The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

The Local Transformative Finance Practice aims to be a centre of excellence and innovation fund for local government finance. Over a 30-year period the Practice has developed deep expertise in intergovernmental fiscal transfers (IGTF), local development funds, public financial management and performance-based grants. LTF supports policy reforms and advocates for a greater appreciation and use of IGTF and performance based local government financing mechanisms in development finance.

On the basis of this experience, LTF designed and manages the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), which is a mechanism to integrate climate change into local authorities’ planning and budgeting through the regular intergovernmental fiscal transfer system using performance-based grants in a participatory and gender-sensitive manner, increase awareness and capacities to respond to climate change at the local level including through ecosystem-based solutions, and increase the quality and number of local investments that address climate change. LoCAL combines performance-based climate resilience grants (PBCRGs), which ensure the programming and verification of change expenditures at the local level, with technical and capacity-building support. It uses the grants and demonstration effect to trigger further flows for local climate action including global climate finance and national fiscal transfers. LoCAL also aims to support private finance for small and medium businesses and municipal finance and public-private partnerships.

LoCAL is presently working with 34 countries across Africa, Asia the Caribbean and the Pacific, and has cumulatively mobilised over US$200m for more than 2,100 adaptation projects.  In the Pacific, LoCAL has been deployed in Tuvalu since 2016.  UNCDF is now working with the Government of Solomon Islands to activate the LoCAL mechanism in Solomon Islands.

The LoCAL Field Specialist will work with the Provincial administration with implementation of the LoCAL PBCRG mechanism at the sub-national level. The LoCAL Field Specialist will work under the overall leadership of the LoCAL Solomon Islands Programme Management Specialist, based in Honiara, and under the coordination of the PFM Reporting Specialist, and will work in close cooperation with the LoCAL Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Specialist based in Honiara, LoCAL’s Regional Technical Advisor, Public Finance and Local Government, based in Suva, and the Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction Officers (CCARROs) based in each Province.  In carrying out his/her work, the Field Specialist will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, the Ministry of Climate Change, the Provincial Government, and other LoCAL stakeholders.  As LoCAL will be implemented in close coordination with the Solomon Islands Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience (IEDCR) project, the LoCAL Field Specialist will also work closely with members of the IEDCR Team.

UNCDF has supported the Government of the Solomon Islands (GoSI) to design the LoCAL Mechanism with the aims of: increasing the resilience of communities and local economies across the country, through regular, predictable, systemic and verifiable climate finance in support of local climate responses, through increased provincial government access to climate finance to implement climate change adaptation investments in Solomon Islands (outcome 1); and, institutionalising a standard and internationally recognized country-based mechanism of performance-based climate resilience grants in the country, further attracting climate finance, domestic and international (outcome 2).

LoCAL-Solomon Islands will raise awareness and strengthen capacities for subnational climate change adaptation at both Provincial and central levels (output1); support the integration of climate change into local planning and budgeting processes and finance local adaptation interventions and investments (output 2) and establish and deploy across the whole country an effective performance-based climate resilience grant system (financing mechanism) that can attract various sources of climate finance (output 3).

LoCAL will be embedded in Solomon Islands’ Provincial Capital Development Fund (PCDF) and empower the Provincial Governments to develop and fund adaptation strategies and plans, and climate change adaptation infrastructure and services.  Working closely with the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS), and alongside the World Bank’s Integrated Economic Development and Community Resilience (IEDCR) program, LoCAL will also support Provincial Governments’ access to technical expertise on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, to support the implementation of climate change adaptation projects funded through the PBCRGs and strengthen the entire project cycle from planning, execution to monitoring.

Within this programme context, UNCDF is seeking LoCAL Field Specialist(s) to contribute to the effective delivery of the Programme’s activities in each Province.

The positions will be based at the Provincial Government Headquarters (up one position in each Province).

• Guide Provincial Governments in the management, implementation and monitoring of performance-based climate resilience grants and investments.
• Lead Provincial level LoCAL performance monitoring and reporting, and actively contribute to the knowledge and communication efforts of LoCAL in Solomon Islands
• Provide advisory programme and technical advice to provincial government counterparts and key stakeholders, including on climate change adaptation.
• Under the guidance of the LoCAL Gender Equality, Social Inclusion and Safeguards (GESI) Specialist, ensure the alignment of LoCALs work with GESI objectives, environmental and social safeguards (ESS), and a safe and healthy working environment, coordinating and working closely with the IEDCR Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Resilience Expert, the IEDCR ESS specialist and the Provincial Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction Officers
• Act as a conduit between the UNCDF LoCAL Team and Provincial Government.

