Germany: Project Assistant

United Nations University Objectives:

The United Nations University (UNU) is an international community of scholars, engaged in research, postgraduate teaching and capacity development and dissemination of knowledge in furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The mission of UNU is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States. For more information, please visit http://unu.edu.

United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) established in December 2003, is part of the UNU system, a worldwide network of Research and Training Institutes. Its mission is to advance human security through knowledge-based approaches to reducing vulnerability and environmental risks. For more information, please visit www.ehs.unu.edu. TheEnvironmental Migration, Social Vulnerability & Adaptation Section – EMSVA- undertakes empirical research on social vulnerability and resilience as well as human mobility. The section also addresses climate change adaptation including a range of activities such as disaster risk reduction and insurance-related approaches to help vulnerable countries and communities.

Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII): MCII was initiated as a charitable organisation by representatives of insurers, research institutes and NGOs in April 2005 in response to the growing realization that insurance solutions can play a role in adaptation to climate change, as suggested in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol. This initiative is hosted at the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). As a leading think tank on climate change and insurance, MCII is focused on developing solutions for the risks posed by climate change for the poorest and most vulnerable people in developing countries. www.climate-insurance.org

Pacific Region Climate Risk Adaptation and Insurance (PRCRAI): MCII intends to share its thirteen years of knowledge and expertise in advocating for new ways of applying insurance to complement risk management and adaptation with the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) in support of their strategy to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in the Pacific. The intention is to leverage MCII's over six years of experience gained in the micro insurance space by leading and coordinating the CRAIC project to undertake a scoping study in the Pacific (particularly in Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu) to explore possible implementation of climate risk adaptation and insurance programmes in the Pacific region.
From 2011 to 2014, MCII led and coordinated the Climate Risk Adaptation and Insurance in the Caribbean (CRAIC) project to help target countries in the Caribbean address some of the challenges to sustainable development posed by a changing climate. Phase I developed and implemented two index-based insurance products to help vulnerable people in the low income segment of the population to better recover from impacts of extreme weather events on their livelihoods. From 2017 to 2019, MCII is leading and coordinating phase II of the project, with the aim to solidify the efforts of the first phase and to scale up into two additional countries to further develop, refine and enhance climate risk insurance products across the Caribbean region. The target countries are Jamaica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Belize and Trinidad & Tobago.

Responsibilities:

Under the authority of the Director of UNU-EHS and the guidance of the MCII Executive Director and the Head of Implementation and Insurance Advisory, the successful candidate will be entrusted with the following tasks related to the work of MCII, including but not limited to the CRAIC and PRCRAI projects:

· In collaboration with the MCII project team and partners, support the execution of relevant project work packages related to, inter alia, linking product services to national disaster risk management strategies; increasing client value through additional services; furthering resilience impact of insurance products; capacity building of key stakeholders; upscaling relevant lessons learned to conceptualise replication in other regional contexts.

· Actively co-develop new project activities for MCII in the context of increasing Small Island’s resilience to climate change.

· Support the development of project proposals and contribute to funding acquisition with the aim to further activities in the projects’ current target regions and/or to drive innovation and upscaling at the global level.

· Assist in the development of knowledge management products, training materials and workshops aimed at building capacity of insurance regulators, local primary insurers, and clients in the target countries.

· Develop project-related presentations, brochures, and other project-related communication tools, and synthesise project experience for project newsletters, monitoring reports, workshop reports and factsheets, or other knowledge management products as needed.

· Contribute to planning and implementation of sessions, side events, exhibits, workshops, and other meetings.

· Support the monitoring and evaluation components of the project, and synthesise project results into assessment and lessons learned reports.

· Assist in the quality control of papers, reports, and other deliverables associated with the projects, and support the coordination and supervision of deliverables by partners and sub-contractors.

· In collaboration with the MCII project team (especially the Head of Implementation and Insurance Advisory), contribute to project-related planning, and execution of meetings and workshops, including the preparation of Project Advisory Groups and Board Meetings.

· Assist in and facilitate project-related correspondence, regular contact with project partners through teleconferences, video conferences, and field visits.

· Contribute to the donor reporting, including preparation of material for regular donor updates on project progress; ensure the timely preparation and submission of inputs to meet reporting requirements;

· Prepare and participate in field missions.

· Further tasks as agreed to reduce the work-load of the MCII Executive Director and the Head of Implementation and Insurance Advisory.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• A completed master’s degree with high academic standing in Economics, Disaster Risk Management, Political Science, Social Sciences, Geography, or other relevant field, with an emphasis on risk management, adaptation to climate change, resilience, or related area.
• A minimum of 1-2 years of specific experience of working on climate change with a focus on risk management, risk transfer and adaptation, with a focus on project implementation is required;
• Experience in working in the context of Caribbean- and Pacific Small Island States is an asset.
• Good understanding of climate risk insurance, community solidarity schemes, and disaster risk management;
• Demonstrated skills in use of social science and other relevant scientific methods to research questions related to adaptation, risk transfer, and loss and damage (in particular mapping, surveys, interviews);
• Experience in conducting field missions and expert- or stakeholder consultations in the context of climate change adaptation and insurance would be an asset;
• Understanding in research and development for climate risk insurance solutions, work in developing countries specifically in small island states (Caribbean and Pacific) would be an asset;
• Experience in project management in the context of development cooperation and in coordinating with a broad range of actors would be preferred;
• Excellent communication and writing skills with fluency in spoken and written English; German language skills are an asset;

· Strong ability to carry out work independently and demonstrated abilities as a team player with strong interpersonal skills, familiar with working in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

· Initiative taker with the interest to professionally expand into new ways of applying insurance-related solutions and the explicit drive to advance its professional career beyond the responsibilities of a Project Assistant.

Applications from suitably qualified female candidates are particularly encouraged.

Remuneration:

Remuneration will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Duration of Contract:

The successful candidate shall work under a Personal Service Agreement (PSA) for a fixed period of twelve (12) months with the perspective of renewal. The combined duration of appointments under a PSA shall not exceed six (6) years.

This is a locally recruited post and no relocation allowances apply. The duty station will be Bonn (Germany). The successful candidate will be employed under a local contract and will not hold international civil servant status nor is he/she a “staff member” as defined in the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations.

Starting Date:

As soon as possible.

Application Procedure:

Interested applicants should submit their applications by e-mail (to hrbonn@vie.unu.edu), and must include the following:

· a cover letter setting out how the qualifications and experience match the requirements of the position;

· a curriculum vitae and a completed and signed UNU Personal History (P.11) form downloadable from the UNU website. Please avoid using similar forms provided by other United Nations organizations;

· an indication of the reference number of the vacancy announcement (2019/UNU/EHS/PSA/PA/30)**.**