VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Title:National Climate Change Adaptation Specialist (NCCAS)

Organization: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Project:Least Developed Countries Fund: “Building Adaptive Capacity and Resilience to Climate Change in Afghanistan”

Duty Station: Kabul, Afghanistan

Contract: Fulltime

Duration: 6 months; renewable

Closing date: 7 November 2013

Tentative starting:as soon as possible

Applications #: UNEP-2013-018

1.General Background of Project / Assignment:

Afghanistan is vulnerable to climate change, particularly extreme weather events, including floods and droughts, which adversely affect natural ecosystems, agriculture and community livelihoods. Unfortunately, governing structures – including community councils, district units, research institutions and government agencies – currently have limited capacity to plan for, overcome and withstand the current as well as anticipated climate change-related threats. Accordingly – and in line with Afghanistan’s National Adaptation Plan of Action process – the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) is implementing the project “Building adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change in Afghanistan”. This project will increase the climate resilience of vulnerable communities and build capacity of governing structures to address climate change impacts. It consists of four main components:

Component 1: Climate change risk assessment, monitoring and forecasting information.

Component 2: Climate change adaptation and response strategies.

Component 3: Practices for water resources and watershed management piloted and tested in selected project sites.

Component 4: Adaptive learning and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices.

The project budget is 5,390,000 USD and the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) of Afghanistan is executing project activities,with support from UNEP’s Post Conflict and Disaster Management Branch (PCDMB), in close cooperation with other stakeholders.

2. Summary of Key Functions:

The project is recruiting a National Climate Change Adaptation Specialist (NCCAS) to: i) assess and strengthen the policy environment for climate change adaptation in Afghanistan; and ii) assess the state of climate Early Warning Systems (EWS) in Afghanistan. He /she will need an in-depth knowledge of: i) climate change impacts in Afghanistan; ii) the policy and planning processes in Afghanistan; iii) planning for climate change; iv) the human, infrastructural, technical and institutional capacities required for efficient climate EWS.

The NCCAS will be recruited based on an open and competitive process. He/she will be expected to: i) provide input into integrating climate change into policies and development planning; ii)design inter-ministerial climate change structures for integrating adaptation and climate change risks into national policies and strategies;iii) undertake a gap analysis of the national development plans and policies to determine the extent to which climate change risks are included; iv) assess the current state of early warning and reporting systems in Afghanistan; and v) examine options for climate EWS in Afghanistan

He/she will: i) report to the National Project Coordinator (NPC) and Senior Advisor (SA); and ii) collaborate with the Climate Adaptation Specialist (CAS) and the National Communication Specialist (NCS).

3. Purpose and Scope of Assignment

a) Key responsibilities:

General project activities

  • Become familiar with Component 1of the project document, including indicators and targets in the Results Framework associated with Component 1.
  • Review relevant indicators stipulated in the Results Framework in the Project Document and recommend new indicators if necessary.
  • Provide relevant climate change adaptation input to ensure the success of activities in Component 1.
  • Design surveys to obtain information on EWS and options for strengthening EWS in Afghanistan.
  • Meet with local communities, sub-contractors and other relevant partners for assessing EWS in Afghanistan.
  • Meet with policy- and decision- makers.
  • Keep in regular contact with the NPC, the CAS and other specialists relevant to particular tasks.
  • Submit draft reports to the CAS and SA in advance of submitting reports to the NPC.

Activities to assess and strengthen climate change policies and planning in Afghanistan

  • Establish a climate risk assessment, prediction and monitoring network.
  • Identify relevant stakeholders and partners (including climate change specialists, WMO and USGS) to be part of the network.
  • Contact – and meet where possible – identified stakeholders to initiatetheir involvement.
  • Compile a network database including a mailing list with contact details for willing stakeholders.
  • Design and set up the network (e.g. internet-based platform or user-group) that facilitates capacity development and promotes regular exchanges of data for climate change risk, prediction and monitoring.
  • Develop guidelines to ensure regular communication and networking between stakeholders.
  • Review international literature on best practice adaptation measures in similar environments to pilot sites in Afghanistan and document: i) best practices; ii) successes; iii) failures; and iv) reasons for failures.
  • Identify additional adaptation measures to achieve long-term adaptation goals.
  • Review international literature on M&E best practices for climate change adaptation measures in Afghanistan.
  • Review international literature on mainstreaming adaptation measures into policy and planning anddocument: i) best practices; ii) successes; iii) failures; and iv) reasons for failures.
  • Design an inter-ministerial climate change structure to promote integration of climate change risks into policies and strategies.
  • Contact and meet with relevant ministries including policy- and decision- makers.
  • Establish a platform for inter-ministerial climate change risk dialogue.
  • Review current national development plans and relevant policies and conduct a gap analysis on the extent to which climate change risks are included.
  • Prepare policy and technical briefs on climate change adaptation at national level.
  • AssistCAS and the NCSin developing protocols and supporting documents for training of policy- and decision- makers on climate change and adaptation planning. This will be informed by gaps identified by the Institutional Development Specialist.