Lead provincial level performance monitoring and reporting, and actively contribute to the knowledge and communication efforts of LoCAL in Solomon Islands

• Ensure regular monitoring of the progress of provincial governments in implementation of the LoCAL and its PBCRGs, in line with the LoCAL Design Document and applicable government’s regulations and procedures, in particular under the PCDF/PGSP;
• Ensure provincial governments comply with LoCAL’s performance assessment indicators, including by maintaining an archiving system;
• Guide and provide advisory advice on the preparation of periodic technical and financial reports on the implementation of LoCAL activities and undertake regular monitoring of the activities, including through field visits;
• Guide the preparation of and contribute to the annual performance assessment of Provincial Governments;
• Lead the knowledge and communication efforts of LoCAL in Solomon Islands (i.e. LoCAL stories, news articles, photos, videos, social media presence, MPGIS provincial webpage, country webpage and web presence, as appropriate) with support and guidance from LoCAL’s communication specialist.
• Provide technical advisory to the Project through planning, monitoring and reporting local level activities and results;
• Lead the coordination and facilitation of meetings and activities, documentation, and report preparation.

Provide advisory programme and technical advice to provincial government counterparts and key stakeholders, including on climate change adaptation

• Working closely with the Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction Officers (CCARROs), provide advisory to Provincial Government partners to collect and interpret climate-related data and information, undertake local climate risk assessments, and mainstream climate change into local public planning and budgeting systems;
• Under the guidance of the LoCAL Solomon Islands Programme Manager, Provincial Secretaries, IEDCR/PGSP and MPGIS, ensure the preparation of local government adaptation investment plans and budgets consistent with the PCDF/LoCAL guidelines, and that foster gender equality and climate resilient local economies;
• Working closely with the CCARRO in each province, provide advisory to the integration of climate change into local adaptation investments; and
• Working closely with engineering and technical specialists, ensure that LoCAL supported activities are technically sound and mainstreamed.
• Facilitate the coordination and preparation of resources for the conduct of capacity building activities, and providing technical guidance and advice, of the production of materials, coordinating schedules and participation of stakeholders.

Under the guidance of the LoCAL Gender Equality, Social Inclusion and Safeguards (GESI) Specialist, ensure the alignment of LoCAL’s work with GESI objectives, environmental and social safeguards (ESS), and a safe and healthy working environment, coordinating and work closely with the IEDCR Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Resilience Expert, the ESS specialist and the Provincial Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction Officers

• Under the guidance of the LoCAL GESI Specialist, and in coordination with the IEDCR ESS Officer, ensure the incorporation of GESI and of environmental and social safeguards into LoCAL-funded processes, activities and investments, to contribute to improved social inclusion and gender equality;
• Under the guidance of the LoCAL GESI Specialist, coordinating with the IEDCR GESI Lead and other stakeholders, lead the collection of monitoring and evaluation data and information to deliver strengthened results for LoCAL on GESI;
• Under the guidance of the GESI Specialist, lead the monitoring and proactively take action to address, social, environmental and other risks in line with safeguard policies for LoCAL;
• Under the guidance of the GESI Specialist, facilitate the delivery of a safe and healthy working environment;
• Lead on the identification and management of risks at the local level.

Lead co-ordination between the UNCDF LoCAL Team and Provincial Government

• Facilitate the ongoing exchange of information between UNCDF LoCAL and Provincial government, including through information, training and reports;
• Facilitate consultation and exchange of information, synergies, learning, and know-how at the local level, including between Provincial governments;
• Perform any other related duties as required by supervisor/ management or guided by UNCDF and other key stakeholders.

Impact Results

Efficient, timely, responsive, client-focused and high-quality support rendered to UNCDF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of their functions, including:

• Provincial Governments and local stakeholders have increased awareness on climate change and have built their capacity to address the impacts of climate change;
• Provincial administrations develop investment plans and budgets that foster climate resilient local communities;
• Provincial Governments pilot methods and procedures for mainstreaming climate change into local public planning and budgeting, as well as into local resource allocation processes;
• The performance-based climate resilience grant mechanism (LoCAL) is effectively deployed in Solomon Islands;
• Lessons learnt and good practices are documented, capitalized and shared (through photos, videos, stories from the field).

Core competencies:

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

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.

Administration and Operations

• Documents and records management: Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving

Finance

• Audit risk management: Ability to address audit issues raised in the course of an audit and propose solutions in order to ensure a true and fair audit opinion is achieved

Business Management

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• 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

Partnership management

• Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding: Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms

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.