Technical Advisor - Environmental (Marine Plastics) retainer

South East Asia Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO)

The UNOPS East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO) supports, develops, and oversees the UNOPS portfolio of projects in 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 Northeast Asia, South East Asia, and the Pacific, and the Cambodia Multi-Country Office, which covered four countries in South East Asia - 3 countries in the Mekong Sub-region (Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Vietnam) and the Philippines.  As a result, EAPMCO currently covers 24 countries across Northeast Asia, Southeast 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 Mekong, and EAPMCO Philippines.

Southeast Asia Regional Programme for Combating Marine Plastic (SEA-MaP) 

The Southeast Asia Regional Program on Combating Marine Plastics Regional Project (the SEA-MaP Regional Project) is funded by the World Bank. It supports the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Action Plan (RAP) for Combating Marine Debris. It focuses on reducing plastic consumption, increasing recycling, and minimizing leakages to prevent land and sea-based marine plastic pollution in Southeast Asia. In addition, it strengthens plastics policies and regulatory frameworks and promotes innovative solutions to help reduce plastic pollution in Southeast Asia. 

ASEAN implements the SEA-MaP Regional Project through the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) within the ASEAN structure and mechanisms for collaboration and consultation across the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and with development partners. A Project Steering Committee (PSC) includes the ASEAN Working Group on Coastal Marine Environment (AWGCME) and senior officials at ASEAN – Chaired by the Chair of the AWGCME. In addition, a Project Management Unit (PMU) is established within the ASEC with project oversight, monitoring, and reporting responsibilities. 

ASEAN entered an Outputs Agreement with UNOPS, under which the parties agreed on the functions UNOPS executes to assist ASEAN in project activities. Accordingly, UNOPS extends its operational support to ASEAN on project implementation, procurement, financial management, environmental and social framework, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. To this end, a Regional Implementation Support Unit (RISU) has been established by UNOPS in Jakarta and acts as the back-end technical support unit to the PMU.

UNOPS assigns the development of the deliverables through procurement to separate contractors/entities. Standard procurement processes identify implementing partners (requests for Expression of Interest, Bids, Proposals documents, etc.). The list of deliverables under UNOPS’s purview is the following: 

• Regional Baseline Report (including on policies)

• Guidebook for Common Methodologies for Assessment and Monitoring of Plastic Pollution

• Extended Producer Responsibility Handbook and Customized Toolkit

• Annual Technology/Innovation Expos

• Regional Platform for Innovation and Investment

• Web Platform/Marketplace for Innovation and Investment

• Regional Guidebook on Standards for Responsible Plastic Waste Trade and Standards for Sorted Plastics and Recycled Plastics

• Regional Guidebook on Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics

• Best Practice Manual on Standards for Plastic Packaging

• Regional Training Program on Plastics and Plastic Waste Management

• Regional Guidebook on Financing Mechanisms for Investments in Plastic Waste Management

Against this backdrop, UNOPS seeks to hire an Individual Contractor (retainer) to assist the RISU in providing backstopping support for the SEA-MaP Regional Project to provide quality assurance and technical advice to program activities. The Retainer Specialist will play a critical technical advisory role and provide punctual input and support in preparing the bids and TOR of the assignments and evaluating the proposals submitted by bidders. In addition, the Specialist will also ensure the high-level technical quality of the products of the activities and provide technical advice to the SEA-MaP Regional Project on marine plastics-related aspects. The Expert would also be expected to work directly with consultants to ensure the quality of technical deliverables, coaching them if needed.  

Under the general guidance and supervision of the Senior Project Manager and in coordination with the RISU Project Coordinator, the critical functions of the Technical Advisor include the following:

Technical inputs to the SEA-MaP project on marine plastic pollution and relevant subject matters

• Provide updated information on marine plastic pollution, including sources, distribution, impacts, and mitigation strategies.

• Assessing the ecological, social, and economic risks of marine plastic pollution, including impacts on wildlife, habitats, fisheries, and human health.

• Analyze scientific literature, policy documents, and industry reports to stay informed about emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in the field.

• Advise on conceptualizing the activities, bringing in relevant knowledge, examples, and best practices.

• Share information on relevant national plans and frameworks in ASEAN countries and international policies, regulations, and agreements related to plastic pollution and marine conservation for advocating effective governance and policy measures.

