Programme Management Officer Job at UNEP

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• Job Opening ID: 247318
• Job Network : Economic, Social and Development
• Job Family : Programme Management
• Category and Level : Professional and Higher Categories, P-4
• Duty Station : NAIROBI
• Department/Office : United Nations Environment Programme
• Date Posted : Jun 28, 2025
• Deadline : Jul 27, 2025

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Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the UN system’s designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. 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. The Policy and Programme Division (PPD) is a center of excellence for strategic guidance and programmatic policy for UNEP.

PPD enables UNEP’s strategic and programmatic direction, ensuring organization-wide coherence and effectiveness in implementation and continuous improvement. This post is located in the Gender and Safeguards Unit (GSU), Policy and Programme Division, in UNEP at the Nairobi duty station. The GSU is mandated with the development and implementation of the UNEP Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF), which is designed to strengthen the organizational commitment to mainstream environmental and social safeguards with a strong focus on gender, in its policies, programmes and projects.

Under the direct supervision of Head of the Gender and Safeguards Unit, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Responsibilities

Safeguard Advisory

• Supports implementation of UNEP’s Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework (ESSF) and related initiatives. This includes the establishment, testing, implementation and refinement of the ESSF and related operational tools and systems, including the Safeguard Risk Identification Form (SRIF).
• Ensures that UNEP is fully compliant with the identification and management of the relevant environmental and social dimensions of the projects, including poverty eradication, and in line with Leave No One Behind UN principles.
• Oversees UNEP’s identification, assessment, management, monitoring and oversight of environmental, social and economic risks and impacts of its projects.
• Coordinates the UNEP Safeguards Advisory Working Group, to strategically mainstream and enhance operational procedures, while building capacity to ensure compliance with safeguard policies.
• Oversees project screening for environmental and social safeguards (including maintenance of a systems contract), with emphasis on poverty eradication and disability inclusion. Identifies potential safeguards risks, provides advice to project managers on appropriate actions, and the list of external consultants on impact assessment to the project managers. This includes supporting the advisory services function of the Advisory Working Group to provide high quality and timely review and clearance of the safeguards aspects of UNEP’s projects and ensuring that the projects comply with applicable safeguards policies and procedures.
• Coordinate the implementation of UNEP Poverty and Inequality Guidance and associated workplan in conjunction with other units in PPD and other UNEP Divisions and Offices.

Programme and Project guidance and standard setting

• Supports development and delivery of high quality capacity-building initiatives for UNEP staff and implementing to enhance their understanding and skills in identifying, assessing, managing, monitoring, and reporting on safeguard requirements for project management, in line with Leave No One Behind UN principle; This includes dealing with preventing potential compliance or grievance cases.
• Carries out reviews of projects submitted to the UNEP Project Review Committee for compliancy with the Safeguard Risk Identification Form (SRIF). Supports the oversight of safeguards implementation at the programme level, together with Subprogramme Coordinators, GEF and GCF coordinators working closely with the Corporate Services Division to periodically report on the overall and aggregated status of ESSF implementation.

Administration of Safeguards

• Supports coordination of activities of the Interagency Working Group in their efforts for safeguards mainstreaming in the UN system. Including support for engagement in the UN system-wide collective thinking process on the way forward and promotion of UNEP’s role in environmental sustainability.
• Researches, analyzes and presents information on safeguards issues, including on disability inclusion and poverty eradication, gathered from diverse reliable sources.
• Where requested, represents UNEP in other professional, multi-donor and international fora relating to safeguards and standards, providing leadership in these areas.
• Undertakes administrative and management tasks, as and when assigned.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualisation methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other duties as required.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge in project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in an environment and/or development context. Ability to provide authoritative technical advice and negotiation and resolution of problems that arise in risk screening, reviewing and oversights; provision of technical and methodological guidance to senior management, project managers, implementing/executing partners and others in the technical area of specialization; Ability to identify issues, analyze and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Ability to conduct data collection using various methods. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view. Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect. Identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions. Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems. Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects. Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

JUDGEMENT/DECISION MAKING: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly; Gathers relevant information before making a decision; Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them; Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization; Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information; Checks assumptions against facts; Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision; Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environment, law, or development field, international relations, environmental policy/science, safeguards, economics, social affairs, impact assessment, or related disciplines, is required.
• A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying work experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in environmental social safeguard systems are required.
• Five (5) years of relevant international experience are required.
• Work experience establishing and strategizing safeguard policies, relevant tools and systems, managing and delivering complex safeguard risk issues is required.
• Experience in project design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in an environment and/or development context is required.
• Work experience in the field is desirable.
• A minimum of two (2) years or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of other UN official languages is desirable.
• NOTE: ”Fluency” equals a rating of ”fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ”Knowledge of” equals a rating of ”confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

• Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

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