Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the backbone of the UN development system and its premier development agency, partnering with countries to advance sustainable development through policy, technical expertise, implementation, and global partnerships. With a universal mandate and presence in over 170 countries and territories, UNDP works with governments to address complex challenges, strengthen institutions, and deliver inclusive, broad-based growth.
UNDP has partnered with Malaysia for more than six decades, contributing to its transition to an upper-middle-income economy. This partnership has spanned governance, poverty reduction, Energy, climate, digitalization, and inclusive growth, evolving from stand-alone projects to integrated policy and financing solutions that deliver systemic national impact.
The UNDP Country Office serves Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam, enabling it to leverage regional expertise and cross-border innovation. Work in Malaysia focuses on national priorities; in Singapore on knowledge and innovation partnerships; and in Brunei on strategic technical cooperation. This multi-country platform positions the Country Office as both a national partner and regional connector.
The Country Programme Document (2026-2030) for Malaysia maps the next phase of engagement, reinforcing UNDP’s role as a trusted advisor, integrator, and delivery partner advancing scalable, results-driven solutions for inclusive prosperity, sustainability, and resilience.
UNDP is the partner of choice for nature, climate, and biodiversity action globally and in Malaysia. As demand for this work grows across the three countries, the Country Office is seeking an experienced leader to head its Nature, Climate, and Energy portfolio.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE) portfolio is a core pillar of UNDP Malaysia’s 2026–2030 Country Programme, anchoring UNDP’s leadership on Energy, climate, and biodiversity and supporting Malaysia’s transition to a nature-positive, climate-resilient, low-carbon economy. As the largest portfolio, it carries the Country Office’s largest portion of programme delivery and fiduciary responsibility.
Under the guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative, the Programme Specialist serves as a senior strategic advisor on all NCE matters, providing analysis to inform decisions, priorities, and risk management. The role works across programme, policy, and operations teams to ensure an integrated, results-focused portfolio, and collaborates with a wide range of technical experts to strengthen partnerships and development impact.
The Programme Specialist leads programme design, policy advisory, and portfolio planning, advancing new initiatives and financing aligned with national priorities and the Country Programme. The role builds high-level partnerships with government, vertical funds, and the private sector, while ensuring strong oversight, compliance, and fiduciary integrity.
The incumbent serves as UNDP’s senior government counterpart for vertically financed programmes, overseeing governance, delivery, risk, and compliance, and ensuring alignment with national priorities and funding requirements. The Programme Specialist is accountable for portfolio performance and results, supervises unit staff, and coordinates with the UNDP’s Regional Hub, headquarters, UN partners, and national stakeholders from the private sector and civil society.
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
Provide strategic leadership, portfolio-level direction, coordination, and management of the programme/unit in the area of nature, climate and Energy focused on:
- Leading analysis of national and regional policy, regulatory, and financing trends on nature, climate, and Energy across Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, providing forward-looking advice to guide strategic planning, programme design, and implementation readiness.
- Identifying priority areas for NCE programming aligned with UNDP strategic objectives, national climate and Energy commitments, and partner priorities, and drives government engagement to operationalize CPD results, including through joint UN and multi-partner initiatives.
- Ensuring strategic coherence, technical rigor, and results orientation across the NCE portfolio, with strong theories of change, measurable indicators, and evidence-based reporting against corporate and country programme targets.
- Applying UNDP programme and operations policies to NCE delivery, strengthening efficiency, fiduciary integrity, risk management, and standardized procedures across projects and implementing partners.
- Monitoring NCE portfolio performance, delivery, and risk exposure, ensuring timely corrective action, measurable Energy and development impact, and systematic use of lessons learned to improve implementation and accountability.
- Other tasks as may be required to successfully deliver these objectives.
Ensure portfolio-level accountability, quality control and effective oversight, focused on:
- Providing strategic oversight of programmes and projects, ensuring compliance with corporate standards, safeguards, fiduciary requirements, and vertical fund rules. Leads annual planning, quarterly reviews, and performance monitoring.
- Tracking portfolio results and KPIs and advises Senior Management on corrective actions based on risk and performance trends.
- Ensuring compliance with vertical fund assurance requirements, including GEF processes, audit readiness, and clear segregation of duties. Maintains structured engagement with government counterparts to support delivery and accountability.
- Overseeing use of Quantum and corporate systems and serves as Manager Level 2 for project transaction approvals in line with internal controls.
