Background
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme for Mongolia (2023 – 2027), UNDP supports government and citizen efforts to accelerate achievement of the Goals, leveraging the signature solutions and enablers in UNDP’s Strategic Plan. It will also work towards the three directions of change: structural transformation, leave no one behind and build resilience to respond to uncertainty and risks. Multidimensional initiatives will be consolidated into two portfolios, one addressing inclusive and green development, and the other a just and accountable transition.
UNDP’s role as an integrator of the Goals will underpin the portfolios, while gender equality, innovation, digital transformation and development financing will serve as enablers. As part of the United Nations country team, UNDP will provide evidence, tools, methodologies, policy expertise, technical leadership and innovative solutions to accelerate the achievement of UNSDCF outcomes. Three programme priorities have been identified for UNDP interventions.
UNDP Mongolia, Inclusive and Green Economic Transition Programme focuses on the first programme priority: Diversified, inclusive and green economic transition.
Strengthening capacities for sustainable livelihoods and employment. UNDP will support the government at national and subnational levels in line with Vision 2050 to help diversify the economy and contribute to an inclusive, green transition. Eco-value chain development will be promoted in provinces with specific needs. Green business capacity-building support will be provided to small firms and entrepreneurs, along with employment skills for youth, persons with disability and women. Support for Goals financing through an integrated national financing framework will provide an enabling environment for a just and green transition. This will take place by integrating climate risks, vulnerability assessments and sustainability requirements in the value chains of livestock products.
Promoting a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. UNDP contributes to strengthening the financing architecture of the Goals by operationalizing the integrated national financing framework and innovative financing opportunities. UNDP promotes responsible investment in the public and private sectors that complies with global environmental, social and governance standards and is gender responsive. UNDP promotes sustainable infrastructure development, with a focus on climate change adaptation and a low-carbon and net-zero-emissions economy, creating employment opportunities and reducing dependence on the extractive industry. The private sector will be supported to leverage access to sustainable financing, including instruments such as green loans and bonds, complementing interventions under outcome 3 of the country programme. It will also build on leadership by the private sector to catalyse growth in responsible, inclusive and green businesses.
UN Joint Programme “Acceleration of Just Energy Transition in Mongolia”:
This UN Joint Programme on aims to accelerate the just, green, and equitable energy transition in Mongolia by utilizing seed funding from the Joint SDG Fund. The upcoming third-generation national climate plan-Nationally Determined Contributions 3.0, expected by early 2025 is required to increase 2030 targets, extending to 2035 will determine Mongolian protection against worsening climate impacts and influence the benefits of climate action, such as job creation, economic growth, reduced pollution, improved health, and clean energy access.
Thus, this UNJP’s integrated approach will support the government through data and evidence to inform NDC 3.0 and other national sectoral policies and plans, mobilize resources, leveraging for deployment of fit-for-purpose energy products and services, capacity enhancement, thus establishing the National Just Energy Transition (JET) framework, strengthen the financing architecture, and catalyze strategic investments to ensure sustainable and inclusive energy solutions and phasing out coal by switching to solar. The UNJP will contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 5: Gender equality and SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production and SDG 17: Partnership. This proposal will promote gender equality and prepare the workforce for the future of work in the energy sector, ensuring sustainable and inclusive development.
The UNJP builds on UNDP’s global and national support for integrating just transition into climate strategies, UNDP’s renewable energy pilot in Mongolia’s ger districts, which promotes economic benefits and gender equality by transitioning from coal to renewable energy, supported by carbon credits. The UNJP will also build on insights from ESCAP’s study, which addresses the complexities of transitioning the energy sector, ESCAP’s National Expert SDG Tool for Energy Planning for enabling policymakers to align energy policies with SDG 7 and NDC targets. The UNJP will leverage the global expertise, experience, and insights to further inform and refine Mongolia’s energy transition strategy, aiming to accelerate Mongolia’s just, green, and equitable energy transition, leveraging seed funding from the Joint SDG Fund.
To effectively integrate just transition principles into Mongolia’s Energy Transition Framework, which will support the country’s updated NDC 3.0 and LT-LEDS, the UNJP outlines a comprehensive change pathway as shown in the graph.
The development of a Just Energy Transition (JET) Framework will be designed to align with Mongolia’s new climate commitments. The process will conduct a thorough assessment of policy coherence to ensure that NDC 3.0 targets are met while also considering the broader socio-economic impacts of the energy transition. This includes engaging with national stakeholders, especially vulnerable groups, to empower them in driving energy priorities and addressing gender disparities. The framework will also focus on developing regulatory and policy strategies for sustainable heating and coal phase-out, with an emphasis on expanding access to clean and affordable energy in the Ger districts.
As the pathway progresses, the next step involves fostering national dialogues among the government, private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders to enhance policy coherence and reach a consensus on the energy transition and a multi-stakeholder platform for the Just Energy Transition Framework, building on the existing collaboration of development partners in the energy sector. Additionally, the UNJP will develop a financing framework to mobilize both public and private resources for the just energy transition.
In parallel, the UNJP will extend its impact by focusing on the health and education sectors to ensure that the energy transition benefits the most vulnerable populations. Research and data collection will inform the development of the national JET Framework and a sectoral roadmap for a just and inclusive energy transition in these sectors, contributing to carbon neutrality, resilience, and circularity. Government officials in these social sectors will be trained to integrate energy transition strategies into their development plans and budgets, as well as into the national JET Framework. The UNJP will also promote citizen engagement, particularly among women and young people, through initiatives that enhance participation in decision-making processes.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Programme Analyst on Diversified, Inclusive and Green Economic Transition, the National Project Coordinator (NPC) is responsible for a day-to-day management of the “UN Joint Programme Acceleration of Just Energy Transition in Mongolia” (JET) project, including planning, implementation, coordination, reporting, monitoring and evaluation; and for the substantive support to the project, and will assist in conceptualizing and implementing new projects on innovative financing including on sustainable infrastructure. The National Project Manager is accountable to UNDP for the overall management of the projects and for the delivery of results (outputs) specified in the project documents, to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost.
