National Project Specialist (Open to Tier 1 & Tier 2 Applicants)

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

As part of these efforts, UNDP, with anchor investment from partners such as the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of Germany and in consultation with several members of Tiger Conservation Coalition (TCC), is leading the development and operationalization of the Tiger Landscapes Investment Facility (TLIF). The Tiger Landscapes Investment Facility or TLIF is a blended finance mechanism developed in response to the urgent need to catalyze private sector investments into nature-positive businesses that contribute to the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of Tiger Landscapes.

The TLIF is uniquely structured to mobilize private sector capital predominantly from domestic financial institutions. The TLIF is structured to have two arms. The Technical Assistance Facility (TA facility) aims to work with the local stakeholders, conservation organizations, and institutions – government and private - to develop pipelines of investable projects. An innovative and fit-for-purpose guarantee facility – administered by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) – provided to the local financial institutions to enable lending to those pipelines of projects created through the support of the TA facility. The TLIF is also designed to have a unique governance structure that represents the donors, the investors and members of the Tiger Conservation Coalition (TCC).

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Project Specialist (NPS) will lead the coordination and management of the TA facility in Nepal. The incumbent will identify and engage with partners on pipeline development and coordinate with the Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to support the financing of the nature-positive projects. By the end of the project, a substantial number of enterprises are expected to have been established, contributing to the conservation and restoration of the tiger landscapes. In addition to that the NPS will contribute to the impact monitoring and evaluation, randomized verification, preparation of case studies and engagement with the government to further enhance the scale and impact of the Facility.

The NPS will lead the project and oversee day-to-day implementation of the TA Facility in Nepal under the direct supervision of the Portfolio Manager, Resilience and Environment Portfolio and in close coordination with the Global Project Manager of the TLIF as well as the Assistant Resident Representative (ARR) for Nepal. The NPS will be responsible for ensuring that project results are delivered in line with the approved project document, meeting agreed standards of quality, timeframes, and budget. Key duties include preparing annual work plans and budgets for approval, as well as semi-annual and annual progress reports outlining achievements, challenges, and necessary adjustments. The NPS will manage procurement and recruitment of national and international service providers and specialist expertise in consultation with the Global team and Country Office. The NPS will also play a central role in coordinating the efforts of all partners to ensure coherent and effective delivery.

Lead Project Coordination and Management

• Develop annual work plans, budgets, and targets in line with the TLIF Project Document.
• Monitor progress against plans, identify bottlenecks, and propose corrective measures to ensure timely and quality delivery.
• Support UNDP with regular updates, background materials, and reporting for decision-making.
• Lead and supervise the Project, setting clear objectives and providing performance guidance.
• Oversee procurement, contracting, and recruitment processes, including drafting TORs and technical specifications.
• Ensure the effective and accountable use of project resources in line with UNDP standards.
• Identify, contract, and supervise consultants, suppliers, and service providers to ensure quality and timely delivery of outputs.
• Coordinate and oversee the timely execution of project activities, consultants, and suppliers.
• Monitor the quality of technical outputs, ensuring compliance with approved standards.
• Establish and maintain systems for monitoring progress, risks, and results.
• Prepare semi-annual and annual progress reports for submission to Global Team and CO.
• Lead the implementation of project activities, ensuring the timely delivery of approved project outputs and coordination with responsible parties.
• Coordinate annual and third-party verification processes and consolidate impact and other relevant reports as required by the donor, UNDP and the government partners.
• Monitor project risks, provide updates on evolving or materialized risks, and propose mitigation and management actions.
• Ensure compliance with project frameworks and funding requirements, especially UNDP’s Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP).

Lead Implementation of Technical Assistance Facility

• Lead the establishment of pipeline development programme by identifying business service providers, specialised agencies, and conservation NGOs through a competitive process.
• Lead the technical assistance to the financial service providers (FSPs), particularly in ensuring that the TLIF eligibility criteria are fit for purpose and are accurately applied as per the agreement between TLIF and the FSPs.
• Engage pipeline development partners to enhance outreach to local enterprises to be developed.
• Strengthen the capacity of the pipeline development partners, focusing on improving the biodiversity impact of the enterprises.
• Establish and manage relevant advisory groups to enhance the competitiveness of the nature-positive enterprises
• Facilitate exchanges between business service providers, conservation NGOs, specialized government agencies and Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to enhance financial and impact competitiveness of enterprises and increase the outreach to target beneficiaries.
• Conduct field visits to potential and financed enterprises to monitor impact and provide strategic support for strengthening biodiversity-positive impact.
• Coordinate with the Impact Investment Specialist to ensure FSPs have the necessary capacity to apply the Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), including the TLIF eligibility criteria, and monitor biodiversity impact.
• Coordinate with the Impact Investment Specialist to ensure that the necessary financial literacy and capacity on finance among the business service providers, and the enterprises financed.

