Programme Specialist (Environment) – (Open to Rwanda Nationals Only) at United Nations Development Programme: (Deadline 6 February 2025)

Rwanda, a landlocked low-income country in East Africa, has set ambitious targets through its Vision 2050 to become a middle-income carbon-neutral economy by 2035 and transition to a high-income carbon-neutral economy by 2050. The country faces significant environmental and climate challenges that threaten its development trajectory.

Rwanda’s development is heavily dependent on its natural resources, presenting significant environmental challenges. According to the National Census 2022, on average 76% of households rely on firewood for cooking, with an even higher dependency in rural areas where 93.4% of households use charcoal and firewood. This heavy reliance on biomass energy puts substantial pressure on the country’s forest resources, which currently cover 30.4% of the land area.

The agricultural sector remains a crucial component of Rwanda’s economy, with over 70% of the workforce engaged in subsistence agriculture. However, this sector faces significant challenges due to the country’s topography, with 49% of Rwanda’s terrain classified as high-slope mountainous areas and 38.2% of the country at high risk of soil erosion. These geographical conditions make agricultural activities particularly challenging and increase vulnerability to climate-related risks.

Climate change impacts are becoming increasingly evident in Rwanda.  Even though the country contributes less to global warming, the average annual temperature has increased by 1.4°C since 1970, and rainfall patterns show increasing variability with more frequent extreme events (droughts, landslides and flooding’s). These changes pose significant risks to environment, agricultural productivity and overall social-economic stability.

Despite these challenges, Rwanda has shown remarkable economic resilience. After experiencing a 3.4% contraction in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy rebounded strongly with a growth rate of 10.9% in 2021 and 8.2% in 2022. The country’s GDP reached $13.8 billion in 2022, with a GDP per capita of approximately $1,000. This economic recovery has been driven by the service sector, manufacturing, and construction activities, although the agricultural sector remains fundamental to the economy’s structure.

The Government of Rwanda demonstrates strong commitment to addressing these challenges through Vision 2050, National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), the revised Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GGCRS), National Environment and Climate Policy (2019), and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

It is against that background that UNDP Rwanda Country Office is looking for a seasoned experts for the role of Programme Specialist & Head of the Sustainable Growth Unit to lead the implementation of its new CPD, focusing on nature, environment, energy, and climate change initiatives.

The Programme Specialist and Head of Sustainable Growth Unit will play a crucial role in implementing the Environment and Economic Transformation pillar of the CPD 2025-2029. The position oversees a comprehensive portfolio encompassing nature and climate finance, clean energy solutions, ecosystem restoration, early warning systems, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR, NDCs implementation, and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

A key focus of this role will be the overall management of the team of experts, developing a robust portifolio on nature and climate, building strategic partnerships and mobilizing resources from existing and emerging climate finance mechanisms, including the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), and Loss and Damage Fund. The position holder will also be responsible for engaging the private sector and harnessing opportunities offered by carbon markets to support Rwanda’s sustainable development goals.

The Programme Specialist and Head of Sustainable Growth Unit works in close collaboration with heads of other units such as the Transformative Governance Unit (TGU), the Inclusive Growth Unit, Programme Management Support Unit (MSU), Communication Unit, Accelerator Labs, and Operations Teams to drive strategic development and implementation of initiatives under the Environment and Economic Transformation pillar. The incumbent provides expert guidance to senior management while fostering synergies and cross-collaboration on innovative approaches in thematic initiatives and emerging priorities.

Following UNDP’s portfolio approach, the Programme Specialist and Head of Unit will manage programmes across units, functions, and teams to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages between interventions.

Through multidisciplinary collaboration, they ensure effective program cycle management from design to implementation, while maintaining compliance with UNDP policies and UN regulations.

The Programme Specialist and Head of Unit demonstrates managerial innovation, strong client orientation, and initiative in developing and implementing strategies for private sector engagement, climate finance mobilization, and carbon market opportunities. They facilitate knowledge sharing, promote innovative solutions, and advance UNDP’s strategic positioning in sustainable development within Rwanda.

Working horizontally across the organization, they contribute to organizational learning and enhance cross-practice collaboration while maintaining strong partnerships with government institutions, development partners, and stakeholders. The Programme Specialist and Head of Unit may be required to undertake emerging tasks and additional duties as requested by senior management.

The Programme Specialist will design innovative programmes addressing environmental and climate change challenges, lead strategic planning, and monitor results across initiatives.

The role will provide expert guidance on environmental sustainability and climate action, promoting innovative solutions and advancing UNDP’s strategic positioning in sustainable development.

Responsibilities will include establishing strategic partnerships, leading resource mobilization efforts, and developing strategies for public and private sector engagement in areas related to renewable energy solution, climate  change, nature, biodiversity and climate finance.

The position will involve communicating development results, representing UNDP in high-level forums, and managing stakeholder relationships. Additional duties may be assigned to support UNDP’s strategic goals in Rwanda.

