Project Analyst

Background

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. 

UNDP's 2022-2025 Strategic Plan highlights our continued commitment to eradicating poverty, accompanying countries in their pathways towards the SDGs and working towards the Paris Agreement. As part of the Global Policy Network in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP's Nature, Climate Change, Energy, and Waste (NCE&W) Hubs promote and scale up integrated whole-of-governance approaches and nature-based solutions that reduce poverty and inequalities, strengthen livelihoods and inclusive growth, mitigate conflict, forced migration and displacement, and promote more resilient governance systems that advance linked peace and security agendas.

In recent decades, biodiversity finance tools and solutions have demonstrated their importance for achieving biodiversity goals and broader sustainable development objectives. Improved choice, design and implementation of effective, well-tailored finance solutions will strengthen countries’ chances of achieving national and global biodiversity targets. Biodiversity Finance Plans have become increasingly recognised as a relevant tool to help countries to identify and fill the biodiversity finance gap, including through the work of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative www.biofin.org. In December 2022, parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Montreal-Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework. This included numerous targets with relevance for financing. Target 19 on resource mobilisation includes reference for countries to design and implement national biodiversity finance plans. 

The GEF created a global programme to support countries to design a national Biodiversity Finance Plan. A Biodiversity Finance Plan includes a systems analysis of a country's economy including to map existing financing mechanisms, subsidies with potential harmful impacts on nature, drivers of biodiversity loss and gain, public and private expenditures committed towards biodiversity objectives and a country's national financial needs for biodiversity. The biodiversity finance plan itself consists of a series of actions with the aim to significantly scale up available funding, green or phase out harmful finance flows and improve the effectiveness of available expenditures. The programme allows for active sharing of experiences across countries and includes a knowledge sharing platform and the provision of continuous technical support to country teams.

The Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update, and the 7th National Reports will support countries in revising and updating their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) in order to align with the recently agreed Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and enable effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the national level. In addition, this grant supports countries in preparing and submitting their 7th National Report on the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the KM-GBF.

This Global Programme will be responsive to CBD guidance on developing NBSAPs and completing the 7th National Report, including recent COP15 outcomes and decisions. It will also build upon existing work through the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support (GBF-EAS) that is ongoing, as well as support to countries to develop biodiversity finance plans, through the recently approved “Umbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plans”. The project implementation units of all three initiatives will coordinate to ensure that resources from both projects are used effectively and efficiently towards the update or revision of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and the preparation of the 7th National Reports in the targeted countries.

The implementation of the two projects in Yemen falls under the GEF8 Umbrella programme for the development of the first National Biodiversity Finance Plan and 7^th NBSAP report. The overall implementation of the two projects will be led by the Project Analyst with the support of a technical team and in coordination with the government project’s focal point and the National Steering Committee for the two projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the country office and in close coordination with the relevant Regional Technical Advisors, The Project Analyst will be responsible for the overall supervision and management of in-country activities, ensuring a proper workplan and budget is in place and implemented within set timelines, with an effective national team and strong partnerships. The Project Analyst will work closely work with the technical team of experts to ensure implementation mechanisms and technical working groups are established and meet regularly, that all planned workshops, technical studies and other activities are organised in a timely manner, and that they meet expected quality standards. 

He/she is expected to provide substantial technical expertise in assuring horizontal integration and consistency of workstreams/studies, as well as advisory services and quality assurance of national products and processes throughout the duration of the national project. He/she will be responsible for relevant sections related to the production of the Policy and Institutional Review, the Biodiversity Expenditure Review and the Financial Needs Assessment. He/she will also lead the preparation of the Biodiversity Finance Plan and will oversee the identification and implementation of finance solutions as requested. He/she will also specifically be responsible for outreach activities to national (Government, donors' delegation, academia, etc.) and relevant international stakeholders, and the preparation of synthesis reports, policy briefs, press releases and briefing notes for Government, UNDP etc. 

the Project Analyst will also support the project of NBSAP Update and the 7th National Report to ensure technical and country coordination and delivery of all components of the project, in order to align with the recently agreed upon KM-GBF and enable effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the KM-GBF at the national level. In addition, the Project Analyst will support countries in preparing and submitting their 7th National Report on the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the KM-GBF.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Project Management