Summary of key functions:
- Management and coordination of project implementation.
- Coordination and Provision of technical and oversight support to the management.
- Implementation of reporting, monitoring and evaluation policies and strategies.
- Liasion, partnerships and coordination with external and internal partners.
- Facilitate knowledge building and management.
Management and coordination of project implementation:
- Be in charge of day-to-day management of project.
- Take a lead to build consensus among the project stakeholders on key results, expected outcomes and impact of the project.
- Prepare and submit Annual work plan and budget in a timely manner.
- Coordinate and manage the day-to-day implementation of the project and ensure achievement of targets as outlined in the project document and Annual work plan.
- Implement the project activities, initiate and manage project-related procurement actions, including drafting of clear technical specifications for the provision of goods and services under the project workplan.
- Ensure the timely mobilization and utilization of project personnel, subcontracts, training, and equipment inputs,
- Ensure the quality and timeliness of goods, services, and works delivered by sub-contractors, through close supervision and pro-active risk mitigation strategies.
- Provide technical guidance and support to relevant substantive areas of the project implementation, where needed.
- Mainstream gender equality in the project activities, planning, monitoring, and reporting.
- Coordinate and create synergies of project components, other relevant projects and programmes and initiatives.
- Perform others coordinating tasks as appropriate for the successful implementation of the project in accordance with the project document.
Coordination and provision of technical and oversight advice to the management.
- Coordinate the project stakeholders on results, expected outcomes and impact of the project.
- Monitor progress, watch for plan deviations, and make course corrections when needed within project board-agreed tolerances to achieve results.
- Perform regular progress reporting to the project board as agreed with the board, including measures to address challenges and opportunities.
- Coordinate the development of short-, medium- and long-term strategic plans of the project, including timely annual and quarterly work plans, whilst considering emerging issues.
- Coordinate the review and appraisal of proposals and annual plans submitted by the implementing entities and ensure provision of quality feedback and effective comments.
- Lead the preparation of quarterly, annual and financial reports and submission to contributors and other relevant stakeholders, with a special view to capturing lessons learned and best practices for improving the performance of the facility portfolio.
- Coordinate drafting of TORs for consultancies / services.
- Supervise consultancy works and review and assess products/services provided by consultants and experts counterparts and notify/advise the head of the secretariat on quality and recommend appropriate actions to undertake for improvement of results.
- Establish links between country priorities, positions of the international community and Project strategies in green economic transition.
Implementation of reporting, monitoring and evaluation policies and strategies.
- Effective monitoring for ensuring implementation of project activities.
- Assess the programmatic impact and oversee the appropriateness and the accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results.
- Manage and monitor the project risks initially identified, submit new risks to the Project Steering Committee and Working Group for consideration and decision on possible actions if required; update the status of these risks by maintaining the Project Risks Log.
- Be responsible for managing issues and requests for change by maintaining an Issues Log.
- Prepare the Project Progress Report (progress against planned activities, update on Risks and Issues, expenditures) and submit the report to the Project Management Team.
- Ensure timely submission of quarterly financial and activity progress reports to UNDP as well as adequate financial management of allocated resources.
- Oversee timely preparation of reports for UNDP to donors and other stakeholders.
- Prepare presentations to donor partners, government and other stakeholders as required
Liaison, partnerships and coordination with external and internal partners:
- Create strategic partnerships with government, non-government, and private sector stakeholders and beneficiaries.
- Actively support the implementation of the resource mobilization strategy and maintain close relationships with donor partners.
- Closely liaise with the teams for programme results to ensure coherence and synergy among all projects of UNDP Mongolia;
- Build relationships with other UN agencies and build upon common activities to ensure maximum impact of project activities especially when targeting vulnerable groups such as children, youth and women and,
- Advise team members and management on new developments regarding key partners and stakeholders.
Facilitate knowledge building and management:
- Provide quality advisory services to the CO and Ips and facilitate knowledge building and management.
- Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned.
- Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice including corporate communications repositories; and,
- Contribute to the design and implementation of appropriate learning strategies for stakeholders.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management competencies:
- UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Partnership Management
- Multi-stakeholder engagement: Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.
- Private sector resource mobilization: Ability to identify, develop and manage partnerships that leverage private sector technical expertise and resources
- Emerging partnerships: Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships
Business Management
- Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Direction & Strategy
- Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
2030 Agenda: Partnerships
- Sustainable Energy Hub: Energy: energy efficiency
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Energy, Public Policy, Economics, Finance, Environmental Science or relevant scientific discipline is required, or
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience
- Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience at the national or international level in energy sector policy, relevant project/program coordination, policy development and/or analysis is required.
- Innovation, Communication, Delivery, People Management.
- Extensive experience in mobilizing resources for energy sector development.
- Proven experience in providing policy and technical advice to government officials, especially in energy sector reform.
- Proven experience and knowledge in Development Effectiveness and cooperation, gender equality and its related issues.
- Experience working in the field of renewable energy and energy policy.
Required Languages
- Fluency in English and Mongolian languages is required.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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Level of Education: Bachelor Degree
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: No requirements