Open Positions at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Duties and Responsibilities

• Cost-benefit analysis:
• Assess relevance and opportunity to gather key research findings delivered under Output 2.4: Long-term research programmes established in local scientific institutions to assess the long-term societal, economic and ecological benefits of urban EbA in pilot cities and consider whether key findings can be woven into the policy briefs or made as a standalone policy brief. Consider whether the data gathered can be pulled into the cost benefit analysis (to be commissioned as a separate assignment. Develop short report on key findings/policy messages together with data sets that can be used for the CBA.
• Tailor the standard CBA UNEP ToR (to be provided by UNEP) to interventions in Bhutan and Cambodia. Validate with the PMU teams the urban eba structures that should be included and include the clear demarcations of those structures and investments as annexes to the ToR. Include in the TOR recommendations for data sets available on costs of those measures. Identify partners that the international consultant could work with in Cambodia and Bhutan.
• Act as the liaison point for data gathering between the economist and the country team. The TOR for Economist completed by 28 February 2026 to give enough time to mobilize the contractor for an April start.
• Co-financing report
• Reconstruct co-financing history for the three countries in in-person meetings with Ministry to analyse contributions from government in terms of time, office space, utilities and other in-kind contributions as well as outputs from other projects that were used for the purposes of implementing the project.
• Develop exit strategies
• Taking as a start point section 3.13 on sustainability in the MTR, and based on an exploration of the opportunities with the Ministry in person meetings, develop exit strategies for the project which should include operation and maintenance action plans for all intervention types considering all risks to sustainability (responsible party, frequency of action, budget) ii) mainstreaming strategy for government decision making that considers climate risk assessments
• scaling up strategy through a policy mainstreaming approach and scoping opportunities to integrate into projects being design presently. In Laos, this should be done in conjunction with the National Adaptation Planning project, and the GCF urban EBA project which are both implemented by UNEP.
• Regarding point above, the exit strategies should identify national institutions that can provide regular training to government officials at different levels based on the revised training materials, and explore the feasibility of integrating urban EbA in the curricula of several relevant bachelor’s degrees
• hold two stakeholder consultations at the country level, the first to ascertain feedback and inputs to the exit strategy and the second to present it and finalise it. National and provincial level stakeholders should be invited to both.
• Develop policy briefs
• At least three policy briefs will be produced on city level adaptation planning approach executed by UN Habitat
• findings from the cost-benefit analysis and lessons learned and recommendation for future programming. 

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced degree in economic or social sciences is required 7 years of professional experience in international development is required
• Track record in climate change adaptation is desirable
• Track record of working on national or sub-national policy and planning processes is desirable
• Track record of working on development issues at the city level is desirable Work experience in developing policy briefs is desirable
• Experience of working the SE Asia region is desirable

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Work Assignments and Outputs -

• In Somalia, UNEP and partners are working to scale up the use of NbS for resilience, water management, and ecosystem restoration. Under UNEP’s supervision, the consultant will:
• Review and catalogue NbS appropriate to Somalia and Hirshabelle state
• Provide NbS technical advice to partners
• Support harmonization of consortium approaches and develop guidelines
• Develop and present a NbS Rehabilitation Advisory Framework for endorsement by the government

Qualifications/special skills

• An advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in environmental, ecology, natural resources, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
• At least 10 years of professional experience in Nature based Solutions for water/land management and climate resilience, ecosystem-based approaches, sustainable natural resources management, climate adaptation is required.
• Experience in designing/implementing Ecosystem/Nature-based Approaches on the ground is required.
• Experience with advisory work, developing policy briefs, guidelines and frameworks is desired
• Experience working in arid environments and fragile contexts is desired.