Climate EWS assessments and activities

  • Carry out a literature review of best practice EWS relevant to Afghanistan that documents EWS successes and failures in Afghanistan specifically.
  • Consult with relevant stakeholders involved in EWS in Afghanistan.
  • Conduct a stocktaking exercise of current EWS in Afghanistan, including: i) the organisations involved in EWS and their respective roles; ii) the condition of hydrometeorological equipment i.e. current infrastructural capacity; iii) the geographical coverage of current EWS activities; iii) current human, institutional and management capacity for EWS in Afghanistan, including early warning dissemination and response capabilities; and v) regional cooperation and involvement in EWS with neighbouring countries.
  • Conduct a gap analysis exercise including: i) a summary of the climate change vulnerabilities in Afghanistan; ii) current state of EWS in Afghanistan (informed by a stocktaking exercise); iii) desired state of EWS in Afghanistan, including priority areas and warnings; iv) an institutional needs and challenges assessment; and vi) an infrastructural needs and challenges assessment.
  • Examine options for EWS and provide recommendations to policy- and decision- makers in relevant ministries (e.g. MAIL, MEW, ANDMA) to strengthen EWS in Afghanistan.

b) Duration and time commitment:

The consultant will be contracted for 6 months and the contract will be renewable based on satisfactory performance.

c) Travel:

This position may require travel to the provinces.

4. Expected deliverables

  • A workplan detailing: i) tasks; ii) timeframes; and iii) outputs.
  • A report on status of climate EWS in Afghanistan.
  • A gap analysis report on climate EWSin Afghanistan, including priority actions and a priority district map for climate EWS implementation.
  • A report on a strategic regional and international network to facilitate capacity development and exchange of data for assessment of climate change risks, prediction and monitoring. This will include: i) a network design; ii) a network database; and iii) guidelines to ensure regular communication and networking.
  • A report on best practice international adaptation measures and suggestions for additional adaptation measures in Afghanistan. This will include international best practices on: i) M&E; and ii) mainstreaming climate change adaptation measures into policy and planning.
  • A report on inter-ministerial climate change structures to promote the integration of climate change risks into policy and planning. This will include proposal for a government structure to integrate climate change into policy and planning.
  • A gap analysis report on the extent to which climate change risks are integrated into development plans and policies.
  • Policy briefs – informed by the gap analysis and developed with the CAS – on climate change adaptation at a national level.
  • Protocols and supporting documents – informed by the gap analysis and developed with the CAS – for training on integrating climate change into development plans and policies.
  • Meeting reports including: i) meeting type; ii) date; iii) venue; iv) number of participants; v) list of participants; vi) convener; vii) organizer; viii) language; ix) meeting outputs; and x) action points and responsible parties.
  • Progress reports including: i) the status of activities; ii) lessons learned; iii) problems encountered and how they were overcome; iv) expected date of completion of activities; and iv) risks to project implementation and how these risks are being managed.

5.Qualifications and Experience

a) Education:

  • An advanced post-graduate degree at or above MSc level in a development/environment-related field with at least 5 years of professional experience in environmental and/or development work; or a BSc in a development/environment-related field with at least 10 years of professional experience.

b) Experience:

  • Experience in climate change, policy and planning;
  • Experience working and collaborating with government agencies;
  • Experience in sourcing and managing information;
  • Experience working and collaborating with government agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations; and
  • Experience conducting knowledge, capacity and institutional assessments.

c) Competencies:

  • An understanding of Early Warning Systems.
  • An ability to work independently and deliver outputs effectively.

d) Languages:

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Excellent English writing skills are required. Knowledge of Dari and/or Pashto (Afghanistan’s national languages) is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.

6. Submission Guidelines

International experts meeting the essential requirements of the position are invited to apply for this position by submitting the following two documents only:

  • letter of interest with clearly indicated VA number (i.e. UNEP-2013-xxx); and
  • updated and signed UN Personal History Form P.11 (available at

Electronic applications with the subject “VA#UNEP-2013-018” to be submitted to:

Additional Considerations:

  • Failure to comply with the above requirements (e.g. no indication of the VA number) will disqualify the application.
  • Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
  • Only short-listed candidates will be notified or contacted.
  • Qualified and experienced female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.

United Nations Considerations

The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8). The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.