Org. Setting and Reporting

The mandate of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region. The role of ESCAP as a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat is to support its membership with policy-oriented research and analysis and with normative, technical and capacity-building assistance to respond to the development priorities and changing needs of countries in Asia and the Pacific. The ESCAP Subregional Office for East and North-East Asia (SOENEA) works with China, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea, as well as with Hong Kong, China, and Macao China. In addition, it works with the Russian Federation on matters of technical cooperation. SOENEA also serves as the Secretariat of the North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC), which includes air pollution, nature conservation, marine protected areas, low carbon cities, and desertification and land degradation and will be implementing its new strategic plan 2026-2030. This position is located in SOENEA. The incumbent reports to the Head of Office.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Office, the incumbent is required to perform the following functions:

• Works with key national counterparts in member States for the development, implementation and evaluation of assigned programmes/projects, addressing subregional environmental challenges including through NEASPEC and related issues on inclusive business and entrepreneurship for sustainable development.
• Monitors and analyzes specific aspects of programme/project development and implementation; reviews relevant documents and reports; identifies problems and issues to be addressed and recommends corrective actions; liaises with relevant parties including governments, civil society and the private sectors; identifies and tracks follow-up actions.
• Carries out analytical research on national policies and programmes relating to subregional environmental cooperation through collecting, analyzing and presenting statistical data and other information gathered from diverse sources.
• Provides substantive support for policy coordination and evaluation, including the review and analysis of emerging issues and trends in environmental affairs and sustainable development in the subregion, and participation in evaluations.
• Assists in performing consulting assignments, in collaboration with the client, by planning and facilitating workshops, through other interactive sessions and assisting in developing the action plan the client will use to manage the change.
• Participates in survey initiatives; assists with design of data collection tools; issues data collection tools, reviews, analyzes and interprets responses, identifies problems/issues and prepares preliminary conclusions.
• Contributes to the preparation of various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analytical notes, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.
• Provides administrative and substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, in the area of subregional environmental cooperation, to include proposing agenda topics, identifying and proposed participants, preparation of background documents and presentations, handling logistics, etc.
• Undertakes outreach activities; participates in the development of training workshops, seminars, etc.; participates in and makes presentations on assigned topics/activities.
• Participates in field missions, including provision of substantive and administrative support, data collection, etc.
• Coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and preparation of related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).
• Performs other duties as required. Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge of sustainable development policies; understanding of transboundary environmental issues; ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations; shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently. Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. Education Advanced university degree (Masters degree or equivalent degree) in environment related studies including natural science, natural resource management, environmental policy, environmental economics or related field is required. A relevant first-level university degree in the above fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Job – Specific Qualification Not available. Work Experience A minimum of two years of experience in environmental policies, environmental management or related area is required. Experience in project management pertaining to the areas of North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation is required. Experience in the area of environmental affairs at national and/or international level is required. Experience in the United Nations Common System or in international organizations similar to those in the UN Common System is desirable. Experience in one of the areas of the UN 2.0 (Strategic Foresight, Behavioral Sciences, Digitalization, Innovation or Data) is desirable. Experience in working with national or local government offices in East and North-East Asia is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of one of the NEASPEC countries languagesChinese (Mandarin), Russian, Korean, Japanese, or Mongolianis desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details). Required Languages Language Reading Writing Listening Speaking English UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II UN Level II Desirable Languages Language Reading Writing Listening Speaking Chinese (Mandarin) UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I Russian UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I Korean UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I Japanese UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I Mongolian UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I UN Level I Assessment Qualified applicants may be evaluated through a competency-based interview and/or other assessment methods. Special Notice This post is funded from extra budgetary resources. The initial appointment is for a period of one year. Extension of appointment is subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds. ESCAP is committed to promoting diversity and…