• Oversee the identification, selection and supervision of national consultants and experts, in close collaboration with the UNDP Country Office, Senior Finance Expert and the Global Project Management and Technical Support Unit (GPMTSU). 
• Write/revise terms of references for national BIOFIN team members.
• In consultation with the UNDP Country Office and GPMTSU elaborate/revise the work plan and budget and submit draft workplans/budgets timely.
• Supervise the work of national experts and institutions to ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget, and to high quality standards; facilitate, guide and monitor the work of the national team;
• Oversee the work of the Project Support Associate to ensure administrative requirements and budgets are managed and executed in a timely and appropriate manner and within UNDP and donor rules and regulations.
• Organise all relevant project workshops in a consultative manner, involving a wide variety of biodiversity finance stakeholders, including the government, private sector, NGOs, donors and academia. 
• Discuss with the Ministries of Finance, Environment and other key stakeholders the establishment of a national Steering Committee and follow up on the formal establishment and regular convening of the Committee and develop meeting reports to be shared with Steering Committee, the UNDP CO and GPMTSU. 
• Maintain regular communication with Ministries of Environment and Finance for the development and completion of all reports and products.
• Liaise the project processes and products with relevant national planning biodiversity and finance relevant processes, such as NBSAP updates and Global Biodiversity Framework implementation. 
• Ensure a timely identification of risks in implementation at the national level and communication to the GPMTSU.
• Organise regular meetings of the national team and monthly calls with the Technical Advisor from the GPMTSU.
• Ensure gender mainstreaming of all project related processes and outputs;
• Ensure participation of national team members in regional technical calls. 
• Participate in regional and global meeting organized by the GPMTSU.

Technical Tasks and Responsibilities

Biodiversity Finance National Report:

• Act as principal technical contact for the project implementation with GPMTSU with regards to all questions and issues that arise during national implementation. 
• Provide key technical leadership on all finance issues and assure horizontal integration and consistency of workstreams/studies.
• Provide overall guidance and quality control for the four main deliverables of the project. technical support to the national project team to complete all the deliverables of the BIOFIN methodology, in a consistent and high-quality manner. 
• Ensure drafts of all work are sent to the global Technical Advisor and GPMTSU regularly to provide backstopping and assure feedback is adequately integrated into national reports.
• Research and write Develop the sections on subsidies and financing incentives in the PIR according to the guidance provided by the GPMTSU and written guidance documents (especially the BIOFIN Workbook) 
• Provide technical support for the data collection, analysis, and conclusions of the BER.
• Support the data collection, modelling, quality checking, and validation of the FNA.
• Develop a Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP) according to the guidance provided by the GPMTSU global BIOFIN team and written guidance documents (especially the BIOFIN Workbook).

NBSAP Update and the 7th National Report

• Facilitate in organizing launching /inception event to present the project objective, outcomes and work plan, identifying the project stakeholders and technical group in coordination with the Government and UNDP country office.
• Provide support in coordination and provision of technical inputs for cross-country analysis of policy reviews, expenditure analysis, financial needs, identifying trends, gaps and generating global overview data.
• Coordinate with experts group and stakeholders in consultation meetings to verify data and progress assessment and address information gaps for each ATB/National target, NBSAP implementation and draw their conclusions.
• Based on above consultation meetings and in consultation with the international consultant, develop series of small reports on each ATB /national target progress assessment, actions to mainstream biodiversity and effectiveness assessment of actions undertaken to implement NBSAP.
• Liaise with UNDP Country teams on all aspects of the project.
• Support the organization of regional and global events as outlined in the Project Document.
• Liaise with relevant initiatives and programs in UNDP and other organizations in support of the execution of the project, including BIOFIN.
• Support timely delivery of required reporting to the GEF with high quality content.
• Support the international consultant in compiling, reviewing, revising and finalizing the NBSAP Update and the 7NR, then report validation to be submitted officially to CBD.
• Coordinate with the expert group and stakeholders for the final review of the report before submitted officially.

Reporting/Communication/M&E

• Signal any delays in national deliverables compared to the workplan to the UNDP Country Office and the GPMTSU. 
• Lead project monitoring, reporting and evaluation at national level, draft monthly and quarterly reports for and submission to the global BIOFIN team. 
• Develop and implementation of tracking tools relevant to review technical and knowledge products.

Ensure alignment of national work with global methodologies such as the BIOFIN workbook and others. 

• Coordinate the development of workshop reports for the inception workshop and all technical workshops. 
• Review all technical reports as required. 
• Review the final reports of the national Policy and Institutional Review, Biodiversity expenditure Review, Financial Needs Assessment and Biodiversity Finance plan.
• Review the deliverables under the NBSAP Update and 7th National Report Project.
• Ensure forward-looking information and communication management internally and externally to internal and external stakeholders.
• Promote different systems and applications for optimal content management, knowledge sharing and information provision.
• Implement corporate operational strategies introducing best practices, lessons learnt and knowledge management initiative.
• Liaise with relevant initiatives and programs in UNDP and other organizations in support of the execution of the project, including BIOFIN, the NBSAP support programme, the GEF 7 Early Action Support Programme, the Nature Hub, and other organizations and initiatives. 
• Develop with the collaboration of the rest of the team members of the two projects of at least one brief overview publication per year, press releases, and web and media products.

