Programme Specialist, IPSA 10 - UNCDF - LoCAL Funafuti, Tuvalu

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

The Local Transformative Finance Practice (LTF) aims to be a centre of excellence and innovation fund for local government finance. Over a 30 year period the Practice has developed deep expertise in intergovernmental fiscal transfers (IGTF), local development funds, public financial management and performance-based grants. LTF supports policy reforms and advocates for a greater appreciation and use of IGTF and performance based local government financing mechanisms in development finance.

On the basis of this experience, LTF designed and manages the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), which is a mechanism to integrate climate change into local authorities’ planning and budgeting through the regular intergovernmental fiscal transfer system using performance-based grants in a participatory and gender sensitive manner, increase awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level including through ecosystem-based solutions, and increase the quality and number of local investments that address climate change.

LoCAL combines performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs), which ensure programming and verification of change expenditures at the local level, with technical and capacity-building support. It uses the grants and demonstration effect to trigger further flows for local climate action including global climate finance and national fiscal transfers. LoCAL also aims to support private finance for small and medium businesses and municipal finance and public-private partnerships.

LoCAL focuses on the delivery of four outputs that will directly contribute to increasing local governments’ access to climate finance and building resilience to climate change:

• Output 1 – Awareness and capacities to respond to climate change adaptation at the local level are increased;
• Output 2 – CCA is mainstreamed into government’s planning and budgeting systems and investments are implemented in line with the PBCRG mechanism;
• Output 3 – The PBCRG system is effectively and sustainably established in participating countries and leads to an increased amount of CCA finance available to local government and local economy;
• Output 4 – The role of local authorities and of the PBCRGS in addressing climate change are increasingly recognized at international level, through outreach, learning and quality assurance.

LoCAL is presently working with 34 countries across Africa, Asia the Caribbean and the Pacific, and has cumulatively mobilised over US$200m for more than 2,100 adaptation projects. In the Pacific, LoCAL has been deployed in Tuvalu since 2016.

LoCAL-Tuvalu

UNCDF has supported the Government of Tuvalu to design the LoCAL-Tuvalu Mechanism, aligned with the performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs), with aim of increasing the resilience of communities and local economies across the country, through regular, predictable, systemic and verifiable climate finance in support of local climate responses, through increased local governments (Kaupules) access to climate finance to implement climate change adaptation investments in Tuvalu (outcome 1) and institutionalising a standard and internationally recognized country-based mechanism of performance-based climate resilience grants in the country, further attracting climate finance, domestic and international (outcome 2).

To this end, LoCAL-Tuvalu will raise awareness and strengthen capacities for subnational climate change adaptation at both District and central levels (output1); support the integration of climate change into local planning and budgeting processes and finance local adaptation interventions and investments (output 2) and establish and deploy across the whole country an effective performance-based climate resilience grant system (financing mechanism) that can attract various sources of climate finance (output 3).

Based on a whole-of-society approach, LoCAL-Tuvalu will be fully aligned with the country’s climate change policy, the Kaupule Act 1997, “Te Kete” National Development Strategy, with the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, financial systems for local governments, and related institutional and regulatory frameworks.

The LoCAL team delivering the programme in Tuvalu is based in Funafuti, led by the Programme Specialist, IPSA10, overseeing the work of LoCAL Field Officers. This team is supported by the regional LoCAL team, based in Suva, Fiji.

Within this programme context, UNCDF is seeking a Programme Specialist, IPSA10, to ensure the effective delivery of the Programme’s activities in Tuvalu.

The Programme Specialist will report to the LoCAL Regional Programme Management Specialist, P-4, based in Suva, Fiji, in close collaboration with the LoCAL global Facility and LTF colleagues across the region.

As part of the Project Team, the Programme Specialist will contribute to the effective delivery of the Program’s activities. In carrying out their work, the Programme Specialist will work closely with government counterparts to ensure the integration of climate change and environmental sustainability in the performance-based climate resilience grants system in Tuvalu.

