UNOPS

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) brings together diverse expertise to help partners deliver impact worldwide. With hubs in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, and expert teams operating globally, GPO leads multi-regional initiatives that advance sustainable development, climate action, and peacebuilding - including in some of the world’s most challenging environments.

By leveraging our collective expertise and global networks, GPO supports UNOPS’ strategic priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals across more than 130 countries. We work closely with major global partners - including governments, international financial institutions, and UN agencies - to deliver a wide range of services, such as project management, fund management, hosting services, and HR support.

Our thematic focus spans climate action and energy, health, peace and security, sustainable development, and humanitarian action, supporting high-impact initiatives across critical global priorities.

UNOPS Development and Special Initiatives team works with UN partners and Member States. This portfolio offers support for various initiatives and priorities of the UN Secretary-General in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, it helps the UN Secretariat in implementing global programs in areas such as political affairs, climate, counterterrorism and peacebuilding, among others.

UNOPS DSIP has been requested to support The Forest & Climate Leaders' Partnership (FCLP). This is a hosted entity. 

The Forest & Climate Leaders' Partnership (FCLP) was launched by world leaders at COP27 and aims to accelerate global progress to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation, through a voluntary and focused partnership of countries that are making a strong contribution to this agenda through national action and international collaboration.

The Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) is a high-level political platform launched at COP26 to support countries in delivering on the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. The Partnership brings together governments, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), and key partners to accelerate action on forests, climate, and sustainable development through coordinated political engagement, technical collaboration, and mobilisation of finance.

To support effective delivery at the national level, the FCLP engages In-Country Coordinators to strengthen coordination, ensure alignment with national priorities, and support implementation of FCLP-related activities. In-Country Coordinators report to the Deputy Programme Director and work closely with the government focal point (Sherpa), relevant ministries, partners, and the FCLP Secretariat to ensure coherent engagement across FCLP workstreams and initiatives.

Accordingly, the technical profile, together with the objectives, scope, and other conditions of this service, are defined in these Terms of Reference.

Even though the level of the position is indicated as IICA-2, depending on the incumbent's personal situation (candidate with national ID or resident permit), a local fee scale (LICA-10) might be applied in determining the contractor's fee.

The In-Country Coordinator provides strategic, technical, and coordination support to enable effective national engagement in the FCLP and to advance the implementation of country-level priorities related to forests, climate, and biodiversity.

The role focuses on:

• Strengthening coordination across national stakeholders 

• Supporting implementation of Country Packages and related initiatives 

• Facilitating alignment between national priorities and FCLP work areas, according to national context and priorities

• Supporting access to finance and partnerships

Required

• First-level university degree in Administration, International Relations, Communications, Public Policy, Forestry, Forest Management, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Ecology, Climate Change, Law, or a related field, with at least 7 years of relevant experience;
• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the above fields, including forestry, environmental or climate-related disciplines, with at least 5 years of relevant experience.

Desired

• Additional training or certification in forest management, climate finance, carbon markets, or project management is an asset.

Required

• Demonstrated experience working with government institutions and multi-stakeholder processes 
• Relevant experience in project coordination or implementation in areas such as climate, forests, biodiversity, or sustainable development 
• Experience engaging with multiple stakeholders, including development partners, civil society, and/or community organisations. 
• Strong experience in facilitating dialogue, coordination, and knowledge exchange processes.

Desired

• Experience in developing or supporting policy or investment proposals and engaging with donors and multi-stakeholder platforms. 
• Familiarity with REDD+, ART TREES, jurisdictional carbon markets, or results-based climate finance mechanisms. 
• Experience working on climate governance, carbon markets, or land tenure/regularisation issues.
• Experience supporting international initiatives or partnerships related to forests, climate, or sustainable development. 

Other requirements

• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda. 
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.