This position operates within a dynamic humanitarian and development environment supporting critical infrastructure projects across multiple regions. The role is essential to ensuring seamless coordination between field operations and headquarters, managing complex logistical chains in challenging environments where efficient resource allocation directly impacts project outcomes and beneficiary services.
The Chief Project Advisor is a strategic position overseeing high-level research issues, policy development, and financial innovation for implementing the country’s climate commitments, including the 2030 and 2035 NDC targets. This role demands a unique blend of economic expertise, strategic thinking, and climate policy insight.
The Chief Project Advisor will respond to the Undersecretariat for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico (SEMARNAT), based in Mexico City and will supervise four professionals that will be part of the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The Chief Project Advisor will coordinate closely with the Coordinator of the NDC for Mexico at the General Directorate for Policy and Climate Action (DGPAC), which is part of the Undersecretariat for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy at SEMARNAT.
Under the supervision of the Senior Programme Manager at UNOPS, the incumbent will maintain fluid communication to effectively monitor the proper fulfilment of the objective by the consultants who will be part of the EIU.
Provide strategic leadership and vision for the Climate Change Economic Intelligence Unit, ensuring alignment with national climate and development priorities.
Provide strategic advice to senior policymakers on the economic implications of climate policies, instruments, and investment decisions.
Supervise all studies, and technical reports developed by the Economic Intelligence Unit that analyze economic, financial, and budgetary barriers to the implementation of NDC 2030 and 2035 targets, ensuring methodological rigor and policy relevance.
Validate/ propose innovative economic models that facilitate the mobilization of both public and private resources for NDC implementation, in close coordination with the Ministry of Finance, the Congress and Local Governments to ensure national public resources for NDC implementation and climate related policies.
Design and propose financial vehicles to channel funds toward priority projects for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage projects, ensuring coordination among Federal Public Administration entities, subnational governments, development banks, and private sector stakeholder, to establish sustainable financing mechanisms for NDC implementation.
Conduct comprehensive economic impact analyses on GDP and various sectors, trade impacts, and distributive effects on consumers and vulnerable populations, among others, to identify optimal pricing strategies for climate instruments.
Oversee the development of pricing frameworks for key climate instruments such as the Emissions Trading System, the National Compensations Program, and the Circular Economy Strategy.
Propose robust evaluation methodologies for investment projects requiring environmental permits, integrating GHG emissions valuation, externality assessments, and compensation mechanisms.
Ensure the integration of climate risk and opportunity assessments into national economic planning and investment strategies.
Supervise and mentor the Project Advisory Director and other senior staff, ensuring quality assurance and alignment across all outputs.
Promote internal knowledge sharing, capacity building, and continuous improvement within the Unit.
Impact of Results
This support will enable the Government of Mexico to rely on consultants to develop economic and financial models to ensure the economic sustainability and feasibility of priority decarbonization and adaptation projects for the implementation of the NDC.
