Job Summary:
Organization: United Nations Environment Programme
Country: Kenya
City: Nairobi
Office: UNEP Nairobi, Kenya
Closing date: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Result of Service
Completed Mid-term reviews of GEF project: Argentina GEF-7 Sustainable Cities Project 10466 – Integrated low-carbon and conservation investments in Argentine cities
Work Location: Home-based
Expected duration: 6 months part time
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. This consultancy is in UNEP’s Climate Change Division, Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Mitigation Unit, and will be home based. UNEP’s Climate Change Division works with a portfolio of Global Environment Facility (GEF) medium-size and full-size climate change mitigation projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The projects, which are in different stages of development (design, implementation, closure), are executed by different partners (Ministries, NGOs, etc.) throughout the region. The Climate Change Division, in its role as implementing agency, provides oversight and ensures adherence to GEF guidelines. Under the supervision of the Latin America and the Caribbean Task Manager for GEF mitigation projects, the consultant will support the Mid-term Review (MTR) of the Argentina GEF-7 Sustainable Cities project: Integrated Low-carbon and Conservation Investments in Argentine cities. An MTR is undertaken approximately half-way through project implementation to analyze whether the project is on-track, what problems or challenges the project is encountering, and what corrective actions are required. It is now on its third year of implementation and is expected to conclude technical operation in May 2026. Co-financing is provided by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Public Works, Bank for Investment and Foreign Trade (BICE), Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, and Municipalities of General Pueyrredón (Mar del Plata), Mendoza, Salta, and Ushuaia. The Undersecretariat of Environment of the Ministry of the Interior of Argentina (formerly called Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MAyDS)) acts as the Execution Agency. The consultant will be responsible, in close consultation with the Task Manager, for overall management of the review and timely delivery of its outputs. Specific tasks and responsibilities: The consultant will undertake the following duties: In consultation with UNEP and the lead/principal consultant, and in alignment with UNEP Evaluation Office guidance documents and the Inception Report (prepared by the principal consultant for this mid-term review), carry out the following tasks:
- Design the interview plan for the mid-term review of the project. This includes:
Participate in virtual meetings with the counterpart to share and discuss the scope, expectations, and guidance documents. – Deliver at least 1 draft of the interview plan to be reviewed by the counterpart and improve the design if necessary. – Once reached a consensus with the counterpart, generate the final version of the interview plan to be implemented.
- Conduct interview process according to the approved plan. This includes:
Coordinate and lead in-person (or virtual if not possible) meetings with the key stakeholders who hold significant importance and influence over the project. This includes visiting and interviewing stakeholders in the five Argentinian cities involved in the project. – Coordinate and lead virtual/in-person/hybrid focus groups with key sectors, such as academia, finance, government, among others planned.
- Prepare a report on the interview process, including:
A sketch (calibrated and validated) of the institutional setup of the administration of each city involved in the project, illustrating the project’s position and the reporting and/or subordination lines in a diagrammatic form. If needed, recommend adjustments that could improve project delivery and budget disbursement efficiency. – key findings and recommendations for the project in alignment with GEF and UNEP policies. 4. Ensure all deliverables adhere to UNEP Evaluation Office templates, where applicable. The consultant will develop findings and recommendations based on sound evidence and analysis, and clearly document these in the final report. Information will be triangulated (i.e. verified from different sources) as far as possible, and when verification is not possible, the single source will be mentioned (whilst anonymity is still protected). Analysis leading to evaluative judgements should always be clearly spelled out.
Qualifications/special skills
Academic
- Advanced university degree (i.e. master’s degree or higher) in engineering, environmental sciences, urban planning, international development, or other relevant political or social sciences area is required.
- A first level degree with additional two years of qualifying experience maybe accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree;
- Minimum of 2 years of technical experience on housing and cities, including a strong background in urban planning, urban economics, urban policy, architecture, sustainability, green infrastructure, or other relevant field is required.
- Experience in designing and implementing stakeholder consultation processes for projects and/or public policies is required;
- Knowledge of Argentina´s institutional setting, framework, and public policies, and experience working with Argentina´s institutional local and national actors is required
- Experience in working with national governments of Latin America is desirable;
- Experience in the evaluation and monitoring of development projects in Latin America is desirable;
- Experience working on projects funded by the GEF, multilateral development banks, other bilateral funding entities, or projects implemented by UNEP is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency (both oral and written) in English and Spanish is required.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
Link: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/248511?language=en