Build Strategic Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement and Facilitate Knowledge Sharing

• Serve as the central point of coordination and maintain strong working relationships with project partners at national, state, and community levels, ensuring effective liaison with government counterparts, UN agencies, and other responsible parties involved in implementation.
• Ensure regular engagement with the government and other stakeholders to share updates, challenges and opportunities.
• Maintain good relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector partners, financial institutions, conservation organizations including the members of the Tiger Conservation Coalition, and local communities within tiger landscapes.
• Organize, facilitate, and/or participate in events, meetings, workshops and conferences to enhance the profile of the TLIF and to engage stakeholders.
• Support the south-south exchange and participation of the government in relevant events.
• Support knowledge-sharing and learning efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the Tiger Landscapes Investment Facility.
• Support project visibility and communications activities in coordination with UNDP and national partners.
• Promote knowledge exchange and capacity development with Government counterparts and local stakeholders.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices within Nepal and across region.

Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Inclusion:

• Ensure mainstreaming of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) principles throughout project planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting in line with national policies and UNDP’s gender and social safeguards requirements.
• Facilitate the integration of gender-responsive and inclusive climate actions in project interventions, ensuring that women, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups actively participate and benefit equitably.
• Promote capacity development on GESI and climate resilience for project staff, implementing partners, and local stakeholders, ensuring inclusive participation and gender-balanced representation.
• Ensure that data collection and reporting are sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated, and that progress reports adequately reflect gender equality and social inclusion outcomes.
• Identify and address potential gender and social risks associated with project activities, proposing mitigation measures in coordination with relevant stakeholders.

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

Institutional Arrangement

The National Project Specialist will head the Project Unit and oversee day-to-day implementation of the TA Facility in Nepal. The NPS will function as the Project Manager for TLIF in accordance with UNDP’s Internal Control Framework under the direct supervision of the Portfolio Manager (Resilience and Environment). The NPS is required to work in close coordination with the Global Project Manager of the TLIF as well as under the guidance from the Assistant Resident Representative (Resilience and Environment Portfolio) for Nepal.

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: UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies Nature

• Ecosystems and biodiversity: Biodiversity Finance Procurement
  • Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Policy and practice shift
  • Strategic sourcing: Business Management
    • Knowledge of strategic sourcing concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations
    • Project Management
      • Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and control resources, procedures, and protocols to achieve specific goals
      • 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
        • Risk Management 2030 Agenda: People
          • Identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks
          • Gender Business Direction & Strategy
            • Innovation for Gender Equality
            • System Thinking 2030 Agenda: Prosperity
              • 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
              • Inclusive Growth Required Skills and Experience Min. Education requirements Min. years of relevant work experience A minimum of 5 years (with a master’s degree) or 7 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of relevant experience in project implementation and management, with a focus on planning, monitoring, reporting, and stakeholder and team coordination. Required skills Good computer literacy – MS office applications, web-based management information systems. Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section Required Language(s) Fluency in English and Nepali is required. Equal opportunity As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all. Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. Right to select multiple candidates 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. Use of AI by candidates Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection Scam alert UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert. #LI-DNI
                • Social Inclusion
                • Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Finance, Environmental Science, Business Administration, or a related field is required. Or
                • A first-level university degree (bachelor's degree) in the said fields with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a master’s degree.
                • Experience in business development, pipeline development or entrepreneurship
                • Experience in processing and interpreting data and information.
                • Experience in effectively networking within the national team and with external institutions.
                • Experience in biodiversity conservation.
                • Experience in impact investment or finance, including biodiversity or conservation finance;
                • Experience of the UN and/or UNDP's rules, policies and procedures.
                • Exposure to environmental issues or biodiversity
                • Prior experience in managing high-value, donor-funded projects
                • Extensive managerial experience, including experience in leading multi-cultural teams.
                • Demonstrated leadership in multi-stakeholder coordination (government, civil society, IPLCs, private sector, and international organizations).
                • Demonstrated ability to draft high-quality reports, policy briefs, and official communications;
                • Experience in budget management and oversight experience
                • Proven experience in working with government counterparts, donors, and development partners at policy/strategic level including familiarity with government procedures, donor compliance requirements, and project governance frameworks.