UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP’s programme is anchored in the principle of leaving no one behind, with specific focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment including the fight to end violence against women and girls, and empowerment and engagement of youth and Persons with Disabilities.

UNDP Country Programme Document (CPD) for 2023–2027 for Mongolia aligns with Mongolia’s national priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2023 – 2027, aiming to drive transformative change. It focuses on empowering Mongolians to make sustainable and equitable decisions for just transitions, especially for marginalized and vulnerable groups. Anchored in the Government’s Vision-2050 and the UNSDCF, the CPD outlines three key outcomes:

• Outcome 1 By 2027, the Mongolian economy is more diversified, innovative, productive, inclusive, green and geographically balanced, enabling decent livelihoods, especially for women and youth, building twenty-first century skills and promoting low-carbon development
• Outcome 2 By 2027, communities and ecosystems in Mongolia are more resilient to climate change, with improved capacity for evidence-informed and gender-responsive sustainable natural resource and environmental management and disaster risk reduction
• Outcome 3 By 2027, making and implementation of policies are more gender-responsive, participatory, coherent, evidence-informed and aligned with the Goals; governance institutions at all levels are transparent and accountable; and people, especially marginalized groups, have access to justice and rule of law for full realization of human rights.

Given Mongolia’s unique environmental and climate challenges, UNDP programmes prioritize advancing climate change initiatives. This includes strengthening Mongolia’s climate commitments, promoting sustainable livestock and pastureland management, supporting a just energy transition, and implementing community-level adaptation and mitigation projects. UNDP also integrates gender considerations into climate policies and fosters innovative climate financing. This supports Mongolia in mobilizing public and private investments for climate resilience, linking national and international finance with core development issues.

The Programme team, composed of Governance, Environment and Climate Change, Natural Resources Management, and Diversified and Inclusive Green Transition teams, works to achieve UNDP’s strategic objectives and outcomes as stipulated in UNDP CPD. The Programme staff leads UNDP Country Office (CO) programme aimed to address urgent national development challenges through ambitious strategies that go beyond immediate concerns, aiming for long-term future smart and integrated systemic changes in resilience and capacity building in the country.

Job Purpose

The Climate Finance and Development Economist works under the guidance of the UNDP Resident Representative in Mongolia and s/he will work closely with the programme and operations teams in the country office, Accelerator Labs team, and staff in the Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) and New York both in Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific as well as the Global Policy Network (GPN) of UNDP. S/he will also collaborate with the Asia-Pacific regional network of country economists. This will include systematic engagement with and oversight from the lead regional economic advisors based in Bangkok and New York. S/he is also expected to develop and maintain a network of colleagues across development partner agencies, government institutions, academe, the private sector, and civil society at the country level.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

1.) Provision of strategic policy advice to the UNDP country office management and national government counterparts on climate finance, inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition, and SDG acceleration:
•     Advise UNDP country office management with preparation and implementation of country programmes and strategies, including the development of country programme document and related analysis, including on inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition and climate/development financing;
•     With the Programme Officer of Diversified and Inclusive Green Transition, co-leading UNDP country office efforts to support the government in the operationalization of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) and use existing financial resources more effectively and efficiently to achieve the SDGs;
•     Provide analysis and research in priority thematic areas at the country level, including publication of policy briefs or other analytical outputs and advise and facilitate dialogue on climate finance and sustainable development issues with government officials, development partners, civil society, and the private sector;
•     Leads development of integrated programming initiatives across and with different programme units.
•     Provide policy and programming advice and support for development planning, policy and financing formulation at the national, sub-national and local levels;
•     Support the preparation of policy briefs, background notes, speeches, talking points, presentation materials, etc. on critical development issues within the SDG framework for senior management at the country and regional levels;
•     Lead the programming of initiatives linked to the National Human Development Paper (NHDP) that will be launched 2024 and ensure that it provides added value in terms of development economic analysis, updated data and information for policy formulation;
•     Compile and analyze statistical data as required in support of country strategies and activities and support monitoring and reporting of progress related to SDGs and other national development frameworks, including to help strengthen national and local level data collection and statistical capacity;
•     Support the creation of large-scale development solutions to help address complex development challenges;
•     Lead the expansion of country office service offers on inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition and financing for development with a focus on climate financing, including innovative financing models and country specific/sector specific studies.
•     Support the identification and analysis of interventions that can impact multiple development goals and targets at the same time;
•     Support monitoring and reporting of progress related to SDGs and other national development frameworks, including to help strengthen national and local level data collection and statistical capacity;
•     Support to leverage UNDP’s regional and global programmes, to provide holistic and effective support to the country;
•     Leverage support and expertise from the UNDP’s global/regional Economist networks to assist in strengthening UNDP’s support on climate and development financing, economic analysis and policy development to the Government and the UN Country Team.

