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General Information

Position Title
Country Engagement Specialist (Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific)
Job Category
Partnerships
Duty Station(s)
Bonn
Seniority Level
Mid Level
ICS Level
ICS 10
Contract Type
ICA - IICA - Regular
Contract Level
IICA 2
Posting Start Date
12-Feb-2026
Posting End Date
11-Mar-2026
Duration
Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

Job Highlight

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to global climate action by facilitating the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in developing countries. The role offers a unique opportunity to work with a diverse range of stakeholders, including government officials, international organizations, and private sector partners, and to make a tangible impact on sustainable development.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) unites the New York Portfolios, including the Peace and Security team (PSC); the Geneva Office; and the Vienna-based Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) teams, to maximize global impact, foster efficiencies and streamline global programmes. Leveraging our collective expertise and networks, GPO supports UNOPS' strategic priorities and the SDGs across over 130 countries. We deliver project management, fund management, advisory services, project implementation, and HR services, working closely with major global partners. Our thematic focus includes sustainable development, climate action, health, peace & security, and humanitarian action.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of eight global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR. The EU-UNOPS Lives in Dignity (LiD) Grant Facility is also based here.

About the Project Office


WEC Background:

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support. 

WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.




About the Group

The NDC Partnership:

The NDC Partnership is a global coalition of countries and institutions collaborating to drive transformational climate action through sustainable development. In 2015, the world endorsed the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nations signal their commitments to the Paris Agreement through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - each country’s strategy to cut its own greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate. The Partnership advances the goals of the Paris Agreement by bringing together nearly 200 countries and institutions in new ways to accelerate NDC implementation and enhance ambition over time. The Partnership’s work more than 140 partners supporting over 90 countries produces many examples of impact, lessons learned and ideas for the future. The Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee, co-chaired by two country representatives. The Partnership’s work is facilitated by a Support Unit based at World Resources Institute in Washington DC and the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. UNOPS supports the NDC Partnership and its Support Unit through the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC). 

Role Purpose

Under the overall guidance of the NDC Partnership Support Unit’s Regional Manager for the Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific,  the Country Engagement Specialist will be the strategic single face to the assigned countries in their portfolio  to maximize the NDC Partnership Support Unit’s (SU) impact and effectiveness by: 1) identifying country needs to catalyze matchmaking to SU offerings, available support/funds and ideal partners, 2) continuously monitoring and optimizing the country engagement by collaborating with the Regional Manager to realize regional synergies and highlight opportunities and risks, 3) strengthening and building relationships with key stakeholders (country focal points, embassies, partners in country offices) for SU visibility and resource mobilization in coordination with Regional Manager, 4) sharing impact stories to showcase examples of positive outcomes of engaging in initiatives enabled by the SU, and 5) building and sharing in-depth knowledge of countries with the SU to jointly collaborate in shaping communications and knowledge products.

Functions / Key Results Expected

1. Lead country engagement and deliver matchmaking for country portfolio

  • Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of the context of NDC implementation and international efforts to support it for all countries within their portfolio.
  • Support the overall request for support processes by providing guidance to focal points in identifying support priorities, filling up and preparing request for support forms, and supporting the development, preparation and packaging of concept notes, terms of references and budget plans that will be included in the Request for Support Letter (RSL) and/or Partnership Action Fund (PAF) calls for proposals (CFP) circulation.
  • Conduct Quality Assurance and Quality Control of requests for support forms prior to circulation to the membership. This activity may entail reviewing requests for support for countries outside the specialist’s own portfolio.
  • Understand the offerings the Partnership has available to support NDC implementation planning and investment planning, and help countries connect with those opportunities. This includes, facilitating capacity – building for the usage of the NDC implementation plan online tool, supporting countries in procuring partner support, and introducing countries to the Partnership’s Climate Finance Investment Framework.
  • Match country needs to potential Partner members of the NDC Partnership services, making connections to the right form of support or fund (e.g. Partner’s own funds, TA Fund, and PAF, etc), with close guidance from the Regional Manager.
  • Support/lead exchanges and sharing information on available funding opportunities based on partner responses, between NDC Partnership Support Unit, Government focal points, other government officials, as well as institutional and associate members of the Partnership
  • Provide technical support to and, as required, act as end-to-end owner of country technical and high-level workshops to enhance country ownership and awareness on NDCs, liaising effectively with other SU teams and following applicable internal guidance and from government focal points and the Regional Manager.
  • Evaluate proposals submitted under PAF Calls for Proposals, other procurement aimed at supporting countries in their portfolio, and job applications for embedded advisors and facilitators.
  • Supervise embedded advisors including in-country facilitators and other experts deliver .
  • Review and advise on embedded advisors’ /consultants’ deliverables and coordinating approval with the government, in line with the Support Unit’s processes.


