Result of Service

The result of services is that the State Government of Tamil Nadu and cities and industry are better prepared and have access to high quality technical support in order to drive comprehensive action on indoor and outdoor thermal comfort and space cooling. The senior expert will support coordination of UNEP-funded and partner activities to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated program of technical assistance is provided and will engage senior state government and city officials, financiers and industry to accelerate delivery of sustainable cooling and thermal comfort in the state. The senior expert will use the network of the Cool Coalition and a range of local partners to ensure high quality of results and recommendations to the state government and communication of results. As a result of this support, the senior expert will prepare and transfer learnings to other states, to central government level, and internationally.

Work Location

Chennai

Expected duration

24 months

Duties and Responsibilities

A senior expert is needed to perform tasks of a technical, strategic, organizational and analytical nature, as part of the Cities Unit of the Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Division, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Specifically, the senior expert is expected to technically and strategically support UNEP’s five-year program of support to the Government of Tamil Nadu on sustainable cooling under the framework of the Cool Coalition, support coordination of activities and engagement of departments and local stakeholders, and to support transfer of outputs and learnings to other states to support the implementation of the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP). This will include supporting and helping drive strategy development and policy change, cross-departmental coordination, collaboration and coordination with diverse stakeholders’ technical assistance efforts, unlocking of large-scale finance for sustainable cooling, and delivery of UNEP programs with Tamil Nadu on passive cooling in buildings, nature-based solutions and urban design to lower urban heat island, and district cooling. The individual will also lead engagement with real estate industry players to drive private sector action on sustainable cooling. The individual should be a highly regarded expert with deep experience of delivering programs with Tamil Nadu government, real estate industry and local stakeholders, and be a champion of sustainability efforts in the state. The senior expert will be home-based in Chennai, India with expectation to travel within Tamil Nadu and India. The senior expert will report to UNEP India Office in New Delhi and liaise significantly with UNEP Asia-Pacific Office and UNEP Paris office.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced University degree (Masters or equivalent) in public administration; economics; building engineering; architecture; urban planning; environmental studies; law; or a similar discipline is preferable. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of twenty years’ experience in a relevant field of work and with strong experience of engaging government officials and industry to deliver policy change. Experience in sustainable cooling in buildings and cities is beneficial. Excellent written and oral communications skills on energy, urban, buildings and environmental related topics are required. Practical experience in coordination of large programs in states, engaging senior state and city government officials, developing partnerships with private sector is essential. Candidate is expected to be highly regarded in Tamil Nadu to support program implementation. Qualifying years of experience are calculated following the receipt of the first level university degree recognized by the United Nations.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in written and oral English is required. Knowledge of Hindi and/or Tamil are preferable.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

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.