- Applying enterprise risk management across the portfolio, including safeguards, SESP, HACT assurance, and partner cash transfer oversight.
- Monitoring programme finance and delivery, including advances, co-financing, and implementation progress, and escalates issues requiring action.
- Ensuring delivery of unit workplan priorities and contribution to Country Office KPIs and vertical fund performance targets.
- Ensuring timely, high-quality reporting aligned with results frameworks and donor requirements.
- Maintaining effective programme and risk management systems and ensures compliance with cost-recovery policies in coordination with operations and finance.
- Other tasks as may be required to successfully deliver these objectives.
Establish and maintain strategic partnerships and leads resources mobilization in cooperation with Senior Management and other programme units focused on:
- Leading implementation of partnership strategies, driving portfolio growth and identifying sustainable, predictable financing sources, including vertical funds.
- Building and sustains strong strategic relationships with government, national stakeholders, and international partners.
- Reviewing new project concepts to ensure high-quality design, compliant project documents, and sound financial agreements aligned with UNDP rules.
- Leading engagement with experts, UN agencies, development partners, and think tanks to strengthen collaboration and technical depth.
- Positioning UNDP’s thought leadership and directs provision of high-quality, demand-driven policy advice to government counterparts.
- Conducting donor intelligence and strategic analysis to identify funding opportunities, cost-sharing prospects, and priority areas of cooperation aligned with national needs and UNDP objectives.
- Clearing donor reports and ensures projects comply with partnership agreements, UNDP standards, and reporting requirements.
- Other tasks as may be required to successfully deliver these objectives.
Lead strategic innovation and pipeline development and ensures identification of development and climate financing solutions focused on:
- Championing innovation in programme delivery and leads adoption of new approaches that accelerate results.
- Leveraging innovative tools, partnerships, and resources to increase programme impact and scalability.
- Directing collaboration with the SDG Impact and Acceleration Unit to develop solutions for climate adaptation, mitigation, finance, and energy transition.
- Leading development of climate finance strategies, including landscape and stakeholder analyses to guide implementation.
- Overseeing sector mapping to set financing priorities and build a strong pipeline of bankable nature, climate, and energy projects.
- Driving analysis of barriers and incentives to expand private sector investment and green finance.
- Ensuring quality assurance of capacity and risk assessments, including private sector due diligence.
- Other tasks as may be required to successfully deliver these objectives.
Lead provision of high-level policy and technical advisory services and facilitates knowledge building and management focused on:
- Translating evaluation findings, monitoring data, and lessons learned into programme and policy adjustments that strengthen results.
- Leading coordination with development institutions and strategic partners to advance national priorities with government.
- Maintaining strong networks with government and partners at national and subnational levels, and connects with UNDP’s Global Policy Network and international actors.
- Directing advocacy and awareness initiatives linked to UN conventions on climate, biodiversity, desertification, and chemicals.
- Contributing actively to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Producing clear knowledge products on best practices and lessons learned.
- Leading knowledge management and capacity-building initiatives, including training for programme and project staff.
- Other tasks as may be required to successfully deliver these objectives.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization
Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities:
- The Programme Specialist will be responsible and accountable for supervision, performance management and development of various personnel.
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
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Business Direction & Strategy
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritized plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends; to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and ways forward look like for UNDP
- 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 Development
- Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to encourage individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally
Partnerships Management
- Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding: Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms.
- Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships.
Business Management
- Risk Management: Ability to identify and organize action around mitigating and proactively managing risks
- Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organisation programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimising return on investment
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Natural Resources Management, Climate Action, Energy, Environmental Management, Conservation and Biodiversity, Business Administration, Public Administration, Environmental Law, International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, or any related field is required. OR
- A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 year’s (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience providing policy or management advisory services in nature, climate, energy, or any related fields at national or international level.
- At least 2 years overseeing multiple complex development projects in areas such as climate, Energy, development/climate finance, disaster risk reduction or related areas is required.
- Experience and strong understanding of policy development processes, preferably in Malaysia, with proven ability to lead multi-stakeholder coordination and partnerships across development actors is desired.
- Proven experience managing multidisciplinary teams, preferably in climate, Energy, or biodiversity sectors to deliver results is desired.
- Experience with a UN agency or international organization, including familiarity with UNDP policies and procedures, particularly in donor and vertical fund management, is an advantage.
- Proficiency in standard office software and web-based management systems is required. Experience in resource mobilization is an asset.
- Fluency in English and Bahasa Malaysia 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.
Probation
For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
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.
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