Senior Programme Manager - Just Coal Transition Forum

UNOPS South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO)

The South East Asia and Pacific Multi Country Office (EAPMCO) supports, develops and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. EAPMCO was established in January 2023 following the merger of the Thailand Multi-Country Office, which covered 20 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific, and the Cambodia Multi-Country Office, which covered 4 countries South East Asia - 3 countries in the Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam) and the Philippines.  

EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across North East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific. With its head office in Bangkok, the Multi-Country Office comprises nine business units: EAPMCO Thailand, EAPMCO Indonesia, EAPMCO Pacific Operations Cluster, EAPMCO Papua New Guinea, EAPMCO China, EAPMCO Vietnam, EAPMCO Lao PDR, EAPMCO Philippines and EAPMCO Cambodia.

In 2022, the UNOPS EAPMCO implemented projects worth more than USD 95 million, in the areas of Energy Transition, Digital Transformations, Sustainable Environmental Management, Climate Change, Waste Management, Rule of Law and Access to Justice, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Post Conflict Reintegration, Emergency Relief, Post COVID19 Economic Transformations, and Health, through HR, procurement, construction, contract management, fund and program management services.  

The head office in Bangkok provides strategic direction, operational support, delivery oversight and assurance of the excellence of business processes and quality standards across all of the entire Multi Country Office locations. 

Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership 

The Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP) brings together governments and philanthropies to work with partner countries in the region. We support the transition towards clean energy systems that can ensure economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability. Enabling the transition towards greener energy systems will accelerate the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement objectives. 

ETP Secretariat, incorporated into UNOPS, will support the Steering Committee (SC) and facilitate the implementation of SC’s decisions. The Secretariat will operate as per defined Terms of Reference approved by the SC. The Secretariat will undertake day-to-day management and operation of the ETP Fund: (1) it launches Calls for Proposal and carries out proposals assessments; (2) it provides assistance and support to implementing partners; (3) facilitates the design, development and implementation of an overall M&E strategy; (4) monitors progress made by each project during the implementation phase.

The Just Coal Transition Forum (JCT Forum) is a project of ETP in collaboration with the World Bank that provides a convening forum for stakeholders to engage with their peers and donors on transitional issues stemming from energy transition. 

Just Coal Transition Forum

The JCT Forum supports energy transition in the coal regions in Southeast Asia by providing the much needed coordination of the just transition programs for the benefit of the stakeholders standing to be affected by energy transition and particularly coal phase down. ETP SC provides for the governance of the JCT Forum and the Forum Secretariat will be embedded in the ETP Secretariat. 

ETP seeks an experienced Programme Manager to organize the JCT Forum, implement and lead the JCT Forum activities, with background and experience in Just Transition efforts.

Under direct supervision of the Fund Director and in coordination with the  Senior Fund and Program Managers, and the ETP Secretariat, the incumbent, supported by the Forum Secretariat team, will be responsible for performing the following tasks:

A. Forum implementation and management

• Lead the establishment and management of the Forum Secretariat team and the partnerships directly and indirectly contributing to the Forum and its activities. 

• Oversee, guide, and manage the Forum, including all of its activities and structures, agreements and coordination arrangements, including forums, learning academy, thematic committees, twinning arrangements, governance meetings and all other activities of the Forum. 

• Guide the Forum’s technical, financial, programming and coordination functions and  execute the Forum’s implementation plans in collaboration with partners as defined in the Forum’s Project Implementation Manual to ensure timely delivery of the Forum’s activities.

• Ensure effective relationship management with the Forum’s partners and establish and maintain productive relationships with the Forum stakeholders, regularly expanding the stakeholder relationships. 

• Set up the arrangements for the Forum, including its Thematic Committees and provide guidance for effective operation of the committees in collaboration with their thematic leads, and ensure that the set objectives, performance measurements, standards and results meet the Forum’s anticipated results expectations providing and complementing time execution of the Committee's services.

• Design and implement twinning programmes to foster the anticipated exchange of knowledge, experience and good practices crowding in and nurturing collaboration with partners and oversee the execution of these arrangements in view of the expected results.

• Manage and facilitate the preparation of programme documents and terms of reference for contractors, consultants, staff of the Forum Secretariat among other specific contracting services required to deliver Forum’s activities.

• Ensuring that the governing arrangement meet the expectations of the Forum partners, arrange for the Governing Body events and support the Governing Body in all of its activities by providing secretariat services for the Governing Body, enabling the greater range of members’ participation in the Forum.

• Develop the Forum sustainability plan, which will set the path for the Forum to move to its permanent institutional arrangement.

• Coordinate and ensure alignment of the Forum’s activities and coherence with other just transition facilities in Southeast Asia.

• Act as a go-to-coordinator for the Forum, represent the Forum Secretariat, provide leadership in expansion of the Forum’s relevance and effectiveness and expanding its partnerships and reach and oversee the Forum’s capacity to meet its results expectations as a coordinator of Just Transition programs in the region, strategizing and implementing relevant plans and activities. 

B. Operations Planning and Oversight

• Prepare timely and accurate project tracking, analysis of outputs and reporting in close coordination with UNOPS Fund Management and Support Services.

• Plan, develop and manage the project personnel/technical experts with the skills to implement effective communication strategy in engaging with all relevant stakeholders and managing the knowledge resources of the Forum.

• Develop and submit reports on the activities of the Forum, including quarterly, Semi- and Annual reports that contain its results-based monitoring framework, budget utilisation and resource planning updates, and reports on the events and plans. 

• Take responsibility for the implementation of the JCT Forum implementation and daily operational running in accordance with its terms of reference in all aspects, continually providing innovative and agile leadership, including for capturing emerging opportunities to generate greater impact.

C. Organization of Forum meetings, capacity-building events and arrangement of logistical support

• Plan and organize forum meetings, local workshops, and learning academy meetings for the Forum’s relevant stakeholder groups in close collaboration with partners.

• Provide effective and timely logistic support for the organization of Forum’s events, workshops and meetings. 

D. Knowledge Management and Innovation 

• Lead the development and maintain oversight of the ETP/JCT online platform and relevant databases.

• Contribute to the development and introduction of innovation to ensure ETP/JCT and UNOPS is continually incorporating best practice approaches.

• Contribute to the dissemination and sharing of best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

• Plan, implement and organise capacity building of personnel, partners and stakeholders.

• An advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) preferably in Economics, Political Science, Social Sciences, Energy Studies Project Management, Humanities, or related field is required.

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in above-mentioned fields with two (2) additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree or higher degrees.

• PRINCE 2 or similar project management certification will be an asset.

• A minimum seven (7) years of relevant project/programme management experience in leading/coordinating project implementation or related areas with an advanced degree is required.

• Within relevant experience in coordinating complex environments, multiple and diverse stakeholder groups, generating coherency and collaboration, experience working in an international organization or internationally (working outside the country of origin)  is required.

The following experiences are desirable, but not essential:

• Experience in just transition issue analysis or related development issues. 

• Experience in administration, strategic planning and management, strategic liaison, donor or Partners coordination.

• Experience in a senior management or advisory role.

• Experience implementing strategic guidance on behalf of high-level officials.

• Experience working in developing countries.

• Experience in planning and applying Health & Safety procedures.

• Experience in risk management for infrastructure implementation projects.

• Experience in just energy transition.

• Experience in the region of programme operation.

• Experience working in UN agencies and/or UNOPS.

Language

• Fluency in English is essential.

1. Contract type: ICA
2. Contract level: ICS 11 / IICA 3 
3. Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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.

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.