Project Technical Officer, Tonga

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

BACKGROUND

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in partnership with the Tonga Department of Climate Change (DCC) under the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) is co-executing the delivery of Tonga’s first Biannual Transparency Report (BTR), with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the GEF Implementing Agency. The project aims to ensure Tonga delivers it’s first BTR meeting the standards set out in the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. The project will work closely with GGGI’s support under the Capacity Building for Improved Transparency (CBIT) project to address key barriers identified in Tonga's national communications, including inadequate institutional arrangements, lack of robust data management systems, and insufficient capacity and awareness among stakeholders.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Project Technical Officer (PTO) role is to fulfil the full implementation of Tonga’s first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR). He/she will be responsible for the overall management of all aspects of the project and will provide technical assistance to the National Thematic Working Groups (TWGs). The PTO should have experience in the preparation of National Communications on Climate Change and/or in other climate change enabling activities such as Biennial Update Reports and/or Biennial Transparency Reports to the UNFCCC. He/she should have the ability to work with a wide variety of people from governments, agencies, non-governmental organizations, and research institutions is essential. The officer will be also contributing to the management of other relevant climate project as well as business development of the GGGI Tonga program. The candidate should be highly motivated, enthusiastic, and capable of working independently.

The Project Technical Officer will oversee the day-to-day management, coordination, technical quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, and timely delivery of Tonga’s climate transparency reporting outputs. The role will support national Thematic Working Groups, coordinate inputs across key technical components, and ensure project activities and reports meet UNEP, UNFCCC, IPCC, ETF, and GEF requirements.

PURPOSE

The role exists to provide overall technical and project management leadership for implementation of the BTR project in Tonga. It contributes substantively by coordinating national inputs, supporting data collection and analysis, reviewing, and editing technical chapters, ensuring alignment with IPCC guidelines and UNFCCC reporting requirements, and strengthening the quality, transparency, and completeness of national climate reports. The work is broad and complex, covering greenhouse gas inventories, NDC tracking, adaptation, support needed and received, gender and climate change, reporting compilation, validation, and preparation for subsequent BTR and/or NC reporting.

ENGAGEMENT

The Project Technical Officer will work closely with UNEP, the Project Steering Committee, national Thematic Working Groups, relevant ministries, national and international research institutions, NGOs, consultants, and other partners. The role requires regular coordination, consultation, information sharing, workshop facilitation, and collaboration to mobilize expertise, gather and disseminate information, build national capacity, and ensure smooth implementation of project activities.

DELIVERY

The Project Technical Officer, in consultation with the Project Steering Committee, will be responsible for the day-to-day management, coordination and supervision of the implementation of the project.  

Support with technical components of the project will include the following:

• Component 1: Under the National Inventory Report chapter: Provide inputs on the draft of national circumstances and institutional arrangements for GHGI, coordinate data collection for GHG inventory calculations across 5 IPCC sectors, organize and facilitate stakeholder consultations, conduct training and workshops, and review the final compiled NIR.  
• Component 2: Under the NDC Tracking chapter: Provide input on the draft of national circumstances and institutional arrangements for NDC tracking, organize and facilitate stakeholder consultations, contribute to the training, and workshops, review final compiled report on NDC tracking.
• Component 3: Under the chapter on Adaptation: Provide input on the draft of national circumstances and institutional arrangements for Component 3 (Climate impact and adaptation), support in identifying impacts, risks, and vulnerabilities, organize and facilitate stakeholder consultations, contribute to training, and workshops, conduct review of final compiled report on climate impact and adaptation. 
• Under Component 4, draft chapter for information on financial, technology development and transfer and capacity-building, organize and help facilitate stakeholder consultations, training, and workshops, review and provide feedback on drafts and revisions, identify gaps, applicable flexibility and draft their related explanation.
• Under Component 5, support the compilation of information on gender and climate change and provide guidance to the Gender Specialist.
• Under Component 6, conduct inception and validation workshops, compile and format national reports, undertake a technical editing of the report, and draft an executive summary.  
• Under Component 7, compile a stocktaking report for the preparation of the project proposal for subsequent BTR and/or BTR/NC report(s). 
• Ensure quality assurance of data and align reports with IPCC guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with international climate reporting requirements (Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines (MPGs) - 18/CMA.1)
• Manage stakeholder engagement and ensure transparency throughout the reporting process.
• Address technical challenges to ensure accurate and timely submission of the BTR.
• Enhance clarity and completeness of the information provided to meet the standards of Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
• Contribute to the management and development of the GGGI Tonga programme with a focus on climate mitigation and resilience initiatives.