• Support in analyzing waste management practices, recycling technologies, and circular economy principles to minimize plastic waste generation and promote sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• Provide expert advice and guidance to SEA-MaP consultants on the design and implementation of deliverables.

• Support collaborating with government agencies, development entities, academia, and industry partners to identify priority areas for intervention and recommend evidence-based solutions.

• Offer technical expertise and support to partners and stakeholders in the project seeking to address marine plastic pollution through capacity-building initiatives, training programs, and educational workshops.

• Support the quality assurance of training materials, manuals, and guidelines on plastic waste management and pollution prevention for diverse audiences.

• Support in reviewing the project's progress by analyzing data on performance indicators

• Provide technical support in developing communication materials, including reports, presentations, and social media content, to communicate research findings, policy recommendations, and success stories to diverse audiences. 

• Support in arranging high-level discussions with government, academia, development entities, activists, bilateral agencies, private sector, and development banks, etc.

• Prepare the scope of work of the various activities and detailed Terms of Reference for the technical deliverables of the project.

• Provide guidance on innovation in packaging/labeling/plastic alternatives, solutions for substituting single-use plastic, etc.

• Develop networks of promising innovators, and arrange grooming and capacity enhancement to prepare them for highly effective international innovation models.  

• Support in planning and implementing community engagement in reducing plastic waste, etc.

• Identify technical criteria and proposal evaluation guidelines, and provide technical support in evaluating the proposals and selecting suitable candidates to implement project activities.

Result Orientation and Quality Assurance: 

• Assure the high-level technical quality of the activities developed by the SEA-MaP Regional Project and their products.

• Provide strategic inputs in the discussions among the RISU (UNOPS), the PMU, the ASEC, and the World Bank. 

• Validate from the technical point of view the knowledge products of the project (documents, background papers, analyses, publications, etc.).

• Provide high-quality technical advisory inputs and advice to UNOPS on any marine plastics technical issues and queries as requested from stakeholders to ensure strong buy-in on proposed methodologies related to the project implementation.

• Provide high-level technical input and presentations on assigned topics/activities and the RISU at meetings, conferences, consultations, etc. 

• Provide scientific advice to implementing partners, or ASEC, to ensure strong buy-in by stakeholders on UNOPS proposed methodologies for running the RISU.

Monitoring process, research, data, and analysis:

• Support in policy-relevant indicators and indicator systems.

• Provide information on environmental data and statistics.

• Technical support to consultants on data analysis, estimation, calculation, and monitoring tools/ methods for Plastic waste management, etc.

Other tasks:

• Provide backstopping technical support to the RISU as requested by the Senior Program Manager/RISU project coordinator on any marine plastics technical issue as required. 

• Any other similar tasks related to providing high-level technical advice to RISU as required by the project team on ASEANs behalf.

     The time frame for the assignment is 1 July 2024 – 30 September 2026.

    Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent), preferably in relevant disciplines such as Environmental Science/Environmental Engineering/Environmental Management/Marine Ecology/Sustainability Studies/Fisheries/Aquaculture/Sustainable Landscape Management/Policy and Environmental law/Sustainable Financing/Development Investment/Innovation, or similar is required. 

• A Bachelor's degree preferably in the above-mentioned areas with an additional two years of relevant experience may be accepted instead of the advanced university degree. 

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in programme/project development, research, implementation, and/or management of environmental projects or related fields in combination with the relevant advanced university degree is required.

• Experience in marine plastics-related projects/programs is required, which should preferably include working on relevant regulations and policies related to waste management; recycling, and plastic pollution prevention; Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks for reducing plastic pollution; implementation of single-use plastic ban frameworks. Good understanding of plastic life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies; waste characterization techniques; and waste management infrastructure.

• Experience in producing high-quality documents (technical ToR. Guidance notes, editing policy documents, manuals, etc.) is required.

• Experience in working with normative bodies, regional entities, government, non-government actors, the private sector, academia, and the community is desirable.

• Relevant professional experience outside the country of origin is preferred.

• Regional experience in the ASEAN region is a distinct advantage. 

• Prior related experience in the UN system is highly desirable.

 Language:

• Full working knowledge of the English language is required.

1. Contract type: Local Individual Contractual Agreement (LICA) - Retainer
2. Contract level: ICS 11 /LICA 11/ IICA 3
3. Contract duration: 1 July 2024 – 30 September 2026.

• 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.