Organization:United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Avenue, Gigiri
PO Box 30552, 00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254-20) 7621234
Fax: (254-20) 7624489/90
Job Title: CHIEF SCIENTIST, P6
Department/ Office: United Nations Environment Programme
Duty Station : NAIROBI
Posting Period: 7 May 2013-6 July 2013
Job Opening number: 13-ADM-UNEP-27927-R-NAIROBI (X)
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Organizational Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system's designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP's Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyse and promote international cooperation and action on the environment. This post is located in the Office of the Director, UNEP/DEWA at the Nairobi Duty Station. Under the overall guidance of the Director of the Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA), the incumbent will perform the following duties:
Responsibilities
1. Advise the Executive Director and Senior Management on scientific aspects of UNEP's strategic priorities and programme of work as:
- set out in UNEP's Medium Term Strategy;
- Incorporate relevant science in UNEP's work across the six priority areas and ensuring coherence;
- Strengthen UNEP's credibility and visibility in the scientific arena;
- Ensure use of sound science and technology in UNEP initiatives;
- Ensure appropriate communication and collaboration links among UNEP, internationally coordinated research programmes, and global observing systems of key environmental variables;
- Manage evolution of the international research agenda, by identifying gaps in environmental knowledge, data and current research from a UNEP perspective; Manage relevant emerging issues;
- Advise effective methods for ensuring that policy relevant findings are disseminated to various stakeholders;
- Ensure mainstreaming science and technology elements in the implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan on Technology Support and Capacity Building, Coordinate Influencing the design and implementation of research programmes;
- Ensure engagement of UNEP with networks of scientists and scientific institutions and with existing scientific panels;
- Ensure further technical in-house capacity that UNEP may need to make a measurable impact on the environment.
2. Promote science that can integrate the environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainable development;
Prepare regular briefing notes for the Executive Director and UNEP senior management;
Act as the interface between the Executive Director and scientific advisory committees and groups linked to UNEP.
Act as the scientific spokesperson for the Executive Director and represent the UNEP at high level scientific and technical meetings and intergovernmental/international fora;
Provide guidance to UNEP staff and research fellows;
Engage in dialogue with the international science community;
Ensure the scientific credibility, legitimacy, relevance and integrity of UNEP's work;
Provide scientific guidance to the biennial programme of work development process with Thematic Coordinators of sub-programmes and other entities that review the scientific and technical soundness and consistency of the programme as a whole;
Advocate effective utilization within UNEP of scientific knowledge, based on the best-available research and data, in addressing global issues on the environment and sustainable development. Perform other related duties as required.
Competencies
Professionalism:
- Expert knowledge of a broad range of environmental issues, demonstrated capabilities as evident from published scientific papers and experience from scientific programming, scientific assessments, and provision of scientific advice, as well as work experience in the policy domain.
- Familiarity with issues of relevance to both developing and developed countries and at different scales from global to local.
- Clear understanding of the science that can integrate the environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainable development.
Communication:
Proven track record of explaining complex scientific issues and associated data in simple language easily understandable by non-scientists, and in utilising visualisation tools and mapping applications to present scientific evidence.
Leadership:
- Demonstrated track record as a strategic thinker with strong multi-disciplinary background who can analyse and synthesise complex environmental issues, identify inter-linkages and communicate findings for the consideration of executives and other decision-makers.
- Ability to identify and explore issues at the cutting edge of science.
- Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
Judgement/Decision-making:
Proven ability to make sound recommendations for policy-makers based on scientific analysis with practical implications for strategic, political and programmatic directions.
Resourcefulness and tact in positioning an intergovernmental body such as UNEP as a credible partner with the international science community.
Building trust:
Ability to foster collaboration and work with different scientific and major groups engaged in different aspects of environmental science and having different agendas with the objective of ensuring that synergy is generated among disparate initiatives so that informed decision-making is based on the best available science.
Education
An advanced university degree in natural or social science discipline relevant to addressing the current and future environmental challenges or related area. A first university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
Work Experience
Minimum 15 years of responsible experience in substantive areas of requisite competency and professionalism preferably in multicultural institutions processes engaged in scientific research, environmental assessment, environmental monitoring and observing, environmental policy research, scientific programme management or related scientific area.
Proven track record in scientific leadership, including a substantial record of publications in leading scientific journals and of providing advisory services to governmental intergovernmental, scientific or industry fora.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language would be an advantage.
Assessment Method
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
1). Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.
2). All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided.
3). If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira 'Need Help?' link.
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
Closing Date: Saturday, 06 July 2013
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.
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1367956095008
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