Climate Finance Senior Officer – Colombia (Technical Senior Officer - Environmental) - Retainer, Homebased

WEC Background: 

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support. 

WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

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 80 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).

Country Context

Colombia formalized its international commitment to tackle climate change through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), a binding national plan presented by each party to the Paris Agreement, outlining its commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and contributing to climate change management.

The NDC is supported by a set of cross-cutting and integrative elements and includes a series of targets and measures in terms of climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation, and means of implementation through concrete actions, objectives, policies, and measures that must be fully met by 2030. These are aligned with the goals of carbon neutrality and climate resilience in the long term by 2050. Consistent with the provisions of the Paris Agreement and the positions defending climate action, science, and higher ambition assumed by the National Government in international forums, in December 2020, the country submitted an update of its NDC to the UNFCCC. This update was built based on intersectoral and participatory work under the principle of progression and non-regression.

Therefore, Colombia developed a governance framework for climate change management, framed within the National Climate Change System (Sisclima), which aims to coordinate, articulate, formulate, monitor, and evaluate policies, regulations, strategies, plans, programs, projects, actions, and measures for climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation. Its cross-sectoral and transversal nature implies the necessary participation and shared responsibility of public entities at the national, departmental, municipal, or district levels, as well as private and non-profit entities. This system is coordinated by the Intersectoral Commission on Climate Change (CICC), composed of 9 Ministries, the National Planning Department (DNP), and the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), as well as Regional Climate Change Nodes. The CICC operates through four technical committees, one of which is the Financial Management Committee (CGF).

The CGF aims to systematically incorporate climate change criteria into Colombia's economic and financial planning, execution, and evaluation cycles. This integration seeks to ensure a sufficient flow of public, private, and international cooperation funds, facilitating the achievement of national adaptation and mitigation goals through the National Climate Finance Strategy (ENFC). Ultimately, these efforts should lead to sustainable and scalable progress toward achieving sustainable development. Currently, the Committee comprises 19 members, including both national and subnational government entities as well as private sector representatives. The National Planning Department serves as the Technical Secretariat of this Committee.

The ENFC guides the mobilization of resources within Colombia in an efficient, sustainable, scalable, and transparent manner to finance mitigation and adaptation initiatives throughout their entire lifecycle. One strategic component of the ENFC focuses on managing and accessing financing sources, with the goal of "Establishing enabling spaces to facilitate orderly management and access to public, private, and international sources of climate finance through effective coordination between government technical entities based on financing priorities and needs."

In line with this strategic component, a significant contribution is the management of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a financial mechanism created in 2010 by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). GCF channels resources from developed countries to support the efforts of developing countries in addressing climate change challenges. In Colombia, the National Designated Authority (NDA) role is held by the National Planning Department (DNP), acting as a link between the National Government and the GCF. To establish a governance structure for decision-making regarding the GCF, the Green Climate Fund Collegiate Body was created as an interinstitutional body to ensure effectiveness and alignment with national priorities in climate finance and the creation of a GCF portfolio, establishing a formal process for accessing GCF resources.

Given the fundamental role of the NDA as an intermediary for accessing climate finance through the GCF, the need was identified for the National Planning Department to receive support in managing international funds. This will strengthen its role and capacity as the NDA to the GCF, along with national coordination for resource access.

A consultant is needed to support the DNP in fulfilling CGF functions related to the implementation of the National Climate Finance Strategy. This specialist will provide technical support for articulating various actions and stakeholders and assist in managing the Green Climate Fund.

The incumbent will support the National Planning Department (DNP) in activities related to its role as the Technical Secretariat of the Financial Management Committee (CGF) of the CICC of SISCLIMA and the Green Climate Fund, as well as support in monitoring the activities scheduled in the National Climate Finance Strategy (ENFC) within the competencies assigned to the DNP.  

The incumbent will implement all tasks under the direct supervision of the NDC Partnership Country Engagement Specialist and will work in close collaboration with the DNP Sub-directorate of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management within the Directorate of Environment and Sustainable Development.

This is a retainer national vacancy / position for twelve 12 months, maximum of 220 working days, with the possibility of an extension for 12 additional months.

* 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 Colombia or have a valid residence permit in the Country.  

*** Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Functional Responsibilities:

Prepare an annual workplan in coordination with the DNP team and NDC Partnership supervisor.

1. Support the National Planning Department in activities related to its role as the Technical Secretariat of the Financial Management Committee (CGF) of the CICC of SISCLIMA and the Green Climate Fund.

2. Provide technical and operational support in monitoring the activities scheduled in the National Climate Finance Strategy (ENFC) within the competencies assigned to the DNP.

3. Provide technical input and analyses to facilitate decision-making by the members of the Financial Management Committee.

4. Support the development and monitoring of the entities activities and working groups that comprise the Financial Management Committee, as established in their work plans and the ENFC.

5. Assist with logistical arrangements for the development of sessions and meetings of the Financial Management Committee and its working groups, as required.

6. Support and contribute to updating and adjusting procedures for the Government of Colombia's collegiate body for the GCF.

7. Provide technical and operational inputs to update the National Climate Finance Strategy (ENFC), ensuring alignment with the latest national and international climate finance priorities, integrating biodiversity considerations, the NDC 3.0, stakeholder feedback, and the results of short-term actions already implemented.

8. Document with detailed work schedule and strategic plan for the Financial Management Committee, outlining key activities, timelines, responsibilities, resources, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure effective implementation and coordination of actions

9. Document with the updated procedures for the collegiate body of the Government of Colombia for the GCF

10. Report on the monitoring of ENFC activities to be presented to the Financial Management Committee.

11. Retrospective analysis document on public investments in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management and their alignment with programmatic results

12. Analysis and improvement recommendations document, based on the balance of the implementation of short-term actions of the ENFC.

13. Document with a revised version of the ENFC, including an analysis of its alignment with programmatic results and recommendations for future improvements.

• A master’s degree in economics, business administration, government, finance, international relations, project management, business, sustainable development, climate change, engineering, or related fields is required. 

• Bachelor's degree economics, engineering, administration, finance, or related fields with an additional  2 years of relevant work experience. Additional postgraduate studies will be an advantage.

Required

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience, in sustainable development, climate change, and/or in climate finance or related fields.

• Experience in planning and/or designing public policies at the national and/or local level, knowledge of financial mechanisms, development banks, and a high degree of knowledge of the private and financial sector.

Asset 

• Experience in managing entities similar to the Financial Management Committee of SISCLIMA and Green Climate Fund.

• Experience in processes related to the National Climate Finance Strategy or similar strategies or policies in the Colombian public sector.

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. 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.