UNOPS

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

The South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) supports UNOPS operations across six countries: Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. SAMCO delivers a broad range of services and technical expertise in climate change, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), infrastructure, procurement, human resource management, and fund management. Each country office is staffed with local technical experts and maintains strong partnerships with national governments, ensuring context-specific solutions and effective project implementation.

Since 1999, UNOPS has been a committed partner in Pakistan, supporting the country’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNOPS focuses on delivering essential services, including strengthening health systems, expanding access to WASH facilities in remote areas, and improving infrastructure for schools and communities. We also support emergency response efforts, delivering critical medical supplies and essential services during times of crisis. Through close collaboration with the Government of Pakistan, development partners, donors, and UN agencies, UNOPS works to build resilient, sustainable communities. Leveraging expertise in project management, procurement, human resources, and infrastructure, we provide tailored solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and maximize development impact.

The UNOPs is recruiting on behalf of UNEP the two consultants to undertake the stocktake review.  Each consultant will focus on different Provinces as follows:

• Consultant 1: Punjab, Sindh, and AJK 
• Consultant 2: KP, Balochistan, and GB 

The Government of Pakistan launched its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in 2023 to address medium- and long-term climate change risks by strengthening adaptation planning, financing, and implementation across national, provincial, and district levels. The NAP aims to systematically integrate climate change adaptation into development planning, budgeting, and investment frameworks, while enhancing resilience of communities, ecosystems, and economic sectors. The Pakistan National Adaptation Plan (NAP), approved by Cabinet in 2023, covers all the four provinces, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Punjab and Sindh, and two autonomous regions, Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).  

The NAP provides a comprehensive framework up to 2030 with the aim to reduce climate vulnerability and enhance resilience in Pakistan across six priority sectors including:

• The Agriculture-Water Nexus 

• Natural Capital 

• Urban resilience

• Human Capital 

• Disaster Risk Management 

• Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion 

The NAP recommends a total of 117 priority programmes and projects to be implemented across the six priority sectors.  The NAP also outlines implementation arrangements and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism. The MoCC&EC has directed the NAP project to carry out a review of the implementation of the NAP (2023) through a stock take of adaptation related programmes and projects across Pakistan.

Therefore, services of consultants to stock take current and planned adaptation related programmes and projects by Federal and Province institutions and to map them against the 117 priority programmes and projects of the NAP and at Provincial and District levels. This assignment and the information collected forms part of the “consultative process review to document and analyse the successes, failures and lessons learned from the formulation, implementation, funding and monitoring and reviewing of the NAP process taking into consideration previous relevant initiatives on adaptation in Pakistan.” (Activity 4.3.1). 

This information will be available to a future consultant to complete the review of the NAP process early next year.

The findings from this assignment will also serve as an input to a parallel study being commissioned to develop a national monitoring and evaluation framework for adaptation (activity 4.1.1. of the NAP project).  Through information gathering on capacity needs and implementation barriers, the study will also serve to inform activity 1.1.4 of the NAP proposal on awareness raising on mainstreaming adaptation into federal and provincial development plans and projects, activity 1.2.2 of the NAP proposals on identify potential gaps, entry points and recommendations for mainstreaming CCA responses identified and activity 3.1.1 of the NAP proposal on developingthe financial investment plan for NAP to mobilise private, public and international funding mechanisms for adaptation. 

The overall objective of this consultancy is to undertake an assessment of NAP implementation through a stock take of programmes and projects in Punjab, Sindh, and AJK. The Consultant will report directly to the NAP National Project Manager, in close coordination with the AS, MoCC&EC. All deliverables will be submitted to NAP and MoCC&EC for review and approval. Regular progress meetings will be held to review performance and adjust priorities.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in either sociology, economics, environmental science or related fields with 2 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 0 years of relevant experience is required

Required:

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in government, semi-government, UN entities, or any other development sector organization in coordination, communications, and project management.

• Proven experience in engaging diverse stakeholders,  conducting mapping exercises and report writing. 

• Proven experience in developing and/or implementing project monitoring systems;

Desired

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• 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.