2. Build relationships with key stakeholders

  • Build and strengthen relationships with country focal points, ensuring their understanding of NDC Partnership mechanisms and processes, arrangements for embedded advisory support and what is expected from member countries as members of the Partnership.
  • Build and strengthen in-country partner relationships with impactful engagements to understand their climate related agenda and funding priorities.
  • Lead in delivering timely comprehensive responses and preparing information resource materials on country-specific engagement progress and results, as requested by implementing partners of the NDC Partnership and across Support Unit teams
  • Strategically plan and report on country missions to ensure an impactful experience, ensuring the creation of mission announcements to relevant stakeholders, communications materials and post-mission scoping analysis reports in a seamless process to build and maintain momentum
  • Supporting/Representing the country engagement team in external meetings and events.
  • Establish and sustain a strategically aligned relationship with the Regional Manager to anchor the regional strategy with country context and gain exposure to regional themes, synergies and opportunities

3. Knowledge, collaboration and ownership

  • Proactively collaborate with all Support Unit teams in agile ways to shape One SU solutions & maximize knowledge exchange either as day-to-day owners or contributors as agreed by the collaboration model and Service Catalogues
  • Liaise with Knowledge and Learning counterparts, partners and other organizations, as appropriate, to provide guidance and inputs for the development of in-depth analyses to support scoping, engagement planning, results reporting and other knowledge products.
  • Steer and guide NDC In-Country Facilitators to ensure proactive knowledge sharing of the dynamics of the government focal points and partners, effective coordination, communication and quality outputs, including advisory and guidance to new in-country facilitators.
  • Regularly provide feedback – during check-ins, mandatory office hours, and team meetings - to the Regional Manager and Country Engagement Management on country engagement successful practices and processes, and on challenges.
  • Upon request, participating in, or contributing to, internal and external meetings, workshops, conferences, and other dissemination activities (COPs, Peer-to-Peer exchanges, regional meetings).


4. Information management

  • Build, update and systematically capture country insights in dedicated systems to serve as input for impact stories and knowledge products
  • Ensure information on contact details of focal points (FP) and day-to-day persons of countries and partner members are upto-date, and that new contact points receive proper on-boarding to the NDC Partnership, its core service offerings and processes.
  • Ensuring SU tools are up to date in relation with the context of countries under their portfolio, including inputs and updates to Monday.com boards, and archiving and updating of SharePoint folders, NDC Partnership and affiliated websites.
  • Developing and co-authoring blog posts, presentations deck, talking points, infographics, brochures, and other online and offline communications materials.

Skills

Analytical Skills, Climate Change, International Relations, Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Planning, Effective communication
Strategic Perspective
Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.
Respect
Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Collaboration
Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
Partnerships
Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Excellence
Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Adaptability
Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Decision-making
Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Communication
Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

  • Master's degree in international relations, climate change and environment, international development, economics, finance, or a related field with 5 years of experience.

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline with 7 years of relevant work experience.


Desired

  • Project Management Certification (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2)

Experience Requirements

Required

  • At least 5 years of experience in climate change, environmental and natural resource management, development cooperation, climate finance and related fields.
  • Good knowledge of international climate policy and of national climate policy development.
  • Demonstrated skills in building effective relationships with government officials from both developed and developing countries and navigating the complexities of working across the whole of government, including in countries with limited institutional capacity.
  • Experience in communication and management of complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.
  • Experience with other bilateral and multilateral donors, consulting, research institutions, private sector, think tanks and other civil society actors.


Desired

  • Experience in the origination, design, management and/or implementation of climate/development programs and projects as a strong asset.

Language Requirements

LanguageProficiency LevelRequirement
EnglishFluentRequired
RussianIntermediateDesirable
Chinese, MandarinIntermediateDesirable
IndonesianIntermediateDesirable

Additional Information

  • Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
  • Please note that 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. 
  • Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments. 
  • UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 
  • Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. 
  • We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.
 
Terms and Conditions
 
  • 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.