1) Supports strategic development of Sustainable Growth Programme activities from design through implementation:

• Produces analysis of the political, social, environmental, and economic situation in the country and collaborative preparation/revision of UN Common Country Assessment (CCA), UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), CPD, AWP and other documents;
• Identification of strategic programme areas of cooperation;
• Leads operationalization of UNSDCF / CPD and UNINFO/ROAR reporting of achieved results in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identification of possibilities for joint programming;
• Conducts thorough analysis of the political, social and economic situation in the country and collaborative preparation/revision of policies, strategies and programmes and project documents, Annual Work Plans (AWP) and other documents around Sustainable Growth work (including, Nature, Environment, renewable energy, Climate Change, Early Warning system, Disasters Risk Reduction etc.);
• Ensures contribution to the CPD outcomes by achieving all ongoing Sustainable Growth CPD outputs through programmes and projects and in collaboration with the main partners and other UN Agencies. Identifies opportunities for new programme/project development including joint programming with UN agencies;
• Identifies, in close collaboration with national and international partners, strategic programme areas of cooperation;
• Designs and formulates components of UNDP Sustainable Growth portfolio translating programme priorities into local interventions and ensuring coordination and networking with clients, stakeholders and programme partners;
• Collaborates with colleagues in Regional Center and HQ to apply in country programming new global and regional initiatives, polices and knowledge products that further the Sustainable Growth Portfolio;
• Coordinates and provides technical guidance to a multi-disciplinary team of programme analysts, associates and specialists in implementing the Sustainable Growth portfolio while ensuring quality delivery and results monitoring;
• Review national policies and strategies on green economy transformation and just energy transition in Rwanda, ensuring alignment with global frameworks and local context while promoting inclusive and sustainable development;
• Leads high-level policy dialogues with government officials, development partners, and key stakeholders on environmental sustainability, climate action, and green growth strategies while representing UNDP in national and international forums;
• Prepares and reviews analytical reports, policy briefs, and strategic documents for senior management, government counterparts, and donors, including quarterly and annual reports on portfolio performance and impact.

• Maintain smooth, strong and strategic working relations with respective regional and national actors at Governmental and non-governmental level, as well as with the international community and partners at large;
• Explore and identify new initiatives and partnerships for further UNDP engagement in Rwanda with a view to expand the portfolio in all UNDP mandated areas involving a broad range of stakeholders and to ensure sustainability and growth of the programme office;
• Engage proactively and closely with the UN Country Team with a view to designing and implement joint programmes where relevant and participate in joint resource mobilization activities;
• Promote long-term sustainability and growth through the establishment of strategic partnerships with a variety of stakeholders and the securing of financial support by governments, international, public and private sector donors in the country;
• Develops ideas and concepts for possible areas of cooperation;
• Establishes close working relationships and creates programmatic linkages with relevant government agencies; UN Agencies, IFI’s, bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, private sector and civil society;
• Suggests programmatic areas of co-operation based on UNDP´s strategic goals, country needs and donor priorities;
• Identifies funding opportunities for ongoing and new projects;
• Identifies and supports development of national partnerships for service provision to projects in areas such as monitoring, training, and others;
• Represents UNDP at external meetings within his/her area of programming;
• Lead the development of new portfolio;
• Review and submit high quality donor’s reports.

• Lead, organize and coordinate the implementation of all sustainable growth project activities in close collaboration with senior colleagues as well as with Headquarters and the Regional Center as required;
• Provide leadership in strategically utilizing portfolio management tools and practices to keep resources aligned to actual and evolving priorities rather than rigid, preset planning targets;
• Provides strategic oversight of planning, budgeting, implementing, and monitoring of the programme, tracking use of financial resources in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations. The Programme Specialist performs the function of Manager Level 2 in Quantum for development projects transactions approval;
• Manage team members and relationships with donors, government and al counterparts;
• Identify the ability of the CO to conduct specific design engagements and recommend sourcing of necessary capacity, facilitating the design and scoping of engagements and their deliverables;
• Provide practical guidance to team members and clients on UNDPs evolution from a programme towards a dynamic portfolio approach that links outreach to new collaborators and non-conventional actors with both useful ideas and fee-based services and investments;
• Promote peer learning within the team and between colleagues and adapt to new thinking and approaches;
• Coordinate the daily activities of UNDP activities/programme/ projects in close coordination with national and international stakeholders;
• Liaise with Government counterparts, funding and development partners and other partners for the smooth implementation of activities;
• Manages the Portfolio team and provides proper guidance to and supervision of staff, employees and consultants ensuring compliance with all UNDP rules and regulations;
• Prepare/produce a variety of written outputs, such as background papers, correspondence with governments, working papers, mission reports, analyses, briefings, communication/visibility material, presentations, policy proposals and documents, regular and ad hoc reports;
• Conduct timely projects, budget and grant reviews, revisions and monitoring, and complete related reporting obligations, in accordance with UNDP policies, UN rules and regulations as well as applicable donors’ requirements;
• Undertake other tasks as required for the smooth implementation of the programme.

• Identifies sources of information related to policy-driven issues; identifies and synthesizes best practices and lessons learned directly linked to programme country policy goals;
• Coordinates and ensures integration in project design the development of policies, institutions and advocacy that will address the country’s problems and needs in collaboration with the Government and other strategic partners;
• Supports the establishment of advocacy networks at national level and linked to international networks;
• Implements relevant, high-impact advocacy campaigns with key partners;
• Ensures that lessons learned from projects are captured and recorded into the CO knowledge networks;
• Ensures provision of top-quality advisory services and facilitation of knowledge building.

Business Management

• Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment.

Digital & Innovation

• Digital Awareness and Literacy: Ability and inclination to rapidly adopt new technologies, either through skillfully grasping their usage or through understanding their impact and empowering others to use them as needed.

2030 Agenda: Planet

• Nature, Climate and Energy: Environmental Governance: Global Environmental Governance.