 2022, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.
Appointment against this position is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension.
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
Staff members of the United Nations Secretariat must fulfill the lateral move requirements to be eligible to apply for this vacancy. Staff members are requested to indicate all qualifying lateral moves in their Candidate Profile (CP) and motivation statement.
The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.
Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations.
At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.
On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.
According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.
Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.