This position will be based in Funafuti, Tuvalu.

The Programme Specialist is responsible for overall management, coordination, execution and monitoring of LoCAL in Tuvalu, as well as providing technical and policy support for the effective deployment of activities, with a focus on the integration of climate change into local government planning and processes.

S/he will be responsible for the effective management of LoCAL in Tuvalu, ensuring compliance with the LoCAL Framework and UNCDF’s operational policies and procedures, as well as providing technical contributions to

support the implementation of LoCAL in Tuvalu. S/he plays a strategic role in programme delivery and overseeing the success of the team including ensuring the Programmatic and operational tasks are done properly and on time.

The Programme Specialist will provide technical inputs to support the integration of climate change into sub- national planning and programming. The position will also support work on gender equality and social inclusion (with a focus on women, youth and marginalized communities), to progress objectives on gender and environment and social safeguards.

S/he will play a key role in supporting regional outreach, knowledge and experience sharing, and communications for the program. Up to 30% of the role’s work may include a focus supporting LoCAL in other countries in the region.

Summary of key functions:

1.           Programme management and implementation

2.           Team management, strategic planning and priority-setting

3.           Policy, regulatory and technical advice to government counterparts and key stakeholders

4.           Knowledge management and communication

5.           Policy outreach, partnership building and resource mobilizations

1.)         Program management and implementation:

• Provide effective programme supervision, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and, in close collaboration with the LoCAL Facility (global) and the UNCDF LoCAL regional team in Suva;
• Build effective and efficient partnerships at the programmatic and operational levels with national counterparts and development partners to coordinate and ensure successful implementation of in-country activities;
• Coordinate and ensure quality of monitoring and evaluation systems of program developments and implementation (including preparation and monitoring of the annual work plan, participation in field missions, contribution to the preparation of annual reports), identify problems and issues to be addressed and propose corrective actions, and identify and track follow-up actions;
• Manage and monitor the implementation of the programme, through the effective use of the corporate ERP system, and manage the project’s risk log;
• Ensure the integrity of the LoCAL Tuvalu Annual Work Plan, budget, financial resources, review of budget requirements, delivery and the consistent application or rules and regulations;
• Ensure regular budget revision exercises are completed and contribute to meeting the annual programme resource expenditure targets.
• Lead the preparation and timely submission of technical and financial reports in line with contractual agreements and provide inputs for semi-annual reporting;
• Coordinate the implementation of audits, mid-term and final evaluations of the programme;
• Identify and source technical expertise, including ensuring the preparation of TORs, identification and evaluation of experts and reviewing reports.
• Contribute to the preparation and timely submission of comprehensive technical and financial reports in line with contractual agreements including semi-annual reporting.

 2.)         Team management, strategic planning and priority-setting:

• Lead the LoCAL team in Tuvalu to deliver results in line with the design and annual work plan.
• Manage the Field Associate in Tuvalu
• Coordinate and plan HR needs to ensure appropriate technical advice and programme delivery to the Programme’s stakeholders in Tuvalu.
• Provide effective strategic and technical direction to and empowerment of supervisees, including through coaching and mentoring;
• Coordination of programme policy development including the review and analysis of issues and trends
• Responsible for the monitoring, compilation and review of quarterly and annual progress reports, mid-term reviews, maintaining detailed databases.

3.)         Policy, regulatory and technical advice to government counterparts and key stakeholders:

• Ensure adequate provision of technical, policy and regulatory assistance and advice to national and subnational governments in the field of public financial management, good governance, decentralization, adaptation planning/programming, climate finance, climate change issues and environmental sustainability, climate change mainstreaming into planning, budgeting, investment plans, implementation, and monitoring of adaptation measures (performance assessments);
• Provide technical advice on climate change issues and environmental sustainability to government counterparts at national and sub-national levels, including on the integration of environment and climate change in the local government development plans and investment plans, and on the integration of environment and climate considerations (e.g., specifications) in the investments delivered through LoCAL’s support;
• Support the roll out and use of the Assessing Climate Change Adaptation Framework (ACCAF) at the Kaupule level;
• Provide technical advice and capacity building support (“learning by doing”) for the piloting and establishment of a local information system for adaptation and of a climate risk assessment for subnational adaptation (including projections and mapping) addressing hazards;
• Contribute to the technical dialogue and provision of technical advisory services to national and local government counterparts in relation to climate change information and assessments, climate mainstreaming, climate finance and access to climate finance.

