The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
UNEP’s Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
This post is located in the Ecosystems Division, Biodiversity and Land Branch (BLB), at the Nairobi duty station. Under the overall guidance of the Division Director and the direct supervision of the Deputy Director, the incumbent will perform the following duties:
• Develop and oversee relevant projects and activities under the Healthy and Productive Ecosystems sub Programme of the UNEP Medium-Term Strategy and Programme of Work. Develop, design and advocate concepts of the programme; Enhance inter-linkages among stakeholders on biodiversity and ecosystem services related matters. Develop policy advisory services for various decision makers. Develop and oversee biodiversity and ecosystem services projects responding to priority areas of UNEP and its Member States.
• Provide leadership and guidance to the conceptualization, formulation and completion of special initiatives on biodiversity and ecosystem services, including efforts to increase land and seascape connectivity, address threats driving biodiversity loss, advance legal and sustainable use, policy coherence and integration with climate and pollution approaches, and advancing whole of society approaches for strengthening nature dimensions of sustainable development. Enhance collaboration and partnership between stakeholders in the delivery of UNEP’s programme of work, including with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), and the biodiversity-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements. Promote integrated nature strategies and analyze and resolve challenges in the implementation of these strategies.
• Oversee the work of the eight Units of the Biodiversity and Land Branch (BLB): Biodiversity, People and Landscapes Unit (BPLU), Economics of Nature Unit (ENU), Nature Frameworks Support Unit (NFSU), Food Systems Coordination Unit (FSCU), GEF Biodiversity & Land Degradation Unit (GEF BLDU), Nature and Health Unit (NHU), Kunming Biodiversity Fund Secretariat (KBF) and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Secretariat (UN Decade), providing guidance and oversight for their implementation of the UNEP programme of work.
• Formulate policies, strategies, actions and provide policy advice and recommendations to the Director. Formulate a biodiversity programme of work. Design UNEP strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Analyze developments and provide advice for UNEP’s strategic direction and intervention. Contribute to UNEP’s efforts in strengthening the science policy interface on biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Facilitate substantive and organizational discussions in the area of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Cooperate with other divisions, offices and regions within UNEP for provision of expert advice and support in biodiversity and ecosystem services, and related topics.
• Develop and implement programmes and projects for funding in support of the work of the Branch. Develop relationships with potential funding partners. Analyze and monitor the trends in international development cooperation on the impacts of their decisions on UNEP’s resource mobilization strategies for biodiversity and ecosystem services related activities.
• Oversee the management of administrative, budget and personnel operations of the Branch. Oversee and contribute to the preparation of reports for presentation to inter-governmental bodies such as the Committee of Permanent Representatives, the United Nations Environment Assembly, the UN General Assembly and other policy-making organs.
• Leads team members efforts to collect and analyze data and provides insight to identify trends or patterns for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting. Ensures that everyone can discover, access, integrate and share the data they need.
• Perform other related duties as may be assigned.