Climate change, project design and management, partnership building

UNITAR’s Green Development and Climate Change Programme Unit (GDCCPU) develops the capacities of individuals and training institutions in developing countries to implement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and to advance green and climate resilient development. It offers a range of services, including executive training, institutional capacity development, support for national learning strategies, learning methodology development, and knowledge-sharing. Activities are carried out through partnerships with other UN organizations, bilateral development partners, as well as leading learning institutions and think tanks. The Programme also hosts the Secretariat for UN CC:Learn, the One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (www.uncclearn.org) and is a member of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) (www.un-page.org).

UN CC:Learn is a collaborative initiative involving more than 30 multilateral organizations that helps developing countries design and implement a sustainable learning strategy, in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. At the regional level, the UN CC:Learn West Africa Hub aims to build the capacity of future and current professionals - both men and women - from Sahelian and West African countries on climate change through a regional platform for knowledge and experience sharing and South-South collaboration, while promoting a sustainability strategy to ensure that the gains of this platform are sustained over the long term. Created in 2018, the Platform is hosted by the AGRHYMET Regional Climate Center for West Africa and the Sahel (CCR-AOS) and includes its 13 member countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. In the region, UN CC:Learn also supports the a national project in Ghana.

The Individual Contractor will support the coordination, expansion and implementation of the activities under the UN CC:Learn West Africa Hub as well as the UN CC:Learn project in Ghana, with a particular focus on the mobilization of new partnerships and support. The Individual Contractor may also provide assistance to other new projects in the region.

Specific tasks of the Individual contractor will include:

• Coordinate the UN CC:Learn Hub in West Africa, including regular interaction with Government, UN partners, education institutions and other stakeholders;
• Support the implementation of the activities of the UN CC:Learn Hub in West Africa, including the organization of workshops, webinars, radio programmes and outreach efforts, as well as the development of e-learning tools and products;
• Support the further implementation of the National Climate Change and Green Economy Learning Strategy in Ghana;
• Support the mobilization of partnerships and resources for the further development of the UN CC:Learn Hub in West Africa and the scaling up of  GDCCPU’s presence in the region, including networking with relevant partners (public and private) and development of joint project proposals;
• Support GDCCPU’s communication and outreach in French;
• Support other activities of the Green Development and Climate Change Programme Unit, as required.

The work involves regular missions to partner countries.

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

a. Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in a field relevant to environment, politics, economics, education or social sciences.

b. Work experience

• At least 5 years of professional experience, ideally related to the management of country projects, technical cooperation, and partnership development. Experience working in West Africa would be an asset.

c. 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.

d. Languages

• Excellent proven communication and writing skills in English and French are required.