Job Description
The MEL Officer will play an important role in leading stakeholder engagement and coordination within the National Climate Change Committee (NCCC), ensuring effective communication, collaboration, and information sharing. The MEL Officer will also be responsible for updating and maintaining the National Climate Change Database, contributing to knowledge management, and supporting the design of learning activities to enhance stakeholder capacity in utilizing climate change data for informed decision-making.
Saint Lucia is a member of the NDC Partnership and submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (iNDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November 2015. The NDC Partnership Focal Point and UNFCCC Focal Point in Saint Lucia is the Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) of the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. In February 2025, Saint Lucia submitted its Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC, following approval by the Cabinet of Ministers.
As UNFCCC Focal Point, the DSD serves as the chair of the institutional mechanism, the National Climate Change Committee (NCCC). This multi-sectoral committee provides technical support and guidance on the development and implementation of national climate change policies, including NDCs, along with the completion of key reporting requirements of the UNFCCC.
The work of the NCCC is supported through the functioning of a National Climate Change Database, maintained and updated by DSD, such as a National Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Portal. The existing MRV System, for example, is intended to track information on key mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance action on the island, including capturing greenhouse gas data. This information is in turn intended to be used to complete key UNFCCC reporting requirements, including developing NDCs, National Communications and Biennial Transparency Reports.
The services of a Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) Officer is required to support the stakeholder management actions required to enhance operationalization of the NCCC, support the data collection and learning opportunities, including the update of a National Climate Change Database.
The MEL Officer will implement all tasks under the direct supervision of the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist. The MEL Officer will provide embedded technical support to the Department of Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training. The Chief Sustainable Development and Environment Officer, or any officer designated to coordinate the day-to-day execution of activities, will guide the work of the embedded advisor.
*This is a retainer national vacancy / position for twelve 12 months, maximum of 220 working days, with the possibility of an extension depending on satisfactory performance and on availability of funds for the period of the second NDC.
**This is a homebased position, meaning that the incumbent will not work from a UNOPS office but from the government facilities. Therefore, the incumbent will need to use his/her own laptop and software.
***As this is a Local Position, in order to be eligible, the incumbent should be a national of Saint Lucia or have a valid residence permit in Saint Lucia.
****Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
The MEL Officer will serve as embedded technical support to the DSD in fulfilment of its role as chair of the NCCC and host of a National Climate Change Database. He/she will play a key role in supporting the implementation of the Climate Change Act of 2024, with a specific focus on the functions of the NCCC, including the review of the status of climate change programming and implementation and effectiveness of current national climate change policies.
1. Stakeholder Management and Coordination of Members of the NCCC
- Support biannual (as needed) and yearly organization of NCCC in-person and virtual coordination meetings, in consultation with the climate change officers of DSD. This includes assisting with logistical details, including agenda development, securing venue and catering arrangements, presenters coordination and stakeholder confirmations.
- Assist in the preparation and distribution of monthly, or as needed, communications to the NCCC, providing updates in climate finance, training or knowledge sharing opportunities.
- Assist the DSD in organizing either virtual or in-person sector specific meetings, for agencies of the NCCC, for DSD led projects or programming activities. This support should include compiling key documents for review, confirming stakeholder participation and sharing updates post-meetings.
- Support the distribution and coordination of inputs on key climate change policies and projects under development to agencies of the NCCC, for their review and editing. This task should include ensuring key technical documents are distributed, collating feedback (including among the climate change team), and compiling information into a single review report when complete.
2. Updating National Climate Change Database
- Support the collection and compilation of data and other information necessary to update a National Climate Change Database, from agencies of the NCCC, the NDC In-Country Facilitator and other information and data collection officers. This includes data on greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage actions, climate finance, awareness raising and capacity building.
- Support the quarterly update of actions on a National Climate Change Database, by compiling data received during consultations and entering it into the database ensuring accuracy based on established guidelines.
3. Knowledge and Learning
- Assist in the preparation of the annual Climate Change Progress Report by providing updates to stakeholders and summarize data collected throughout the year.
- Support the design and execution of stakeholder learning activities for agencies of the NCCC and relevant members of the DSD, to effectively utilize and update the National Climate Change Database, as applicable.
- Support the compilation of the quarterly DSD Key Performance Indicator and Work Programme reports.
- Develop and maintain an internal calendar of key DSD-led and international meetings that require the participation/input of NCCC Members.
- Assist DSD with the preparation and delivery of climate change presentations and other learning materials, including capacity-building sessions that support the mainstreaming of climate policies across sectors.
- Support the completion of national climate change questionnaires, utilizing data from the National Climate Change Database, as needed.
- Synthesize/support the synthesis of all climate change related updates from DSD to be shared with Information Assistant for public distribution.
- Support the development of national reports and other communication materials reflecting information collected from NCCC members, including one-page non-technical summaries, blogs and newspaper articles. This should include working with the climate change team and the Information Assistant in preparing snippets for social media, post national, regional and international meetings, and other events.
- Prepare a hand-over report to the DSD which documents the procedures undertaken by the MEL Officer, including stakeholder management and coordination processes, methods for updating and maintaining the national database and approaches to knowledge management and learning. This will include, but not limited to, tools used, data sources, stakeholder engagement protocols etc. Additionally, it should include key lessons learned during implementation of the role as well as recommendations to support continuity. A hand-over training session with the DSD should also be facilitated by the MEL Officer to capture the aforementioned elements.
