Climate Justice and Youth Coordinator Vacancy at UNDP

Finance November 8, 2023

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The Climate Justice and Youth Coordinator will report to the Regional Youth and Civil Society Specialist with the close supervision of Regional Youth Project Manager and work in close collaboration with the UNDP country offices and other key parties.

Climate Justice and Youth Coordinator Vacancy at UNDP

UNDP on the ground in more than 170 countries provides a global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. Across Asia and the Pacific, UNDP helps countries build and share their own solutions to urgent development challenges, supporting coalitions for change and connecting individuals and institutions so they can share knowledge, experience, and resources.

The climate crisis has exacerbated inequalities and is one of the most pressing challenges of our time with grave effects for people’s human rights. The global nature of the crisis has meant impacts for everyone, but has greater impacts for some regions, countries and communities more than others. The Asia-Pacific region has been noted as one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, the impacts of which are predicted to worsen over the coming years. The increased frequency of climate events attributable to climate change will further stress different aspects of political, social and economic systems with direct impacts on the human rights of affected peoples. Young people today are more likely to face a worsening climate in their lifetimes, which has an impact on the enjoyments of their rights.

In the recent past, we are witnessing increased interest, engagement, and activism by young people towards the climate agenda. Through climate strikes etc. young people call for governments and other relevant stakeholders to take collective actions on climate change. With this context in mind, it is important to engage the voices of young people and identify actionable initiatives to lay the foundation for ambitious climate actions. Meanwhile, governments are also increasing their climate ambitions and programmes to engage and empower youth during these processes. Young people, with the impetus of the recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, are standing up for the rights of present and future generations to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and other human rights affected by the planetary crises.

With this context, Regional Youth Empowerment Portfolio intends to engage a coordinator to develop and implement programmes to support young environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) and climate activists in supporting and expanding the youth and climate work.

Duties and Responsibilities

Coordinate development of Programme for Climate Justice and Youth

Coordinate development of legal empowerment modules for people-centered access to justice for young people for environmental justice
Facilitate legal empowerment trainings for young people through ToT approach
Conduct needs assessment and scope out opportunities for potential and existing tools and guidelines addressing challenges of young climate activists
Support in the establishment of a network of youth parliaments, youth councils and Young MPs for Climate Justice
Facilitation of Youth Advisory Group to oversee program activities in consultation with relevant partners
Scope for opportunities to expand the development of Climate Justice work

Strengthen partnerships with UN agencies and external partners for continued collaboration on work climate action

Explore opportunities to expand work on Climate Justice including establishing and building partnerships with new and existing relevant stakeholders like youth networks, CSOs, Governments and others.
Collaborate with partners to ensure coherence in work on youth and climate action

Coordinate the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP) annual action plan

Support the formulation of partnerships strategy and mobilize resources in order to deliver on YECAP’s objectives.
Support UNDP country offices under the Regional Youth Programme and Climate Promise in the development, delivery and review of youth empowerment in climate actions initiatives at the national level to support programme objectives.
Support the reporting and management of implementation of YECAP activities in line action plans

Support to the UNDP Regional Programme. Coordinate project activities, tasks and strategies of and related to the YECAP programme with Global Policy Network of UNDP Asia-Pacific and HQ to ensure that YECAP is aligned with the Regional Programme objectives and contributing strategically to other regional efforts.

Other ad hoc activities relating to Youth Empowerment and Human Rights, as well, as support to the Youth Team on programmatic activities

Competencies

Core competencies:

Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Management

Monitoring: Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
Partnerships Management: Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and other in line with UNDP strategy and policies

Business Direction and Strategy

Effective Decision Making: Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority area of expertise and resources

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness

Effectiveness: RBM Standards and Practices for Programming

2030 Agenda: Peace

Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights: Environmental Justice
Governance: Youth Leadership and Participation, Youth

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in development studies, sustainable development, social/political sciences, international relations, or other related areas is required. OR
A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree

Experience:

Up to 2 years (with Master´s degree ) or minimum 2 years (with Bachelor’s degree) of experience in supporting youth and climate justice programming
Demonstrated ability to draft donor proposals, programme reporting and capacity development activities
Prior experience in development agencies would be an asset;
Prior experience related to capacity development programmes for youth and climate justice is an advantage;
Strong partnership background (working with various stakeholders for youth and climate justice activities) is an asset;
Experience in Asia-Pacific region is an advantage;
Experience working in youth empowerment-related work will be an added benefit;
Excellent writing skills and the ability to work independently;
Strong presentation skills;
Ability to work under pressure and meet targets in a tight deadline

Required Language: