Chief Technical Advisor - Biodiversity And Resilience [open To Internal And External Applicants]

Organizational Context

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a global leader in fighting poverty, inequality, and climate change. The UNDP Samoa Multi-Country Office (MCO) supports the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tokelau in promoting sustainable and resilient development, focusing on inclusive growth, effective governance, and environmental protection. The MCO operates from Apia, Samoa, with approximately 40 personnel, implementing projects under the 'Planet' pillar.

Job Purpose

The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) serves as the senior technical and programme support resource for UNDP’s biodiversity conservation and climate resilience portfolio, particularly GEF-funded projects under the National Implementation Modality. Based in the UNDP MCO in Apia, Samoa, the CTA provides hands-on technical leadership and strategic advisory support to Project Management Units and government implementing partners. The role aims to accelerate project implementation, ensure technical quality, and address delivery bottlenecks. It combines subject-matter expertise with programme management, quality assurance, and adaptive management, ensuring alignment with national priorities, GEF strategies, and UNDP policies. The CTA also plays a crucial role in capacity development, knowledge sharing, and partnership building to strengthen national systems and promote sustainability across UNDP's biodiversity and climate resilience initiatives in Pacific SIDS.

Responsibilities

The CTA provides high-level technical leadership and strategic advice across all biodiversity and resilience projects, particularly GEF-funded ones. This includes hands-on advisory on ecosystem management, invasive species control, protected area governance, climate risk integration, and nature-based solutions. The role involves leading PMUs in technical planning, adaptive management, risk mitigation, and quality assurance of deliverables, including technical reports and consultant outputs. The CTA ensures the integration of cross-cutting areas like gender equality and social inclusion, and maintains technical coherence with national policies and global best practices. Responsibilities also include supporting programme management functions such as work planning, budgeting, procurement, monitoring, and reporting, while ensuring adherence to UNDP procedures and standards. Furthermore, the CTA coordinates reporting, supports evaluations, develops knowledge products, and strengthens the capacity of government implementing partners through mentoring and training. Stakeholder engagement and partnership building are key, fostering relationships with ministries, donors, civil society, and the private sector to identify resource mobilization opportunities.

Work Experience

A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management, or climate resilience is required with a Master's degree (9 years with a Bachelor's). Proven experience supporting GEF-funded projects and providing technical advisory for donor-funded projects, including work planning, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting, is essential. Experience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), particularly in the Pacific, is desirable.

Skills

Core Competencies: Achieve Results, Think Innovatively, Learn Continuously, Adapt with Agility, Act with Determination, Engage and Partner, Enable Diversity and Inclusion. Technical Competencies: System Thinking, Strategic Thinking, Effective Decision Making, Negotiation and Influence, Results-based Management, Partnership Management, Nature: Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme (Sustainable Land Management and Restoration).

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