Programme Management Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The 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. UNEP was established to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices. It operates in over 100 countries and employs thousands of staff members dedicated to addressing global environmental challenges. UNEP's mission is to inspire, inform, and enable nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. The organization focuses on various environmental issues, including climate change, ecosystem management, and resource efficiency, and works collaboratively with governments, civil society, and the private sector to achieve its goals.

Job Overview:
The Programme Management Officer position is situated within UNEP's Climate Change Division, specifically in the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). The incumbent will play a pivotal role in leading the strategic coordination of IMEO, which is essential for supporting the Climate Change Division's objectives. This role involves acting as a central coordination function across various IMEO practices, projects, and cross-cutting workstreams. The officer will be responsible for developing, consolidating, and tracking IMEO’s annual workplan, establishing performance indicators, monitoring implementation progress, and identifying potential delivery risks along with mitigation measures. The position also entails supporting strategic planning processes, preparing internal strategy documents, technical roadmaps, and decision-support materials for senior leadership. The officer will facilitate internal governance processes, ensuring effective information flow and documentation of decisions. Additionally, the role includes managing strategic relationships with donors and key partners, ensuring alignment of priorities, and preparing high-quality written outputs such as donor reports and technical briefings. The officer will also coordinate high-level government engagement and international representation, preparing briefing materials and coordinating participation in major international events. Overall, this position requires a blend of strategic planning, partnership management, and data analysis to support UNEP's mission in addressing climate change and methane emissions.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Programme Management Officer include leading the strategic coordination of UNEP’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) by acting as a central coordination function across IMEO practices, projects, and cross-cutting workstreams. The officer will drive the development, consolidation, and tracking of IMEO’s annual workplan, establish performance indicators, monitor implementation progress, and identify delivery risks and mitigation measures. The officer will support strategic planning processes, prepare internal strategy documents, technical roadmaps, and decision-support materials for senior leadership. They will structure and facilitate internal governance processes, including weekly management meetings and all-staff engagements, ensuring effective information flow and documentation of decisions. The officer will coordinate cross-divisional inputs within UNEP and ensure coherence with broader Climate Change Division priorities and global methane mitigation initiatives. They will provide analytical, coordination, and operational support to the director" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Deputy Director of the Climate Change Division. Additionally, the officer will manage strategic relationships with donors and key partners, ensuring alignment of priorities and effective communication of results. They will prepare high-quality written outputs, including donor reports and outreach materials, and ensure coordination across UNEP teams and external partners on methane-related initiatives. The officer will manage the Secretariat functions of IMEO governance bodies, providing substantive and logistical support for IMEO Board and Advisory Council meetings, documenting and disseminating meeting outcomes, and tracking the implementation of governance recommendations. Furthermore, the officer will coordinate high-level government engagement, prepare briefing materials, and represent IMEO and UNEP in international fora. They will collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning and decision-making.

Required Qualifications:
The required qualifications for the Programme Management Officer position include an advanced university degree (Master's degree) in political science, public policy, or environmental policy. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of relevant 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. Candidates must possess a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in programme or partnership coordination with governments and stakeholders from the oil and gas sector on climate-related issues. Experience on methane emissions, particularly related to oil and gas sector emissions sources, reporting, and mitigation opportunities, is required. Candidates should also have experience coordinating and engaging with international partnerships, organizations, and/or activities related to methane emissions management globally, as well as experience engaging with senior-level government officials, particularly among Global Methane Pledge Champions. Experience with coordination of complex and large global methane projects and managing a geographically dispersed team is also required. Experience working within the United Nations system or similar international organization is desirable, along with two or more years of experience in data analytics or a related area.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for the Programme Management Officer position includes an advanced university degree (Master's degree) in political science, public policy, or environmental policy. Alternatively, a first-level university degree combined with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Additionally, successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics, or data science programs is desirable, indicating a strong foundation in analytical skills and data management.

Experience:
Candidates for the Programme Management Officer position should have a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in programme or partnership coordination with governments and stakeholders from the oil and gas sector on climate-related issues. This experience should include a focus on methane emissions, particularly related to oil and gas sector emissions sources, reporting, and mitigation opportunities. Candidates should also have experience coordinating and engaging with international partnerships, organizations, and/or activities related to methane emissions management globally. Furthermore, experience engaging with senior-level government officials, particularly among Global Methane Pledge Champions, is required. The role also necessitates experience with the coordination of complex and large global methane projects and managing a geographically dispersed team. Experience working within the United Nations system or similar international organization is desirable, as is two or more years of experience in data analytics or a related area.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for the Programme Management Officer position are English and French, as these are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in both languages, with a minimum required level of proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking according to the UN Language Framework. Specifically, candidates should possess UN Level III proficiency in English and UN Level II proficiency in French for reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This bilingual requirement is essential for effective communication and collaboration within the diverse international environment of the United Nations.

Additional Notes:
The appointment against this position is limited to the United Nations Environment Programme and is for an initial period of one year, which may be subject to extension based on the continued existence of the mandate and availability of funding. External candidates selected for this position will be granted a fixed-term appointment limited in accordance with the relevant administrative instructions. Renewal of appointment is contingent upon the continued existence of the mandate and availability of funding. The position is subject to local recruitment, and applicants must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses related to their relocation. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. All applicants are urged to apply online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the stated deadline. The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.