Programme Specialist (Climate) (P-3), TA (364 days), #138814, Bangui, Central African Republic - WCAR

Duty station: Bangui

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For every child, the right to Dedication.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the Organization does in programmes, advocacy and operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential without discrimination, bias or favoritism.

The Programme Specialist (Climate), P-3 role is established for CRDM-CAR, a six-year GCF investment supporting climate-resilient WASH services, water resources management, disaster risk reduction, early warning, urban drainage, institutional capacity building, safeguards, monitoring and learning in Bangui, Ouham, Bamingui-Bangoran and Vakaga. The post combines project leadership, cross-functional PMU management and technical oversight to ensure that the GCF investment is delivered with strong implementation discipline, fiduciary accountability, safeguards compliance and measurable climate adaptation results.

How can you make a difference?

You as the Programme Specialist (Climate), P-3 will report directly to the WASH Climate Chief, P4. Under the leadership of the WASH Climate Chief, the incumbent is accountable for the day-to-day management of CRDM-CAR and its Project Management Unit, ensuring that implementation remains aligned with the GCF proposal, UNICEF rules and procedures, government priorities, fiduciary and safeguards requirements, and the strategic direction set for the project. The role is dedicated exclusively to the delivery, coordination and quality assurance of the GCF CAR project within the WASH programme framework.

The Project Lead manages the planning, implementation, coordination, monitoring support, financial follow-up, quality assurance, and reporting of CRDM-CAR. The position provides cross-functional leadership for the project and its PMU across programme, operations, finance, supply, partnerships, ESS, risk management, gender, indigenous peoples and social inclusion functions, while ensuring technically sound delivery of climate-resilient WASH, WRM, DRR, EWS, O&M, institutional strengthening, learning and climate finance results.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Project and PMU leadership, planning and cross-functional coordination.
2. Programme management, monitoring support, reporting and delivery of results.
3. Technical leadership and quality assurance for climate-resilient WASH implementation.
4. Networking, government partnership and climate finance engagement.
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  TDR Programme Specialist (Climate)_Level_3_GCF_CAR 0728.docx (2) - ws.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in programme or project management, public administration, international development, engineering, environmental sciences, public health, economics, social sciences, or another relevant field is required.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in programme or project management in developing country or comparable contexts is required. Demonstrated experience as a programme or project lead, coordinating the planning and implementation of a large-scale, multi-year and multistakeholder project involving several government ministries, implementing partners and technical or financial partners is required. Strong command of the full project cycle including design, planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, risk management, evaluation, learning and closure is required. Proven experience in results-based management, financial and operational follow-up, preparation and quality assurance of high-quality donor and management reports, and leadership of multidisciplinary or cross-functional teams is required.
• Skills:
  • Programme and project management; leadership of large-scale, multi-year and multi-stakeholder programmes; climate change, climate adaptation and resilience; climate finance and requirements of multilateral climate funds; disaster risk reduction and early warning mechanisms; multi-ministerial coordination and management of complex institutional partnerships; results-based management; monitoring and evaluation; indicator frameworks, data quality assurance and evidence-based decision-making; donor, government and management reporting; financial and operational monitoring; risk management; capacity development; and knowledge management.
  • Strong knowledge of gender equality and gender-responsive programming; environmental and social safeguards (ESS); disability inclusion; Indigenous Peoples and marginalized-group inclusion; prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment risk mitigation; community engagement; and accountability to affected populations is required.
  • Ability to lead project coordination, travel frequently to field locations, work in fragile and access-constrained settings, coordinate with government and implementing partners, manage technical consultants and contractors, and prepare high-quality technical, donor-facing and management documents within deadlines.
• Language Requirements : Fluency in French and English is required

Desirables:

• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language (Sango).
• Additional relevant post-graduate training or certification in project management, programme leadership, public policy, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, or related areas is an asset.
• Experience managing complex governance arrangements and maintaining effective relationships with senior government counterparts is highly desirable.
• Experience in climate change programming, climate adaptation, resilience, or climate finance is a strong asset.
• Experience with programmes financed by multilateral climate, development or humanitarian funds, including GCF-funded projects, is also an asset.
• Experience working in fragile, humanitarian or access-constrained settings is desirable.
• Strong knowledge of WASH programming, climate resilient WASH approaches and related sector policies and systems is a strong asset.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts. 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, fraud, corruption and other forms of serious misconduct.

UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference, safeguarding and background verification checks. These checks may include verification of academic credentials and employment history, screening against relevant United Nations misconduct databases, and requests for misconduct disclosures from current and former employers, professional associations, other relevant organizations and participating organizations under inter-agency safeguarding initiatives, including the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), where applicable.

Appointment, selection and continued engagement are subject to the satisfactory completion of all required checks. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information and consent to enable UNICEF to undertake these checks.

Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments are conditional on the selected candidates’ willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).

The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member's original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.