Climate Change Specialist

Result of ServiceThe incumbent will undertake a part time assignment to perform the following tasks and functional responsibilities: The Climate Change Specialist will contribute to the project through her/his extensive local network, knowledge and experiences related to climate actions – specifically climate policy development and implementation – in the Zambian context, directly contributing to the updating of the NDC Implementation Framework and the development of the new NDC Investment Plan. Moreover, she/he will liaise directly with local stakeholders, as well as review the available literature, to gather the necessary data which will guide the production of the project’s key deliverables. The local data gathering process will rely largely on the network of the team of local consultants and their efforts to undertake interview, gather documents and databases, and the like. Work LocationLusaka, Zambia Expected durationPart-time / 7 months Duties and Responsibilitieshe 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. The Climate Change Division is the lead Division charged with carrying out the functions of UNEP in the field of environmental Climate Change. To fulfill its mandate, the work of the Climate Change Division focuses on: working with Members States and Partners to accelerate and support a just transition by addressing mitigation and adaptation gaps through enhancing implementation capacity, access to finance and technology, and building resilience. The Climate Change Division promotes sustainable development and effective policies for climate stability; support action so that countries progress on decarbonization, dematerialization, and resilience pathways in line with their climate commitments, aspirations, and needs; and foster transparency in reporting. In 2025, Zambia submitted its NDC 3.0 reflecting the country’s ambition on climate change mitigation and adaptation. UNEP team will support the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment in Zambia to (i) update its NDC Implementation Framework, produce an NDC Investment Framework, and build capacity for the implementation of the country’s NDC. Under the direct supervision of the UNEP Project Manager, the Climate Change Specialist will support the UNEP team as a locally based climate change specialist contributing to the development of the key project deliverables as outlined below. The individual will work closely with the local project coordinator to efficiently implement all project activities in line with the project workplan and guidance from the UNEP-CCC team. Under the direct supervision of the UNEP Project Manager, the Climate Change Specialist will lead the implementation of project activities on the ground in Zambia, specifically as it relates (i) to data collection through stakeholder consultations and the sourcing and analysis of local documents (literature review), (ii) compilation of results into professionally structured reports responding to specific themes, and (iii) planning and delivery of workshops for both capacity building and results dissemination. Principally, she/he will function as a local liaison and co-author for the updating of the NDC Implementation Framework and the development of the NDC investment plan. She/he will support the following work programme led by a UNEP team: Output 1. NDC Implementation Framework revision: She/he will help the UNEP team with the evaluation summary of the current plan's progress, achievements, and challenges. The aim is to update the NDC Implementation Framework goals and targets reflecting new circumstances, global developments and increased ambition, and to refine mitigation and adaptation strategies incorporating new technologies, practices and findings. The Climate Change Specialist will first support the compilation of a stakeholder mapping report reflecting multi-stakeholder representation, with consideration for the Zambian context as it relates to the implementation of climate actions. She/he will then lead locally the stakeholder engagement activities with governments, civil society, private sector and other stakeholder groups under guidance from the UNEP team. The results of these activities should lead to a revised NDC Implementation Framework, which incorporates the enhanced targets and indicators of the NDC 3.0, as well as the costings, including costing assumptions, which will guide its implementation. Output 2. NDC Investment Plan development Together with other members of the local team, the Climate Change Specialist will help the UNEP team paper an investment plan for the NDC 3.0, detailing the respective shares of public and private investment as well as domestic and foreign finance. This will require costing NDC measures, map financing sources and instruments, and identifying investment requirements. The investment plan will also include the review of the country's debt situation as well as its fiscal and monetary policy framework, and the Climate Change Specialist may be asked to support consultations and research on this topic. Finally, she/he will be asked to support the development and dissemination/delivery of capacity building materials for at least 3 stakeholder consultations workshops. Output 3. Capacity Building UNEP, through this project, will support the building of local capacity to implement and deliver on the enhanced NDC 3.0, guided by the updated NDC Implementation Framework and NDCs Investment Plan in a synchronized or synergistic approach. This will require the involvement of the Local Climate Change Specialist, working with UNEP early on in the project to support the execution of a capacity needs assessment to identify training needs and gaps for key stakeholders in Zambia. Specifically, the consultant will support the gathering of data, as well as dissemination and validation meetings for the capacity needs assessment report. The Climate Change Specialist will be asked to support the provincial level NDC-Strategy alignment workshops to synergize Zambia’s NDC with all related national development strategy documents (vision 2030, 8th National Development plan and opportunities for integration NDC 3.0 key outcome areas into the 9th NDP) Output 4. Better stakeholder awareness on the NDC 3.0 implementation framework & NDC Investment Plan Together with the rest of the project team, the Climate Change Specialist will support the organization and hosting of the NDC stakeholder dissemination and awareness workshops for national, provincial and district level stakeholders. Output 5. Enhanced innovative domestic and international resource mobilization She/he will support and participate in a donor conference (to be organized by UNEP) to mobilize resources for NDC investment projects. This will also require working with other local consultants who will work on formulating these investment projects. The Climate Change Specialist will be asked to provide support in the preparation of the invitations and organizing the NDC resource mobilization workshops under UNEP procurement. Output 6. Policy and strategy revision and integration She/he will support the delivery and successful execution of review meetings on existing policies and regulations to align them with national NDC goals. She/he will provide technical inputs – where feasible – to the UNEP team’s work on reviewing the policies that incentivize and support climate-friendly practices in the sectors for replication. The consultant is expected to conduct the aforementioned project activities and submit the sub-outputs, leading to the achievement of the three main deliverables in a timely manner and at a level of quality satisfactory to the UNEP team. Deliverables related to payments #1, #2, #3, #4 & #5 – Technical inputs into Output 1 & 2 through the compilation of sub-outputs, as well as the review of draft final outputs with consideration of UNEP team’s feedback. Deliverables related to payments #6 – Technical inputs into Output 3 and 4 through the compilation of sub-outputs, as well as the review of draft final outputs with consideration of UNEP team’s feedback. Deliverables related to payments #7 – Technical inputs into Outputs 5 and 6 as well as to the execution of planned activities related to these outputs. The consultant/individual contractor will report to related UNEP CCC focal point. Qualifications/special skills● A Master’s Degree (with seven years of related work experience) or Bachelors degree (with 9 years of relevant work experience), in environmental engineering, finance, economics, development studies, business, management, administration or another relevant field is required. ● Have practical experience of more than 10 years on climate change policy, relevant to the most vulnerable sectors in Zambia, as prioritised in the NDC. ● Experience working on climate change policy related topics, guiding the implementation of climate actions with both the public and private sectors in Zambia ● Understanding of the relevant national policies related to development and climate actions in Zambia ● Relevant experience in consulting work. Concrete experience in Zambia on climate change policy related topics with public institutions – either as an employee or as a consultant or partner - is required ● Experience in organizing stakeholder mappings and consultation events and/or similar events is an asset. Languages● Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.