Writer IPSA 10

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels offers a spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in its Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in UNDP’s Strategic Plan. 

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages; represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora, including public-private, government and civil society dialogues; and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. 

BPPS’s Hubs on Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, with the support of the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit, works with governments, civil society, and private sector partners to integrate nature, climate, energy and waste related concerns into national and sector planning and inclusive growth policies, support country obligations under Multilateral Environmental Agreements, and oversee the implementation of the UN’s largest portfolio of in-country programming nature, climate change, energy and waste. This multi-billion-dollar portfolio encompasses: 

• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services including forests; 
• Sustainable Land Management and Desertification including food and commodity systems; 
• Water and Ocean Governance including SIDS; 
• Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation; 
• Sustainable Energy; 
• Extractive Industries; 
• Chemicals and Waste Management; 
• Environmental Governance and Green/Circular Economy and SCP approaches. 

This work advances crosscutting themes on innovative finance, digital transformation, capacity development, human rights, gender equality, health, technology, and South-South learning.

In addition to UNDP’s bilateral partnerships in Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste, UNDP is an accredited multilateral implementing agency of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Multilateral Fund (MLF), the Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). As part of UNDP’s partnership with these vertical funds (VFs), UNDP’s Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit supports UNDP’s Nature, Climate, Energy and Waste related Hubs and provides countries specialized integrated technical services for eligibility assessment, programme formulation, capacity development, policy advice, technical assistance, training and technology transfer, mobilization of co-financing, implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management services.

With its technical focus, UNDP’s Nature, Climate, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs are organized into substantive technical teams (Biodiversity, Water and Oceans, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation, Chemicals & Waste) led by a Director who leads and provides the strategic direction for his/her respective hub, supported by a team of Principal and/or Senior Technical Advisors (PTA/STA) being the team leader within each area. Each team leader supports and guides a team of Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs) and Specialists (RTSs). As well as being a member of a technical team, each RTA/RTS is also a member of a regional team, which consists of RTAs/RTSs from all technical teams working together under the leadership of the NCE&W Regional Team Leader. The regional teams are based in regional hubs from where they support UNDP’s country offices and partners in their region. The technical teams are organized around core thematic areas of nature, climate, energy, and waste.

To increase brand recognition among internal and external stakeholders, the Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit is looking to engage a writer to plan, support, and produce a high standard of written content and written assets based on UNDP’s corporate brand guidelines for consistent and professional external communication. The selected candidate is expected to develop, produce, and support a versatile range of written products to include but not limited to blogs, articles, short video scripts, talking points and briefing notes.
 

Visibility for UNDP’s Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit’s portfolio’s programme of work and policy positions through vibrant storytelling and expert editing of text products.

The Writer will produce compelling and innovative stories, messages, and other written and multimedia content to engage the public on issues relevant to the UNDP Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit’s portfolio’s mandate and advocacy goals. 

Under the supervision of the Director and Executive Coordinator – Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit, and communications team, the Writer will perform the following duties including but not limited to: 

• Liaison with policy focal points to source and develop story ideas across the EF Vertical Fund (EF VF) portfolio;
• Research and draft stories, key messages, blogs, op-eds, short-film scripts for UNDP and partner websites to support the portfolio’s policy positions and communication, engagement and advocacy goals;
• Contribute to and expand on the content plan for EF VF portfolio -related stories and multimedia content;
• Prepare and manage an annual EF VF portfolio ‘storymap’ to schedule a pipeline of stories and written content; 
• Revise draft stories based on editorial feedback from communications team and UNDP’s Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy (BERA);
• Edit written products to meet standards for publication on UNDP website and external placements
• Be a focal point for supporting compliance and oversight for the EF Vertical Funds for the portfolio’s calendar of written products, stories, phased content surges (for example in the run-up to and during vertical fund council meetings).

Institutional Arrangements                                                                                          

• The Writer will work remotely from his/her home base;
• The Writer will report to, and be supervised by, Director and Executive Coordinator – Vertical Fund Programme Support, Oversight and Compliance Unit based in NY, USA and work closely with the NCE&W Hubs’ communication focal points;
• The Writer will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The Writer will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, assignment specific software, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
• The Writer must be available for online meetings with UNDP as required;
• UNDP will provide a briefing and is available for follow-up questions and discussions;
• UNDP will be responsible for editorial oversight and for approval of final versions of products;
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the Writer is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones.
   

• Achieve Results:  LEVEL 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively:  LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously:  LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process
• Act with Determination:  LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously
• Engage and Partner:  LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion:  LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

• Business management - Customer Satisfaction/Client Management: 
  • Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs.
  • Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. 
  • Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests. 
  • Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Business development - Knowledge generation: 
  • Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for content, or responsive to a stated need.
• Business management - Communication: 
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
  • Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media, and other appropriate channels.
• External Relations & Advocacy  - Creative direction and copywriting: 
  • Ability to creatively communicate concepts in an engaging and simple way
• External Relations & Advocacy - Multimedia writing/editing: 
  • Ability to create and/or edit written content for multimedia.

Desired additional skills and competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in developing high-quality written material within the UN system   in the subject areas of nature, climate, energy, and development is an asset.