Environmental Senior Expert (Solid Waste Management) Retainer

Background Information – Amman:

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, in partnership with bilateral donors, national governments, and other UN agencies.  With an established presence across the region, the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development, and technical management, and provides financial, human resources, and infrastructure-related services. The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules and regulations of UNOPS, in order to support the response to the current needs and national priorities in the region.

UNOPS has been active in Lebanon since 2015, delivering projects in support of the Government of Lebanon and partners. Since the explosion at the Beirut Port on 4 August 2020, UNOPS has significantly scaled up its presence in the country to support the humanitarian response and both its presence and portfolio have undergone expansion.

Project Information:

The “Reduction of Unintentional Persistent Organic Pollutants (UPOPs) Through Waste Management in a Circular Economy” is a project financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Environment (MoE) in Lebanon. The project  aims to reduce UPOPs emitted from the waste disposal and open burning processes and minimize impacts to public health and environmental risks stemming from UPOPs emissions. To reduce UPOPs emissions from the waste sector, the interventions are specifically designed to address Solid Waste Management (SWM) and promoting the circular economy, especially adopting a 3Rs approach in SWM following the Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Environmental Practices (BEP) Guidance adopted by the Stockholm Convention (2007; rev 2019). 

This project will contribute to building the circular economy as a pathway for Lebanon’s green growth and sustainable development and will promote circular solutions to reduce unsustainable resource extraction and environmental degradation, specifically through demonstrations in selected areas to minimize waste and promote sustainable business practices including green chemistry, extended producer responsibility and green public procurement.

Landfill sits at the base of the “waste hierarchy”. However, measures to establish effective landfill management are an essential prerequisite for moving up the “hierarchy”. Thus, standards for recycled materials are important for creating confidence in the supply chain. Recycling has the greatest economic and environmental benefit when it focuses on high quality recycled materials. By setting clear standards, through this project, for the suppliers and manufacturers using recycled materials, voluntary or mandatory standards can help address these issues and help markets operate more effectively. As such, this project will be (i) establishing a Technical Committee (including members from both central/local governments as well as representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, specific industries, national certification bodies, and representatives of recycling initiatives) for leading initiatives on application of circular economy in waste management and organizing knowledge and learning events and trainings for decision makers, stakeholders, and practitioners, and public awareness raising activities on consequences of waste open burning, circular economy and other alternative approaches and (ii) updating national product standards for recycled products including plastics, paper, inks, glass, etc.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the incumbent will be responsible for:

1. Development and implementation of a comprehensive framework for sustainable materials management, with a focus on setting standards for recycled materials used by suppliers and manufacturers.
2. Supporting the Technical Committee, organizing learning events, updating national product standards, and supporting ongoing regulatory reforms for upstream circular economy initiatives in Lebanon.
3. Other tasks as would be requested by the Project Manager.

The assignment requires deskwork, research, meetings, fieldwork as well as coordination between the different stakeholders.

The incumbent shall perform the functions, tasks and duties in accordance with pertinent international standards and codes of practices, local environmental legislations, laws, and decrees, the directives and guidelines of the  pertinent Ministries, municipalities and other governmental administrations and entities.

The incumbent will ensure regular communication with the project team  keeping them informed of the progress as well as any obstacles that might occur, and will ensure a timely delivery of the expected outputs

The tasks would involve, but not limited to, the following:

Task 1: National market assessment of the recycling sector

• Conduct a national market needs assessment of the recycling sectors across the SWM value chains (vertical and horizontal), segregated by gender. 

• Conduct mapping of locally established private sector Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (including Home Based Businesses) engaged in the recycling sector and identify market gaps in entrepreneurship, self-employment, and other demand driven opportunities at the level of the SWM value chain to promote a circular economy. 

• Research and map wholesalers, retailers, industries, and private sectors that demand recycled materials, products, services, recycled packaging, artisanship and raw materials and major markets.

• Establish a priority list of recycled products which have a proven contribution to the Lebanese market and which contribute to the objectives of the project in terms of reduction of UPOPs and SWM in a circular economy. 

• Review existing economic instruments and implement from a gender perspective lens (e.g., environmental tax and green subsidies) for industries to improve resource efficiency regulated by Decree 167 of 2017, to ensure that women will be encouraged to take part in the upcycling and recycling industry.

Task 2: Setting standards for recycled products used by suppliers and manufacturers

• Conduct a thorough review of existing international standards and best practices for the use of the priority list of recycled materials in various industries and recommend those that can be applied in Lebanon.

• Develop clear and comprehensive standards for at least 5 priority recycled products used by suppliers and manufacturers, addressing quality, safety, and environmental considerations.

• Collaborate with stakeholders, including industry representatives, to ensure the standards are practical and feasible for implementation and to determine the mitigation measures needed to be put in place to remove or lessen difficulties/risks/challenges leading to smooth implementation of the proposed standards and practices.

• Develop the recycling standards to be aligned with circular economy principles, thereby promoting more sustainable and resource-efficient practices within the recycling industry.

• Propose, plan, develop, manage, fine tune and finalize the preparation of the recycling standards and the pertinent activities to be aligned with the Ministry of Environment’s overall goals and objectives.

• Define minimum recycled content requirements and quality standards for recycled materials used in the production of new products, ensuring consistency and reliability in the supply chain.

Task 3: Support the establishment and management of a Technical Committee

• Support in the identification of key stakeholders, including members from central and local governments, the chamber of commerce, specific industries, national certification bodies, and representatives of recycling initiatives, to form a Technical Committee.

• Facilitate and attend regular and ad-hoc meetings to discuss and address challenges, provide guidance, and review progress in the implementation of recycled material standards.

• Provide technical support to the technical committee, as needed.  

Task 4: Provide training and outreach

• Develop a series of knowledge and learning events tailored for decision-makers, stakeholders, and practitioners.

• Organize training sessions on sustainable materials management, circular economy principles, and consequences of waste open burning.

• Support in the Design and implementation of public awareness campaigns to educate the general public on the benefits of recycling and alternative waste management approaches.

• Advanced (Masters or Doctoral) Degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Sustainability, or a related field is required.
• A Bachelor Degree in combination with 2 additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master's Degree.

• Minimum two (2) years of relevant experience in developing and implementing sustainability and circular economy initiatives, particularly in the context of sustainable materials management practices, including waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery is required.
• Demonstrated relevant experience in integrated solid waste management is highly desirable. 
• Demonstrated knowledge of circular economy principles, frameworks, and strategies, as well as practical experience in applying these concepts to real-world scenarios is highly desirable. This includes an understanding of concepts such as cradle-to-cradle design, product life extension, and resource recovery is desirable.
• Proven experience in the field of sustainable materials management, including waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery. This may involve work in areas such as waste management, recycling systems, material flow analysis, or life cycle assessment is preferable.
• In-depth understanding of national and international regulatory frameworks related to waste management, recycling, and circular economy practices is highly desirable.
• Experience in standards development or implementation is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholders’ engagement, including working with government officials, industry representatives, certification bodies, and NGOs is an asset.

• Proficiency in the use of computers and cloud-based office software packages (Google Suite) is desirable.
• Experience in handling web-based management systems is desirable.

• Fluency in English and Arabic is required. 

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• 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.

• The position is stationed in Beirut, Lebanon which is a family duty station.
  
  

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. For more information on a retainer contract 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.