Climate change, project design and management, partnership building, capacity building

The United Nations Unique Partnership for Learning on Climate Change (UN CC:Learn) is a joint initiative of 36 multilateral organizations working together to help countries develop the knowledge and skills needed to combat climate change. These include improved climate literacy and other skills essential to meeting this challenge. UN CC:Learn provides quality guidance and learning resources to help individuals, governments and businesses understand, adapt and build resilience to climate change. The UN CC:Learn Secretariat is provided by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). UN CC:Learn is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and United Nations partners.

Since 2019, the UN CC:Learn program has supported Kyrgyz Republic in the development and implementation of its national learning strategy on climate change, including the implementation of activities around education, training and public awareness. UNITAR also supports policies and actions for green economy learning in Kyrgyz Republic within the framework of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy. 

In this context and in collaboration with the NDC Partnership, the UN CC:Learn program supports the implementation of the project entitled “Strengthening climate action: holistic approach to capacity building and public awareness raising for low carbon and climate resilient development”. The deliverables of this project include:

1. Strengthening the existing framework for capacity building on climate change, through the update and validation of the existing Comprehensive Plan of Measures on Climate Change Learning (launched in 2021);
2. Development, validation, and integration of capacity-building programmes on low-carbon, climate-resilient development for public officials and other stakeholders (such as youth groups, women groups, the private sector) at national and subnational level;
3. Development, validation, and implementation of public awareness-raising plan on low-carbon, climate-resilient development.

The objective of this contract is the coordination of the implementation of the project in Kyrgyz Republic and the organization and monitoring of its activities, in collaboration with national and international partners. Activities include:

• Coordination of the update and validation of the framework for capacity building on climate change.
• Coordinate the design and development of capacity-building programmes on low-carbon, climate-resilient development.
• Coordinate the design and development of public awareness-raising plan on low-carbon, climate-resilient development.

The Individual Contractor will coordinate and participate in the implementation of all activities. The incumbent will have to work in a spirit of frank collaboration with all partners, accomplishing the following specific tasks:

• Develop terms of reference for all consultants, experts, and implementing institutions  engaged under the project.
• Support the establishment and effective functioning of a technical working group (TWG)composed of key stakeholder from the national institutions involved in climate change learning. Organise regular meetings of the TWG throughout the duration of the project.
• Coordinate the integration of issues related to gender and women's participation across all activities.
• Organize a workshop bringing together key representatives, determined in close collaboration with the Government, to review and validate the strategic framework on climate change learning and education.
• Disseminate the strategic framework on climate change learning and education different target audiences, including the general public, youth, and private sector in different formats.
• Develop workplans, coordinate activities, and monitor deliverables of national partners institutions implementing grants for capacity building and awareness raising activities.
• Monitor and report on the implementation of grants awarded to national partners.
• Support the organization of a training workshop for trainers and key target audiences.
• Support the integration of climate change learning into the regular training/academic offer of national learning institutions.
• Coordinate the production of materials, reports, communication materials etc. and their wider distribution.
• Identify and collaborate with local media channels (including radio and TV channels) to produce and broadcast content in an engaging and inclusive way, for example, through radio/TV games and debates on related issues to climate change.
• Support the organization of youth engagement activities, such as dialogues and competitions.
• Ensure regular and effective coordination and communication (i.e. a periodic meetings) with project stakeholders, including NDC Partnership focal point, TWG,  project grantees, NDC Partnership facilitator and Support Unit, UNITAR team and others.
• Ensuring a country-focused, inclusive and gender-sensitive project implementation process, with the participation and effective involvement of a wide range of stakeholders.
• Work with national partners to extract and synthesize content, compile key data, lessons learned and experiences into easy-to-understand language that can support climate education and awareness raising in the country, as well as project reporting.
• Provide regular and detailed project reporting.

The Individual Contractor will report to the Programme Officer-Green Development and Circular Economy, Green Development and Climate Change Programme Unit, Division for Planet.

Education: Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in environmental, social, economic or political studies, or a similar field related to climate change, gender, and environmental education.

Work experience:

• At least 5 years of professional experience, ideally related to the management of country projects, technical cooperation, and partnership development.
• Experience working with the Government sector in Kyrgyz Republic.
• Experience working on multi-stakeholder projects related to climate change, particularly with the United Nations is an asset.
• Experience working on projects with strong learning, training, or awareness raising component is an asset.

Core competencies:

• Sound knowledge in the field of climate change and/or education for sustainable development.
• Ability to design and manage projects and build support and partnerships.
• Ability to coordinate work with multiple partners in a dynamic international environment.
• Ability to plan own work, observe deadlines and manage multiple communication workstreams.
• Very good inter-personal skills and demonstrated capacity to deal with colleagues and counterparts from different backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills, ability to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style.
• Integrity and commitment to the mandate and values ​​of the United Nations.

Languages: Excellent proven communication and writing skills in English and Russian are required. Knowledge of Kyrgyz is an asset.