Effective implementation of the project: 

• Establish and maintain regular communication and provide advisory support to identified institutional partners in their endeavours towards efficient administration; 
• Organize teamwork within the project consisting of consultants, prepare and assign tasks, monitor progress and motivate hired pool of experts; 
• Ensure that work plans are prepared and updated on time and reflect project objectives and outputs;
• Ensure timely coordination and implementation of recruitment of individual consultants;
• Ensure that procurement of goods and services under covered projects is undertaken in an optimal quality manner; 
• Monitor implementation progress and ensure quality and timely reporting to project partners;
• Ensure the establishment and maintenance of complete accounting records of all project activities (budget, commitments, expenditures, income); ensure proper follow up in relation to project expenditures, approval, and financial reporting;
• Be responsible for all assets purchased and used under the portfolio;
• Monitoring of the resources being spent i.e., approve requisitions in Quantum and certify/confirm receipt of goods and services;
• Assist in identifying relevant sources of expertise and funds for project/activity implementation;
• Implementation of action plans and assigned tasks including the field visits to monitor progress on a regular basis;
• Review official documents and communications, including drafting routine correspondence, facsimile, memoranda and reports from oral instructions, previous correspondence or other available information sources, in accordance with the standard office procedures;
• Advise respective Team Leader on potential adjustments of actions and procedures in light of changing requirements, issues, risks and needs;
• Regular monitoring of the relevant events and/or subjects in the local media. 

Knowledge sharing, communication, and advocacy:

• Ensure visibility of included projects by keeping target public informed about Project objectives, results/achievements and their impact on the recipient communities;
• Ensure that outputs produced by the projects are adequately communicated in partnership with relevant institutions and donors;
• Contribute to the learning and knowledge sharing within UNDP and among external partners at the country, regional and global levels.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

Umbrella programme to design a national Biodiversity Finance Plan

At the global level, the programme to design a national Biodiversity Finance Plan will be supported by a Global Project Management and Technical Support Unit (GPMTSU). A dedicated technical advisor by GPMTSU will be available to support each country’s work. The Project Analyst will be the senior most representative of the National Project Management Unit (NPMU) and is responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the project on behalf of the Implementing Partner, including the mobilization of all project inputs, supervision over project staff, responsible parties, consultants, and sub-contractors. The Project Analyst typically presents key deliverables and documents to the appropriate national governance mechanism and to the GPMTSU for their review and approval, including progress reports, annual work plans, adjustments to tolerance levels and risk registers.

Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports

At the global level, this global umbrella programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports will be supported by a Global Project Management and Technical Support Unit (GPMTSU). At the national level, each country will have consultants that will perform the different activities that contributes to the review the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAP) and assess the revised NBSAP in the context of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. They will also evaluate progress towards national targets and the framework's goals, providing conclusions on the implementation of the Convention and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The Project Analyst will be the senior most representative of the global project management and technical support unit (GPMTSU) and is responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the project including the mobilization of all project inputs and supervision of consultants. The Project Analyst typically presents key deliverables and documents to the board for their review and approval, including progress reports, annual work plans, adjustments to tolerance levels and risk registers.

The incumbent for the position will report directly to the Team Leader of the Climate Change, Energy and Environment in UNDP CO.

Competencies

Core Competencies:
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
People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.) UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies (insert up to 7 competencies) 

Thematic Area	Name	Definition
2030 Agenda	Nature, Climate and Energy	Ecosystems and biodiversity: Biodiversity Finance
2030 Agenda	Nature, Climate and Energy	Climate Strategies and Policy: Financing Strategies, Plans and Investment Frameworks.
Administration & Operations	Travel Policy and Procedures	Travel Policy and Procedures - Interprets travel policy, the Staff Rules, administrative circulars and financial regulations and rules on travel-related matters; management and tracking of exception requests to the standard of accommodation; reporting to UN.
Partnership	Private sector resource mobilization	Ability to identify, develop and manage partnerships that leverage private sector technical expertise and resources.
General (across the functions)	Project Management	Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Finance	Financial Planning and Budgeting	Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals, including through planning, budgeting, forecasting, analyzing and reporting.
Business Direction & Strategy	System Thinking	Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Education requirements	Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in environment/natural resource management, biodiversity, political studies, economics/finance or related field is required, or  A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Min. years of relevant work experience	Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in the implementation of environment/biodiversity/finance projects is required
Required skills	Experience in gathering and processing data and information. Experience in managing work teams and supervising technical assessments, reports and technical documents. Knowledge of key software packages (MS Office)
Desired skills	Experience in coordinating complex projects in multi-stakeholder environments, preferably on issues related to environment, biodiversity and finance is highly desirable. Experience in environmental or biodiversity related policies.  Knowledge and working experience with UNDP, the United Nations system, and INGOs particularly with biodiversity projects. Experience in strategic planning, results-based management, monitoring of management projects and reporting; Experience in gathering and processing data and information. Previous experience in development assistance or related work for an international agency or donor organization. Experience in promoting gender equality in project activities.
Required Language(s)	Fluency in Arabic and English is required

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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