JOB DETAILS:

United Nations Development Programme Biodiversity Finance Specialist Namibia UNDP Jobs 2024

United Nations Development Programme looking for “Biodiversity Finance Specialist”. Applicants with an Advanced degree may apply on or before 18-Jul-24.

The United Nations Development Programme has published a job vacancy announcement on 04/07/2024 for qualified applicants to fill in the vacant post of Biodiversity Finance Specialist to be based in Windhoek , Namibia. For more jobs, please visit https://unjoblink.org

Company Name: United Nations Development Programme

Job Title: Biodiversity Finance Specialist

Duty Station: Windhoek , Namibia

Country: Namibia

Application Deadline: 18-Jul-24

Responsibilities:

1. Lead Policy and Institutional Review (PIR):

• Advise and support the Policy expert in developing an inventory of existing Biodiversity Financing Mechanisms in the country;
• Advise and support the Policy expert in reviewing of existing economic valuation studies relevant to the BIOFIN process.

2. Ensure effective Biodiversity Expenditure Review (BER):

• Carry out a desk review to map existing studies/information/databases on biodiversity expenditures, including an overview of earlier environmental expenditure reviews;
• Develop a proposed national definition for “biodiversity expenditures”, based on the BIOFIN methodology or other methodologies;
• Develop a workplan for the Biodiversity Expenditure Review for discussion with the national BFP programme team and GPMTSU;
• Determine a target list of organizations to include in the analysis based on the PIR work;
• Collect data for the desk review to map existing studies/information/ databases on biodiversity expenditures, including an overview of earlier environmental expenditure reviews;
• Establish, with the support of the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead), a system to tag biodiversity expenses into categories (GBF targets, BIOFIN categories, NBSAP themes, etc.) and a system of coefficients/attribution to estimate the contribution of mixed actions towards biodiversity;
• Gather data from the targeted organizations to conduct the expenditure review on budgets and expenditures. Follow existing methodologies for guidance (includes mapping of sources of funding, subsidies, and biodiversity-based revenues, etc.);
• Develop tools or Excel tool to analyze the total biodiversity-related expenditures filtered by major strategy groups using existing methodology (or national categories such as in the NBSAP);
• Coordinate the compilation of relevant data and liaise with relevant Ministries and partners as required and complete all BIOFIN data entry sheets for the BER;
• Facilitate the Organization of bilateral consultation meetings/interviews/ discussions with national level stakeholders to define and then validate the attribution of biodiversity significance in all relevant expenditures;
• Applying budget projections and other assumptions, estimate future funding baseline under a “Business-As-Usual Scenario”: an analysis of projected estimated funding in the future;
• Based on international best practices and the BIOFIN methodology or other methodologies, work closely with the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead) to develop and implement a specific strategy for data collection of the private sector and organize dedicated consultation meetings with private sector stakeholders (e.g. chamber of commerce, multinationals) on tracking biodiversity expenditures;
• Based on results from the research, analysis and the national consultation workshop, develop, with the support of the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead), the draft BIOFIN Biodiversity Expenditure Review for review by the GPMTSU (Global Project Management and Technical Support Unit);
• Develop the final Biodiversity Expenditure Review, with the support of the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead), for review by the GPMTSU and present at the validation workshop.

3. Lead the development of Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment (FNA):

• Review the available methodologies, examples from other countries, the latest NBSAP and the National Biodiversity Reports to develop an initial workplan and outline for the FNA;
• Consult with the NBSAP team and government entities responsible for NBSAP implementation to obtain background information about NBSAP activities and government budgeting processes;
• Work with the Senior Finance Expert (Project Lead) to review the scope of the NBSAP, its alignment with other national policies, and identify policy areas and activities that are not covered by the existing NBSAP;
• Review the activities listed in the NBSAP and other key strategic documents to assess if they are detailed and quantified enough for their budgets to be estimated in detail.  If not, work with the NBSAP national focal points and other relevant stakeholders to define clearly the NBSAP actions so that they can be budgeted;
• Coordinate the compilation of relevant data and liaise with relevant Ministries and partners as required and organize a national consultation workshop to define the financial needs of all major biodiversity programmes;
• Develop detailed calculations and complete all datasheets related to the national biodiversity finance needs;
• Organize a workshop to validate the cost assumptions and models and refine the analysis through additional meetings as needed;
• Advise and support the comparison of the results of the BER future projections with the FNA in as great detail as the categories allow and produce an estimate of the financing gap;
• Lead the development (with support from the team) of a draft report for the Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment for discussion at the validation workshop and review by the project national team and GPMTSU;
• Support the Production of the final report of the Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment.

4. Provide administrative and logistical support to the SEMER portfolio and resource mobilization:

• Provide administrative and logistical support to the SEMER portfolio, beyond the BIOFION project Including (but not limited to) raising requisitions; preparing payments; developing terms of reference (TORs); organizing meetings and events; drafting talking points; and capturing minutes;
• Preparation of workshops, meetings, networking, and presentations as required, to complete the Biodiversity Expenditure Review, the Financial Needs Assessment and engage stakeholders;
• Provide substantive comments and feedback on how to improve the existing methodologies;
• Document decisions and assumptions made while completing the Biodiversity Expenditure Review and the Biodiversity Finance Needs Assessment;
• Document lessons learned from conducting the BFP project ranging from institutional considerations to technical issues;
• Prepare reports and case studies, as required, for submission to global meetings (e.g. CBD COP);
• The Specialist is required to work closely with the SEMER Programme Specialist, UNDP RTA, and national partners to identify potential projects to be developed in in the area of natural resource management and biodiversity in line with national needs;
• Guide the Project Lead in the conception and preparation of the BFP;
• Support detailed feasibility analyses on a range of financing mechanisms depending on knowledge and experience.

Requirements:

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact ;

Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems;

Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences;

Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands;

Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results;

Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration;

Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity.

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

2030 Agenda

• Nature, Climate and Energy
  • Ecosystems and biodiversity: Biodiversity Finance

Business Direction and Strategy

• System Thinking
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact other parts of the system.

Business Development

• Collective Intelligence Design
  • Ability to bring together diverse groups of people, data, information or ideas, and technology to design services or solutions.

Digital & Innovation

• Data storytelling and communications
  • Skilled in building a narrative around a set of data and its accompanying visualizations to help convey the meaning of that data powerfully and compellingly.
• Data Governance
  • Knowledge of data science, skills to develop data management tools, organize and maintain databases and operate data visualization technologies.
• Data Collection
  • Being skilled in Data Sorting, Data Cleaning, Survey Administration, Presentation, and Reporting including collection of Real-Time Data (e.g. mobile data, satellite data, sensor data).
• Data analysis
  • Ability to extract, analyze and visualize data (including Real Time Data) to form meaningful insights and aid effective decision making.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education Requirements:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Finance, Economics, Business Management, or a closely related field, preferably Natural Economics/Environment / Biodiversity focus is required or;
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum years of relevant work experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in environmental finance, accounting, economics, management or related field.

Required skills:

• Proven experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions;
• Proven knowledge of key software packages (MS Office);
• Proven experience in drafting reports on environment-related policy writing;
• Proven ability to prepare publications, reports, and presentations;
• Demonstrated experience in working with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section:

• Proven experience in managing environmental issues or biodiversity is desirable;
• Previous experience with expenditure reviews would be an asset;
• Familiarity with the governmental institutions is strongly desired.

Required Language(s) (at working level):

• Fluency in English (oral and written) is required.