Senior Programme Manager [Adaptation]

Job Description

Dutystation: New York, United States of America

Functional responsibilities

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Director of Climate Ambition, the incumbent will provide substantive senior-level support on member state engagement. The responsibilities of the Senior Programme Manager [Adaptation] includes:

Strategies development and follow up

• Design and develop targeted strategies focused on countries or regions;
• Support implementation of the adaptation and resilience deliverables in the SG’s climate action strategy including
• Develop a strategy to secure new and more ambitious commitments
• Develop a strategy on priority adaptation and resilience areas including maintaining momentum for the SG’s call to commit 50% of climate finance to adaptation, broadening coverage of early warning systems, and working with the finance lead on adaptation finance;
• Lead on climate security, working closely with Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and the relevant Member States. Develop a strategy to ensure a clear SG position on the topic to guide CAT and other UN entity engagement;

Partnerships

• Build strong and diverse networks to support the execution of the countries’ strategies including with government, civil society, academia and private sector actors;
• Stay abreast of key Member State activity such as negotiated outcomes and formal meetings, identifying risks and opportunities to the SG’s climate action strategy;
• Support management of partnerships and coalitions including with Champions of Adaptation, Group of Friends on Adaptation and Resilience, Global Centre on Adaptation and the Adaptation Action Coalition among others, to secure progress on priorities;

Programme Management

• Lead on Member State Advisory Group meetings, developing concepts to increase their effectiveness and maintain engagement;
• Ensure successful follow-up delivery, growth and implementation of the highest impact initiatives launched at the 2019 Climate Action Summit on adaptation and resilience;
• Support development of recommendations, briefing notes, key messages and inputs into speeches for SG and DSG engagements with governments, the private sector, development finance institutions and other relevant partners, with a focus on achieving a breakthrough in adaptation and resilience;
• Monitor trends and innovations in adaptation finance and implementation;
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent), preferably in International Relations or Public Policy or other relevant fields with seven (7) years of relevant experience.

• First level university degree (bachelor or equivalent) with nine (9) years of relevant experience.

• Relevant experience is defined as professional experience in the field of climate change or a related field required with at least three (3) years of experience working in project management combined with policy research and analysis.
• Experience coordinating climate initiatives and coalition building.
• Experience effectively synthesizing and communicating technical and policy findings in a clear and concise manner to colleagues internally and to external non-technical audiences, including through producing briefing, speeches and strategy papers for seniors.
• Experience briefing and providing strategic advice to senior principals.

Desirable experience (the following experience is optional candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply)

• Experience in identifying, strengthening and leveraging relationships with Member States, UN system and non-State actors to help advance policy objectives.
• Strong familiarity with the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC negotiation processes and the UN development system.

• Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.

About the Organization

TOGETHER, WE BUILD THE FUTURE

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.

Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

We are proud of our people and embrace diversity and are committed to equal employment opportunities. Our workforce brings together approximately 160 nationalities, represented by over 5,000 UNOPS personnel as well as some 7,800 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners. Spread across 80 countries from a range of backgrounds, and languages and have different gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities.

We encourage women and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS to apply. These include candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.