2.) Advise and support the development of a new climate finance programming initiatives portfolio and partnerships with IFIs, multilateral development banks, vertical funds (GEF, GCF and others), bilateral donors, and the private sector (corporates, investors):
•     Advise and facilitate dialogue on climate finance programming and sustainable development issues with government officials, development partners, civil society, and the private sector;
•     Provide policy and programming advice and support for climate finance and development planning, policy and financing formulation;
•     Support the identification and analysis of interventions that can impact multiple development sustainable development goals and targets at the same time;
•     Provide expert advice and support in developing strategic partnerships with UN agencies, IFIs, bilateral development agencies, private sector entities, and civil society;
•     Support analysis and mapping of potential partners for UNDP’s work on climate/development finance and SDG acceleration.
•     Develop and coordinate partnerships across the public and private sectors to develop a pipeline of bankable projects.
•     Carry out outreach to key partners for strategic advocacy for common objectives,
•     Lead the development of programmatic proposals and assist in the preparation, implementation, and follow-up of external partnership engagements.

3.) Provision of technical advisory support to the implementation of inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition, and sustainable financing programme:
•     Provide technical advisory support and to programme teams on inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition and climate finance.
•     Develop Terms of References (TORs), identify and evaluate experts, and provide quality assurance to reports produced as part of programme implementation.
•     Coordinate the provision of the required technical inputs to the implementation of inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition and climate finance projects, including assisting in executing the implementation strategy and ensuring coordination and leveraging resources from other initiatives.
•     Provide technical inputs to annual work plans and corporate reporting processes (e.g. ROAR).
•     Provide technical inputs to the development of programme briefs and communication materials.
•     Provide technical advocacy among key stakeholders, assisting government agencies and service providers in design and implementation of programme interventions.
•     Organize capacity building activities on inclusive green economy transition, just energy transition and climate finance to UNDP and government project teams.

4.) Contribution to UNDP’s work across the Asia-Pacific region, including collaboration with the regional economist network and analysis of priority regional thematic areas:
•     Participate actively in the UNDP Asia-Pacific regional network of economists, through attending regional meetings (in-person and/or virtual), sharing relevant experiences, and conducting peer reviews;
•     Collaborate and contribute to regional publications, practice notes, and Regional Human Development Reports;
•     Substantively contribute as possible to UNDP regional knowledge products and development of programming offers in regional priority areas (e.g., inequality, future of work, innovative financing);
•     Enhance UNDP’s understanding and design of new approaches to sustainable development across the region by acting as a regional thematic lead where possible.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

• 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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies

• 2030 Agenda: Prosperity  Inclusive Growth Economic Transformation
• 2030 Agenda: Prosperity   Inclusive Growth SDGs/National Development Strategy, Planning and Budgeting
• 2030 Agenda: Prosperity    Inclusive Growth Green Economy
• Business Direction & Strategy    System 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.
• Business Management    Partnerships Management    Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders,
  Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Business Management    Portfolio Management    Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization’s programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements