Sustainability and Climate Change Consultant at UNICEF
Background About UNICEF
UNICEF Tokyo, as part of the Public Partnerships Division (PPD), works to strengthen UNICEF’s position as a trusted partner of the Government of Japan and other public sector partners in Japan with the aim of expanding strategic collaborations and resource mobilization opportunities.
Through its diverse portfolio of activities and in collaboration with HQs/Regional Offices (ROs)/Country Offices (COs) as well as Japan Committee for UNICEF, UNICEF Tokyo works to strengthen UNICEF’s role as a strategic partner of choice for the Government of Japan, e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and to secure a steady pipeline of resources for children’s rights both in humanitarian and development contexts.
Brief Information, context and purpose of the Position
In particular, UNICEF Tokyo plays a key role to facilitate the alignment between UNICEF and Government of Japan’s ODA priorities, as well as opportunities for joint multilateral leadership and advocacy to advance key children’s issues. This is the case of Sustainability and Climate Change agenda, one of Japan’s key and emerging ODA priorities and one on which the Government plays increasing global leadership, backed up by Japan’s initiative toward Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050. The Government of Japan has enormously supported mitigation and adaptation actions in developing countries through contributions to climate funds and international organizations.
The importance of strengthening UNICEF’s programming on climate change and environmental degradation has been highlighted in the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2022-2025. Following the priorities highlighted in this programming, it is important that climate, environment and disaster issues are advanced and integrated in CO programming. To this end, PPD Tokyo’s climate change strategy is vital to enhance the mainstreaming of climate and environmental actions as the guiding principle for our resource mobilization and to set our position clearly.
In 2023, UNICEF’s SCAP 2023-2030, Sustainability, Climate Change Action Plan, was newly issued, which galvanizes a global commitment to ensure a sustainable world and to protect the most vulnerable children from the worst impacts of a changing climate and degrading environment. It also outlines UNICEF’s organizational response to this climate crisis and focus areas for action and partnerships – delivering the best results cannot be achieved by UNICEF working alone.
To support this global initiative and scale up partnership work around the Sustainability and Climate Change agenda in Japan, this consultant will assist PPD Tokyo in positioning UNICEF as a partner of choice for the Government of Japan in the domain of Sustainability and Climate Change agenda and develop strategic relations with other key development partners including JICA.
Purpose of Assignment:
Based on the background above, and in close coordination with the rest of UNICEF Tokyo team, the overall purpose of this post is to:
a) position UNICEF as Japan’ s partner of choice for Sustainability and Climate Change work and recognized as one of the key players on climate change through policy advocacy and partnership initiatives.
Functional reporting line to Senior Advisor, UNICEF PPD Tokyo.
b) enhance donor visibility, evidence of impact and thought leadership in Sustainability and Climate Change and amplify UNICEF’s role on climate change through different channels, including preparation of ICON stories, website materials and social media.
Functional reporting line to Advocacy/Partnership Specialist UNICEF PPD Tokyo.
Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of Work/ Key Responsibilities and Deliverables:
1. Position UNICEF as a partner of choice for the Government of Japan on Sustainability and Climate Change
In close collaboration with UNICEF Tokyo team and selected NYHQ/RO colleagues, the consultant will lead on designing and executing advocacy and partnership efforts in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change.
Deliverables:
- In the first 15 days prepare a short PPD Tokyo’s Sustainability and Climate Change engagement plan summarizing proposed activities for the duration of the consultancy.
- Lead in designing, negotiating and organizing a climate change technical event with Japanese stakeholders, including Japan’s MoFA (in person and/or virtually), including preparation of final and follow up reports. This will be a pitch event to promote Japan’s support and showcase fundraising needs on this area.
- Together with UNICEF’s Private Fundraising Division (PFP) and Japan’s National Committee, co-lead in designing, negotiating and organizing a climate change event with Japanese private sector companies to showcase opportunities to invest in shared value partnership with UNICEF. Explore any potential Japanese companies which can provide green/eco-friendly products, which could enhance UNICEF’s programme implementation.
- Support the advocacy efforts of the team to advance climate agenda for UNICEF in Japan through ongoing technical expertise and inputs as needed.
- Refine and finalize the existing UNICEF PPD Tokyo’s advocacy paper for the Government of Japan.
- Together with the Tokyo team and the East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) and Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) Regional advisers, help the preparation of country proposals/advocacy paper with adaptation and mitigation goals to submit to the Government of Japan.
- Support the preparation of Annual Policy Consultation with MoFA and other high-level visits in the area of climate change, including preparation of briefing package on climate, provide technical insights for the media interviews.
- In the context of the existing global Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) with JICA, help identify partnership opportunities with JICA on Sustainability and Climate Change by liaising with all concerned and facilitate discussion on knowledge exchange in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change.
- Enhance communication between PPD Tokyo and COs in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change by disseminating relevant Japan’s policies and PPD Tokyo’s advocacy papers as well as by gathering and documenting lessons learned and best practices.
2. Ensure visibility of UNICEF’s work on Sustainability and Climate Change to the Government of Japan
In close collaboration with UNICEF Tokyo team and the concerned NYHQ/RO colleagues, the consultant will support to ensure donor’s visibility of support efforts in the area of Sustainability and Climate Change through the provision of technical inputs.
- Connect with all Regional Offices and selected Country Offices and gather programmatic evidence of UNICEF’s work and results on Sustainability and Climate Change possibly with Japan’s funding, distill and present a visualization of data (e.g. one-pager).
- Help Tokyo Office prepare climate change related visibility and recognition materials to be posted on the UNICEF Tokyo Office’s website and social media, such as human interest stories, web article as well as social media in Japanese. Prepare one ICON story on UNICEF PPD Tokyo engagement on climate in 2024 in relation to Japan.
Contract Duration: 9.5 months
Starting Date: 15 April 2024
The selected consultant is expected to work within Japan’s time zone, and home-based in principle, with face-to-face meetings in Tokyo when necessary, during the assignment period.
Required Qualifications, Skills and Experiences
- Advanced university degree in environmental sciences, environmental management, public policy, international development, international relations, social sciences, or related field.
- A minimum of eight years of relevant professional experience in disaster risk management, climate change, international development and humanitarian assistance experience, preferably in the UN system, is required. Field experience is an expected asset.
- Experience in advocacy, resource mobilization and partnerships building with the Government of Japan is an asset. Specific experience in working/liaising with MoFA or JICA at the HQ or field level is desirable.
- Knowledge and working experience in Africa, Asia and the Middle East region as well as experience in public private partnerships are also assets.
- Proven knowledge of policy and budgetary decision- making prosses in the Government of Japan.
- In-depth experience with the UN processes, inter- governmental and member states negotiations.
- Fluency in both English and Japanese (verbal and written).
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Positive performance record on drive for results and teamwork. Proven capacity to quickly absorb new information and techniques and work under tight deadlines.
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