Policy and Practice Specialist - Home Based - (Open to Tier 3 - External Applicants)

UNDP•New York, NY

5d•Remote

About The Position

The Blue & Green Islands Integrated Programme (BGI IP) is a transformative and comprehensive initiative designed to address pressing environmental challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS). These Countries, due to their small size, remote locations, and reliance on limited resources, are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and other shocks. The programme will leverage significant innovation emerging from SIDS to turn their most pressing challenges into opportunities for prosperity, enabling them to build forward better, greener and bluer. The overall objective of the BGI IP’s Global Coordination Project (GCP) is to enhance collaboration, capacity and partnerships among 15 BGI IP child projects in valuing nature, scaling up of nature-based solutions in the food, tourism, and urban sectors, and securing public and private finance to facilitate nature-positive development and reduce ecosystem degradation in SIDS. This will be achieved by demonstrating the transformational potential of incorporating the value of nature into decision-making and using innovative nature-based solutions to achieve development and MEA goals and address SIDS challenges related to food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and reduction of hazardous chemical pollution. A Global Programme Coordination Unit (GPCU) will be established by the GCP for the overall BGI IP. The GPCU will be responsible for the overarching management and coherence of the BGI-IP through workstreams including day-to-day programmatic coordination of the Policy and Practice Facility, Knowledge Management and Learning Cluster, and Nature Based Solutions Accelerator, capacity development, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, adaptive management, technical coherence and advice, compliance, knowledge management, cross-project collaboration and networking, and facilitation of joint learning, solutions sharing, and upscaling efforts. The GPCU will optimize strategic engagement with key multi-stakeholder bodies and platforms for policy coherence and change at global, regional, and national levels. This will be done through collective action and a clear agenda established in collaboration with the IP’s country and institutional partners, to assure a seat at the table on policy and related discussions relevant to SIDS and the IP context. The GPCU will be responsible for programme level support to the Child Projects and for receiving and collating information on the state of the Programme for the PSC, and for organizing the annual meeting of the GCP and all the 15 country Child Projects, as well as quarterly meetings of the BGI IP PSC, and for collating and disseminating all programme M&E results. Effective participation from key BGI IP countries will be ensured through Regional Nodes and Thematic Working Groups, where country project managers come together to exchange best practices and learning around themes such as: evidence-based nature-based solutions, public and private sector engagement and finance, monitoring and evaluation, safeguards, gender, etc. The Policy & Practice Specialist (PPS) is responsible for the management of the Policy and Practice Facility and for technical leadership for Outcomes 1.1 and 1.2 of the Global Coordination Project. The selected candidate will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of technical assistance to country child projects, ensuring collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Knowledge Management & Learning (KM&L) Cluster, Regional Nodes, and Thematic Working Groups. This role requires a strong ability to manage and coordinate with Responsible Parties and partners, including those providing analytical tools and support for policy and regulatory coherence, integrated spatial planning, and value chain integration across the food systems, urban, and tourism sectors. Additionally, the candidate will oversee the work of international finance experts in developing financial mechanisms to support Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and guide strategic negotiations with global and regional stakeholders to promote the adoption of nature-friendly practices. This position is critical in driving the scaling of project results and ensuring impactful outcomes at both the regional and global levels.

Requirements

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Economics, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Urban Development / Planning, or related field is required, or
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of working experience related to international cooperation with Small Island Developing States is required.
Proven ability supporting the management of complex projects, including planning, implementing, monitoring and/or overseeing project activities.
Experience in coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including partners and contractors.
Demonstrated experience in guiding the development of relevant guidance materials and tools for country child projects.
Experience in managing knowledge-sharing initiatives and ensuring that technical assistance is effectively delivered and utilized.
Demonstrated ability to effectively engage and manage relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, international organizations, private sector partners, and/or local communities.
Fluency in English, verbal and written, is required.

Nice To Haves

At least 7 years of work experience in international cooperation around the blue green economy would be an advantage.
Prior experience working with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) or similar international funding mechanisms is highly desired.
Working knowledge of another UN language is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Together with the Global Coordinator – Blue & Green Islands Integrated Programme, oversee all activities under the Global Coordination Project’s Policy and Practice Facility, and ensure that technical assistance provided by the facility is effectively delivered to country child projects, in partnership with the KM&L Cluster, Regional Nodes, and Thematic Working Groups.
Oversee the work of contracted international finance expert(s) to develop guidance materials for the child projects on public, public / private and potentially private financing mechanisms to facilitate and grow investments in NbS approaches; and to develop relevant financial instruments or mechanisms
Oversee the work of a contracted international expert to carry out an assessment of opportunities / key issues for collaborative negotiating with regional and global companies, industry associations and trade groups in the three BGI IP target sectors of food systems, tourism, and urban, as well as international institutions whose decisions may greatly impact environmental and socio-economic conditions in SIDS.
Facilitate engagement and collaboration with Responsible Parties, partners, and stakeholders through a work programme that supports programmatic alignment with BGI IP and provides technical assistance on key topics including policy coherence, integrated spatial planning, and value chain integration across key sectors such as food systems, urban development, and tourism.
Together with the Global Coordinator, oversee and collaborate with Responsible Parties and other partners contracted to deliver technical assistance to the country child projects, including:
The Responsible Party for Analytical Tools to Value Nature in providing technical assistance to the country child projects on: the use of analytical tools such as Natural Capital Assessment (NCA) and Ecosystem Services Valuation (ESVand 2) policy and regulatory revision and coherence to support implementation, scaling up, and investment in child project NbS initiatives
UNDP Food & Agricultural Commodity Systems (FACS) in providing technical assistance to the country child projects on: policy and regulatory revision and coherence to support implementation, scaling up, and investment in child project NbS initiatives integrated spatial planning for land / seascapes with NbS initiatives value chain and supply chain integration linked to NbS in the Food Systems, Urban and Tourism Sectors collaborative negotiating with regional / global companies and associations in the food systems sector
Responsible Party for Integrated Spatial Planning in providing technical assistance to the country child projects on: integrated spatial planning for land / seascapes with NbS initiatives
Responsible Party for SIDS Global Coalition in providing technical assistance to the country child projects on: scaling of BGI IP child project results and generating action and impact at regional and global levels
Collaborative negotiating with global / regional stakeholders has led to the adoption of nature-friendly practices among target sector stakeholders
Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing and advocacy relevant to the assigned thematic area(s).
Organize training, workshops, and capacity building activities in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
Identify, synthesize and document best practices and lessons learned that are generated from the project and implementing partners.
Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
Promote advocacy on development trends and opportunities to collaborate in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications staff.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.