4.)         Knowledge management and communication:

• Identify key knowledge constraints and organize learning, knowledge exchange, training, workshops, etc. to build the awareness and capacities on relevant themes (i.e. climate change, local climate risk assessments, environmental sustainability, mainstreaming, in support of women and youth employment, etc.);
• Apply multi-disciplinary approaches and work across teams to design and support ‘governance integrated portfolios’ and strengthen cooperation between teams with external partners;
• Coordinate the production and share relevant analysis and guidance on the thematic areas noted above, for policy advice and programme support that responds to country office needs;
• Coordinate and perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, codification of results/lessons learned in the specific thematic areas, and verify that knowledge sharing and content management is in line with guidelines and performed using corporate tools.
• Prepare a communications plan for the programme, and contribute to the implementation of the plan, working in collaboration with the Project team, partners and others;
• Coordinate regional exchange of knowledge and experience, through systematically identifying, collecting and disseminating best practices and lesson learned from the program;
• Manage the process of convening national and regional stakeholders or producing information and communication products to share lessons learned on selected themes.
• Serve as the UNCDF focal point in working groups and steering committees on the issue of environment and climate change and related sectors and provide inputs for conducive policy and regulatory environment;
• Coordinate and provide substantive contributions from UNCDF on LoCAL mechanism in the climate change adaptation and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure synergies and coordination between UNCDF LoCAL global programme and development partners in Tuvalu.

5.)         Outreach, partnership building and resource mobilization:

• Maintain close working relationships with key national and subnational institutions and other key stakeholders at various levels in order to support the quality of the execution of the PBCRGS and its key results areas;
• Serve as the UNCDF focal point in working groups and steering committees on the issue of environment and climate change and provide inputs for conducive policy and regulatory environment (e.g. NDCs, NAP process, national climate change strategy);
• Ensure close collaboration with the UN system, and identify opportunities for collaboration and joint programming with other UN agencies and partners to maintain and/or strengthen UNCDF/LoCAL positioning and presence in the country;
• Contribute to UNCDF/LoCAL and government resource mobilization and articulate and enable pathways for mobilizing resources and fostering external partnerships supporting LoCAL and UNCDF more widely;
• Develop strategies to mobilize additional resources based on programme requirements and new opportunities.
• Organize consultative meetings, seminars and workshops to drive analytical and policy work of the Programme.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

4.           Institutional Arrangement

The Programme Specialist will directly report to the LoCAL Pacific Programme Specialist (P4) based in Suva, and will work in close collaboration with other LTF and LoCAL colleagues in the regional office, HQ and across the region. This position will be based in Funafuti, Tuvalu.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

• A minimum of five (5) years(with a Master’s degree) or seven (7) years (with Bachelor´s degree) of experience in implementing/coordinating development projects, ideally in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental management OR decentralisation/local government/ public financial management (PFM);

Required skills

• Experience in the management of development projects, ideally in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental management OR decentralisation/local government/ public financial management (PFM); with supervision of country programmes (with team management) is required.
• Effective presentation and report-writing skills; strong analytical skills as well as good written and oral communication skills.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in  the Competencies section

• Work experience addressing gender equality as project objective and/or cross-cutting issue is desired;
• Demonstrated ability to work with different tiers of government, central government institutions/ministries, and local governments, or local stakeholders, such as local communities;
• Prior experience working in the Pacific, with a demonstrated ability to be able to function effectively in an international, multicultural environment, is considered an asset;
• Experience with a UN organization/agency/International development sector is a desirable.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

a)           Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

 b)          A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

c)           Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.