Job Description
This is an exceptional opportunity to influence environmental sustainability within a leading international organization. The position offers a platform to originate innovative solutions, lead substantive teams, and drive transformative change in environmental practices across diverse projects in the South Asia region.
The Technical Advisor will provide expert advisory and guidance on a range of environmental topics, including biodiversity conservation, waste management strategies, and the promotion of sustainable energy solutions within the context of UNOPS projects in the South Asia region. This role requires the development and implementation of new policies, techniques, and standards to address complex environmental challenges.
A retainer role, the Technical Advisor, reporting to the Senior Programme Manager acts as an authoritative specialist, bringing new thinking and originating new policies, approaches, and standards in environmental sustainability. The role involves providing expert advice and driving improvements and transformative change within the concerned field.
1. Policy Development and Innovation
- In the project context, supporting national authorities developing new policies, techniques, or standards for environmental sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and waste management.
- Innovating and creating novel approaches to solve complex or systemic environmental problems within UNOPS projects.
- Supporting national authorities with policies and standards for climate change mitigation and adaptation, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and climate-proofed project design under relevant projects.
- Integrating loss and damage considerations into environmental and climate project frameworks, including vulnerability assessments and resilience metrics.
2. Expert Advisory and Program Implementation
- Providing expert advice on the development and implementation of new programs or initiatives related to environmental sustainability such as renewable energy.
- Planning, integrating, and coordinating the work of multiple substantive experts to ensure cohesive and effective environmental strategies.
- Providing technical guidance on sustainable energy transitions, including energy efficiency, decentralized renewable systems, and low-carbon infrastructure solutions.
- Advising on DRR integration throughout project cycles, including hazard assessments, resilient design criteria, and emergency preparedness measures.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy
- Advocating for new ideas and persuading diverse stakeholders to adopt new perspectives on environmental issues.
- Driving improvements and transformative change within the environmental field through effective communication and stakeholder engagement.
- Advocating for climate-resilient development, carbon neutrality, and renewable energy adoption with government counterparts and development partners.
- Supporting national and regional dialogues on loss and damage finance, just transitions, and nature-based climate solutions.
4. Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building
- Developing and delivering training programs to enhance the environmental knowledge and skills of UNOPS staff and partners.
- Contributing to knowledge-sharing platforms and communities of practice to disseminate best practices and lessons learned in environmental sustainability.
5. Technical Advisory and Analysis
- Providing high-level technical advisory services to UNOPS project teams and partners on environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and related areas.
- Conducting in-depth analysis of national environmental policies, regulations, and frameworks in the South Asia region, considering regional and global trends and best practices.
- Conducting climate-risk and vulnerability assessments, including modelling of climate hazards, exposure, and adaptive capacity.
- Advising on methodologies to quantify and address loss and damage (non-economic and economic) in project design and implementation.
- Providing analytical support on DRR strategies aligned with the Sendai Framework and national disaster management authorities.
6. Climate Financing and Resource Mobilization
- Analyzing climate financing mechanisms and opportunities, including green bonds, carbon markets, and international climate funds, to support UNOPS projects.
- Supporting SAMCO in positioning itself as the preferred implementation partner for environmental and climate-related projects by developing compelling proposals and showcasing UNOPS’s expertise and track record.
- Identifying financing opportunities related to DRR, climate adaptation, sustainable energy transitions, and loss and damage under international climate funds (GCF, GEF, Adaptation Fund, L&D Fund).
- Advising on the integration of climate-resilience indicators and climate-finance justification requirements in proposal development.
- Supporting the development of sustainable energy projects eligible for carbon markets and green financing mechanisms.
