NDC Partnership In-Country Facilitator (Partnership Specialist) - Cambodia - (Homebased - Retainer)

WEC Background: 

UNOPS Water and Energy Cluster (WEC) supports the design and management of multi-stakeholder initiatives by providing services in financial and grant management, procurement, human resources, and project management. The cluster has supported projects in the areas of water resource management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and transparency, energy access and distribution, and environmental conservation under the Paris Agreement. The WEC has also supported operations and financial management services, in Vienna, the rest of the ECR region, and beyond. The main partners include UN agencies, bilateral agreements (with the Nordics, Germany, and Italy), the Green Climate Fund, and several NGOs (such as CIFF and CWF). 

The NDC Partnership: 

The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work through 120 partners supporting almost 90 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC).  

Cambodia became a member of the NDC Partnership in August 2019, appointing Focal Points in the National Council for Sustainable Development (Ministry of Environment) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The country received support through the NDC Partnership Climate Action Enhancement Package (CAEP), among others through UNDP and the World Bank, to update its NDC, which was submitted to the UNFCCC in December 2020. Jointly with the updated NDC, the Government developed an NDC Action Plan, or Partnership Plan, which outlines key mitigation, adaptation, and enabling actions to implement the NDC. The Partnership Plan with Cambodia’s Request for Support Letter (highlighting funding priorities) was circulated to members of the NDC Partnership in January 2021, to which ten partners responded in March 2021 indicating interest to support with ongoing and new technical assistance and projects. The NDC Partnership continues to support Cambodia on its NDC implementation, including by supporting coordination and resource mobilization.

* 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 Cambodia or have a valid residence and work permit in the Country.  


*** FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Functional Responsibilities;

1. Coordination and communication with key stakeholders

2. Facilitation of NDC Partnership Plan implementation

3. Mobilization of resources for implementation 

4. Tracking of Partnership Plan implementation progress 

5. Organize and support NDC-related meetings as needed 

6. Identifying lessons learned and results 

The incumbent will serve as the NDC Partnership’s interface in the country and operate as a liaison between the country and other NDC Partnership members. The role is one of coordination and supportive facilitation. He/she plays a key role in ensuring the smooth implementation of the Country Engagement Process, by supporting ongoing coordination efforts between the Support Unit of the NDC Partnership, the various partners of the Partnership, and the government of Cambodia. 

The incumbent will be embedded in the Ministry of Environment / National Council for Sustainable Development. He/she will be responsible for strengthening national coordination in terms of resource mobilization and monitoring the implementation of the Partnership Plan. He/she will support the focal point of the Partnership in his daily tasks of implementing the Partnership Plan and other forms of support to the NDC implementation.  

The embedded facilitator will implement all tasks under the direct supervision of the Partnership Development Sr. Advisor. He/she will also work in close collaboration with the NDC Partnership Support Unit, the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Economy and Finance. He/she will need to bring his/her own laptop to the Ministry's duty station.

This is a full-time national vacancy / position based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for twelve (12) months with possibility of extension depending on performance and on availability of funds.

The following responsibilities are part of the embedded incumbent role:

1.Coordination and communication with key stakeholders

• Ensure that communications relevant to NDC Partnership engagement are shared with relevant national, international, and local level stakeholders.

• Facilitate periodic coordination and information exchange among partners in the country, with the aim of leveraging and mobilizing their respective advantages in support of the Partnership Plan.

• Organize meetings to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the Partnership Plan with stakeholders. 

• Quarterly country engagement update reports (progress on the NDC Partnership Plan).

• Conduct quarterly meetings with partners following the progress reports, through calls or in-person (meeting preparation, facilitation, reporting).

2. Facilitation of NDC Partnership Plan implementation

• Collaborate with the NDC Partnership Support Unit and the Focal Points to manage and update the Plan and integrate it with Cambodia’s online NDC tracking tool, ensuring information remains up to date and accessible for key stakeholders.

• Identify implementing and development partners, compile their contact details (name of focal point, email address, telephone number) and follow up with them regarding their contributions to the Partnership Plan.

• Collaborate with the Support Unit to document changes in the operating context and provide support to the government and stakeholders in decision-making processes and new development with respect to the enabling environment.

• Periodically exchange with the Support Unit on the planning, roll out, monitoring and evaluation of the NDC Partnership activities in the country in close cooperation with the focal points and other partners.

3.Mobilization of resources for implementation 

• Support the government in following up on and mobilizing partner financing to close its support gaps to allow for NDC implementation as per the Partnership Plan.

• Update government needs and priorities for NDC implementation in the Partnership Plan. 

• Work with the Support Unit to produce an overview of support gaps to make available to partners.

• Engage with partners, including at the local/subnational level, to link needs to services and resources in accordance with the Partnership Plan.

• Assist the government in coordinating with key donors, partners, and funding mechanisms on aligning country programs and projects with the needs and gaps identified in the Partnership Plan.

• Assist and provide guidance to International and Development Partners to align climate projects and programmatic objectives with the Partnership Plan. 

• Partnership Action Fund prioritization of activities and leveraging the allocation for 2023; prepare use of Thematic Call for Cambodia.

4. Tracking of Partnership Plan implementation progress 

• Monitor and assess implementation of the Partnership Plan and coordinate periodic progress tracking of partners to the NDC Partnership. 

• Prepare quarterly country update reports summarizing key insights and progress updates, challenges, and recommendations for the way forward.

• Assess progress outcomes of the NDC Partnership in-country engagement and make recommendations for adjustments.

5.Organize and support NDC-related meetings as needed 

• Following government guidance, support the organization of quarterly calls / in-person convenings with partners to discuss priorities and challenges related to NDC implementation. 

• If requested, facilitate national country specific multi-stakeholder NDC dialogues.

• Support the government in preparing for NDC-related events such as COPs, regional climate weeks, national events, and other convenings relevant to showcase NDC progress and generate support for implementation of the NDC.

• Organize coordination meetings between the Support Unit and the government as needed.

• Preparations for Conference of the Parties (COP), Asia Pacific regional climate week, and other relevant convenings, including sharing of success stories from Cambodia’s NDC implementation in the form of communication and/or knowledge product(s).

6.Identifying lessons learned and results  

• Assist in tracking the progress of in-country engagement and provide periodic progress updates to the NDC Partnership Steering Committee, through the Support Unit.  

• Liaise with the Support Unit to access and/or feed into global knowledge products.

• Assist the Support Unit in the identification and dissemination of information on best practices and lessons learned from in-country engagement.

• Master  in either public policy (with respect to climate/environment), economics, public finance, sustainable development, or relevant fields; 

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline in combination with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree

Required

• At least 5 years of experience in climate change, environmental and natural resource management, development cooperation and related fields. 

• Demonstrated knowledge of environmental issues in Cambodia.

Asset 

• Knowledge about the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement, NDCs and SDGs is an asset.

• Excellent MS Office (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint and others) and internet research skills.

• Good knowledge in English and Khmer is required.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.