The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority. It sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development across the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.
The overall objective of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division is to support governments, local authorities, and industry in developing and adopting policies, strategies, practices, and technologies that promote sustainable consumption and production. This includes improving resource efficiency, ensuring the sound management of chemicals, and fostering mutually supportive trade and environment policies. The Division promotes the development, application, and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, and management practices that support environmentally sound decision-making and capacity-building.
This position is located in the Industry and Economy Division, Chemicals and Health Branch, Global Environment Facility Chemicals and Waste Unit (GEF C&W), at the Nairobi duty station.
Under the general supervision of the Head of the GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit and the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:
Key Responsibilities
1. Project Development and Supervision
(GEF – POPs, Electronics, and Related Waste Streams)
The incumbent leads the development and supervision of GEF-funded projects related to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), electronics, and other waste streams by:
- Leading the identification, design, and approval of high-quality projects aligned with UNEP strategic priorities and the needs of governments and partners.
- Establishing and maintaining legal and operational delivery structures, including:
- Preparing and submitting legal agreements with Executing Agencies
- Conducting due diligence, and capacity and administrative assessments of new partners
- Registering projects in UNEP project management and reporting systems
- Coordinating with Regional Offices and UN Country Teams
- Supporting project closure processes
- Supervising Executing Agencies to ensure delivery of approved project results frameworks and expenditure targets, in compliance with fiduciary and operational standards, including:
- Supporting annual work planning and budgeting
- Ensuring timely, transparent, and high-quality quarterly and annual reporting
- Coordinating with specialized colleagues on audit and procurement compliance
- Providing quality assurance of technical outputs and deliverables, including:
- Reviewing reports prepared by Executing Agencies and consultants
- Leading corrective actions and adaptive management when project tolerances are exceeded
- Managing responses to complaints or grievances
- Organizing mid-term reviews and coordinating terminal evaluations
2. Support to the UNEP High Impact Sector Team and Electronics Portfolio
The incumbent supports the strategic direction and daily operations of the UNEP High Impact Sector Team and electronics work areas by:
- Providing technical guidance and advisory support to UNEP electronics projects and teams.
- Ensuring GEF electronics and POPs project outputs are reflected in UNEP publications, analytical papers, briefings, messaging, and communication materials.
- Supporting private sector engagement by:
- Integrating GEF private-sector co-financing partners into UNEP partnership platforms
- Promoting knowledge sharing, the scaling up of innovative solutions, financing mechanisms, and capacity development
3. Data Analysis and Reporting
- Collects, analyzes, and interprets data to identify trends and patterns.
- Produces data-driven insights using charts, graphs, tables, and reports to support planning, decision-making, presentations, and reporting.
4. Other Duties
- Performs other related duties as required.
Qualifications
Education
- Required: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in chemistry, environmental sciences, environmental management, waste management, earth sciences, or a related field.
- Alternative: A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
- Desirable: Completion of degree or non-degree programmes in data analytics, business analytics, or data science.
Work Experience
- Required: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible international experience in:
- Sound management of chemicals and waste
- Electronics value chain and hazardous waste management
- Experience in developing and/or implementing international environmental programmes in developing countries.
- Experience managing development projects focused on sustainability and reducing electronics and hazardous waste pollution.
- Experience with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) or equivalent international project cycles.
- Experience working with, or within, the private sector on upstream innovation and solutions related to hazardous waste management and/or the electronics value chain.
- Desirable: Two (2) or more years of experience in data analytics or a related field.
Languages
- English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
- Required: English
- Desirable: French, Russian, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, or Arabic
Duty Station and Application Deadline
- Duty Station: Nairobi
- Application Deadline: 10 February