Project management duties will include, among others:

• Coordinate all project activities with heads of TWGs, and a range of institutions and agencies, including UNEP, IPCC, UNFCCC secretariat, GEF, and national institutions to ensure smooth and appropriate execution of project activities
• Prepare a detailed project workplan and terms of reference for the project consultants
• Liaise with the relevant ministries, national and international research institutes, NGOs, and other relevant institutions to involve their staff in the project activities, and to gather and disseminate information relevant to the project.
• Identify, interview and recruit national and international consultants to work for the project.
• Promote and establish links with related national and regional projects, and other international programs.
• Prepare the periodic progress reports on project implementation and ensure that all national project outputs are sent to UNEP.
• Manage the project expenditure according to the project budget.
• Identify training needs of the contracted national consultants and other project stakeholders and identify appropriate courses and training for national capacity building.
• Organize national workshops and training courses according to the project workplan.  Attend, whenever possible, the relevant regional and international workshops, training courses and conferences.
• Review all materials generated during the project.
• Ensure the publication and dissemination of the reports identified as project outputs.
• Coordinate negotiations on co-operation with Government and financing institutions to identify and mobilize sources for the follow-up activities.
• Provide oversight and support for the effective management and implementation of other GGGI Tonga projects, as required.

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced degree (at least MSc. or Ph.D.) in environmental science or another related field
• Over five years of experience in the field of climate change
• Familiarity with national communications, and with international negotiations and processes under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement
• Substantial experience in government and in interdepartmental procedures
• He/she should have a strong scientific/technical and policy background.  
• Familiarity with computers and world processing
• Good command of national and UN official language

FUNCTIONAL

The Project Technical Officer should demonstrate strong technical knowledge of climate change reporting, including greenhouse gas inventories, NDC tracking, adaptation, support needed and received, gender and climate change, and preparation of BTR and/or NC reports. The role requires the ability to apply IPCC, UNFCCC, ETF and GEF reporting requirements; coordinate data collection and analysis; review and edit technical reports; identify gaps and flexibility needs; and communicate substantive technical issues clearly to government, technical working groups, consultants, partners and other stakeholders.

CORPORATE

The Project Technical Officer’s oversight will be monitored through established project governance and reporting mechanisms. Specifically, the Project Technical Officer must demonstrate:

• Alignment with GGGI’s mission and values of inclusivity, sustainability, and green growth.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and build productive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Commitment to promoting an organizational culture of transparency, respect, and partnership.
• Ability to communicate clearly and collaborate with diverse teams to achieve project goals.

• Exhibit a proactive and problem-solving approach in addressing project-related challenges
• Regularly contribute to periodic technical and progress reports, which will be reviewed by the Executing Agency and UNEP to track delivery against outputs and timelines.

• Maintain project management structures, including oversight will be guided through coordination with the GGGI Technical Quality Assurance Expert, thematic working groups, and project steering committees where progress and performance are regularly reviewed.

• Manage the project’s monitoring and evaluation arrangements, including the M&E table and annual reporting to the GEF, will track progress against planned deliverables

These mechanisms collectively ensure adequate accountability and quality assurance of Project Technical Officer’s role.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This role is a G8 international grade level in GGGI's salary scale. For G8 International grade, the base salary starts from USD 76,080. Determination of base salary is subject to the candidate's experience, academic background, and internal equity. GGGI provides 15% of base salary towards retirement plan/long-term savings, 27 days of annual leave, and private health insurance that covers dental and vision.

GGGI is committed to providing a work environment that is sufficiently flexible to accommodate diverse life-cycle challenges and assist Staff members to achieve a better balance between work and personal/family commitments, thus ensuring high performance, long-term productivity, and well-being of Staff members.