Green economic transformation, inclusive green economy, sustainable development

UNITAR’s Green Development and Climate Change Programme Unit (GCP) develops the capacities of individuals and training institutions in developing countries to advance green and climate resilient development. Activities are carried out through partnerships with other UN organizations, bilateral development partners, as well as leading learning institutions and think tanks. The Programme is a founding member of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) (www.un-page.org), a one-UN initiative that supports countries in putting sustainability at the heart of economic and policy planning.

In 2021, the PAGE Secretariat in close coordination with the UN Economist Network, established the Green Transformation Economic Advisory Mechanism (Green TEAM) to provide deeper support on economics to partner countries — aiming to deliver transformative results for the whole economy and the economic recovery from impacts of COVID-19, paying special attention to shifting transformational levers, while keeping an eye on fairness and social justice. 

The Green TEAM not only brings together UN’s internal economic experts – economists from UN Resident Coordinator Offices (RCOs), PAGE agencies, UN Regional Economic Commissions - but also green economic transformation experts from around the world to advise and inform PAGE work as a delivery mechanism for creating transformative impacts on national economies. In forming this mechanism, PAGE is working to create a template for joint planning and delivery by both country resident and non-resident UN agencies - a component of the UN Reforms.

The objective of this consultancy is to support the work of the Green TEAM, particularly through supporting coordination of PAGE country engagement and contributing to the development of country workplans; engaging the network of UN Resident Coordinators' Office (UNRCO) Economists to integrate economic transformation actions into UN programming; coordinating the delivery of global products and contributing to the development of PAGE global products offer; and supervising junior colleagues and interns. The PAGE Secretariat does not possess this expertise in house and needs to seek for outside assistance.

1. Support coordination of PAGE country engagement

• Contribute to developing country work plans, ensuring alignment of national development plans with PAGE strategic priorities.
• Coordinate support through an enhanced Green TEAM on reframing strategic policies and enhancing development planning for a fair and green economic transformation, e.g., through guiding and shaping Economic Transformation Pathway Analysis.
• Mobilize Green TEAM expertise to advise countries on the use of analytical tools (e.g., macroeconomic modelling) for informing the design and development of economic policies that are needed for the greening of the whole economy.  

2. Engage the network of UNRCO Economists to put economic transformation actions/activities at the heart of the UN programming to ensure the sustainability of PAGE impacts.

• Collaborate with UNRCO Economists to identify opportunities for the green transformation of economies and finance.
• Mobilize Green TEAM international experts’ technical support and guidance to UNRCO Economists in developing evidence-based policy recommendations and strategies for promoting green economic transformation. Technical assistance will depend on country context and can include high-quality integrated analysis and inclusion of IGE into the development and update of national economic, planning, and development policies, formulation and updating of Country Common Analyses (CCAs), supporting the development of UN Sustainable Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs), among other macroeconomic policies and mobilizing finance for sustainable development.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices among UNRCO Economists (e.g., through PAGE/DCO global dialogues) to strengthen their capacity to integrate green economic transformation actions into UN programming.

3. Coordinate the delivery of PAGE global products on macroeconomic transformation.

• Contribute to the development of PAGE global products offer, ensuring alignment with country support.
• Coordinate the production of key global products upon agreement with supervisor.
• Contribute to the effective dissemination and utilization of PAGE analytical products among relevant stakeholders.
• Produce content for promoting key results through PAGE communication channels.

4. Supervise junior colleagues and interns.

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior colleagues and interns, promoting their professional development and ensuring the quality and timeliness of their work.
• Coordinate the assignment of tasks and responsibilities, ensuring equitable workload distribution and adherence to deadlines.

The consultant will report to the Senior Specialist Officer, Green Development and Climate Change Programme Unit, Division for Planet.

a. Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s) in environmental economics, international relations/development, public policy, public administration, economics or a related field.

b. Work experience

• At least 7 years of work experience in programme management, technical cooperation, preferably in UN or international organization context. Solid background in key thematic aeras of inclusive green economy including ample knowledge of analytical and qualitative tools, data, research, and analysis.

c. Core competencies

• 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, and produce different media products (op eds, social media blurbs, talking points, etc).
• Integrity and commitment to the mandate and values ​​of the United Nations.

d. Languages

• Excellent proven communication and writing skills in English are required. Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.