Duties and Responsibilities

               Summary of Key Functions:

• Spearhead in-depth technical reviews of the state of the transition to a green economy in Ethiopia, as set out in the country’s Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy (CRGE), working closely with the Policy Unit;
• Provide high-quality, expert-level advice on evidence-based policies, institutional, legal and regulatory reforms needed to drive systemic change and transformation to accelerate the transition to a green economy;
• Encourage innovation on the green economy (energy, urban ecosystems, waste management, circular economy), working closely with the Innovative Finance Lab and Accelerator Lab.;
• Build networks and partnerships with domestic and external, private and public, organizations/entities/institutions to foster technical, financial and programmatic collaboration;
• Manage and monitor the UNDP Country Office green economy portfolio (e.g. on renewable energy, low-carbon development and resilient cities programmes, projects and strategies).

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Lead analytical work and provide high-quality advisory services:

• Co-designs, organizes and participates in the execution of analytical work that builds a strong knowledge base on green economy issues in Ethiopia, working closely with the in-house Policy Unit and with national and international partners, drawing on global good practice;
• Provides high-quality, expert level and evidence-based advice to government and other partners on institutional, policy, legal and regulatory issues and options for expanding the scope, scale and effectiveness of efforts to accelerate the transition to a green economy;
• Participates in technical work related to the rollout of new and innovative policy and regulatory instruments, institutional models and financing options (e.g. de-risking steps, legislation, regulatory rules, taxes and subsidies, design of public-private business models);
• Functions as the Head a.i. of the UNDP Smart Cities Lab, playing a central technical role in its design, launch and on-going operations, including testing/prototyping of new instruments, business models, delivery systems, working closely with the Innovative Finance Lab and the UNDP Accelerator Lab.;
• Synthesizes good practices and lessons learnt that are directly relevant to policy development and programme design and implementation.

1. Ensure effective formulation and implementation of programmes and projects on green economy issues, focusing on quality control of the full cycle of programming from formulation, implementation, M&E and reviews, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Designs and formulates programmes and projects for green economy development (e.g. renewable energy, ecosystem management, sustainable urban development) that address the areas of work outlined in the Country Programme Document (CPD);
• Manages, supports and coordinates timely, transparent and effective implementation of programmes and projects collaborating closely with implementing partners and responsible parties at federal and regional levels;
• Provides technical advice to Government in assuming leadership and strategic oversight of the planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of programmes and projects;
• Ensures programmatic collaboration and performance monitoring of ecosystem reform and development portfolio across the Country Programme, working closely with other programme staff (e.g. Policy Unit, Accelerator Lab, innovation ecosystem, ICT start-ups);
• Provides technical support and expert advice for monitoring and reviews of the UNSDCF and the Country Programme in the area of development finance and financial inclusion.

1. Develop and sustain strategic partnerships including successful resource mobilization, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Develops and maintains strong collaborative relationships with the Government at federal and regional levels, development partners (WB, EU, EIB, AfDB, DFID, others) and sister UN agencies/entities (including UNCDF);
• Embeds UNDP within and, where needed, builds national, regional and international practitioner networks dedicated to development finance and financial inclusion;
• Develops and sustains deep and wide-ranging policy and programmatic partnerships with the private sector at national and regional levels, especially core institutions involved in the green economy;
• Initiates, formulates and effectively follows-through on an innovative fundraising/resource mobilization strategy that elicits financial support from a wide range of private, non-profit and public sector partners, both domestic and external, to sustain and expand UNDP programmes and projects;
• Provides donor intelligence in the areas of the green economy;
• Acts as the lead technical representative of UNDP in professional and decision-making for a dealing with green economy issues.

               Competencies

               Core Competencies:

Innovation:

Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

• Level 5: Creates new and relevant ideas and leads others to implement them;

Leadership:

Ability to persuade others to follow.

• Level 5: Plans and acts transparently, actively works to remove barriers;

People Management:

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

• Level 5: Models high professional standards and motivates excellence in others;

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

• Level 5: Gains trust of peers, partners, clients by presenting complex concepts in practical terms to others;

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

• Level 5: Critically assesses value and relevance of existing policy / practice and contributes to enhanced delivery of products, services, and innovative solutions.

Technical/Functional Competencies

People Management:

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise;

Building Strategic Partnerships:

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise;

Resource Mobilization:

• Level 5:Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise;

Advocacy:

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise;

SDGs Championing:

• Level 5: Originate: Catalyzes new ideas, methods, and applications to pave a path for innovation and continuous improvement in professional area of expertise.

Job Requirement

Required Skills and Experience

  Education:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in energy/environmental/ natural resources management, environmental economics, economics (macro or micro), urban planning and development or closely related subjects in the social/environmental sciences.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at the national or international level in green economy and/or environmental management issues, in the public and/or private sector, in NGOs, international organizations or international financial institutions (IFIs);
• Hands-on experience in design, monitoring and evaluation of development program and projects;
• Relevant professional experience in low carbon development such as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and climate financing would be a major asset;
• Proficiency in the use of standard office software.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency – at a high level – in English, written and verbal.