Environmental Affairs Officer

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Position Title: Environmental Affairs Officer
Location: Bangkok
Country: Thailand
Deadline Date: Not specified

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is a regional development arm of the United Nations Secretariat, established to promote sustainable and inclusive development and regional connectivity in the Asian and Pacific region. ESCAP supports its member states through policy-oriented research, normative support, technical assistance, and capacity building to address development priorities and changing needs. The organization operates in multiple countries across the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on various development challenges.

Job Overview:
The Environmental Affairs Officer position is located within the Environment and Development Policy Section of the Environment and Development Division at ESCAP. The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Environment and Development Policy Section and the overall supervision of the Director of the Environment and Development Division. The primary function of this role is to strengthen policy and decision-making by member states regarding environmental and development challenges. This includes providing technical cooperation, developing partnerships, and delivering high-quality analyses and services to support government entities in their policy-making processes. The officer will also be responsible for organizing capacity development workshops, producing knowledge products, and supporting intergovernmental and multistakeholder processes related to environment and development.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the Environmental Affairs Officer include:

• Designing, delivering, and monitoring technical cooperation projects that integrate economic, social, and environmental dimensions of development policies.
• Developing partnerships and innovative approaches to provide policy-relevant analyses and services.
• Creating project documents to support fundraising efforts from diverse donors.
• Organizing high-impact forums for capacity building and knowledge exchange among stakeholders.
• Liaising with government officials and maintaining productive working relationships.
• Undertaking missions to member states as part of technical cooperation activities.
• Organizing capacity development workshops and ensuring materials are tailored to participants' needs.
• Designing and supervising analytical work for policy advocacy and intergovernmental dialogue.
• Managing the publication process of knowledge products. 1
• Contributing to interdisciplinary work and keeping abreast of environmental and development challenges. 1
• Providing support to intergovernmental bodies and multistakeholder processes. 1
• Preparing speeches and inputs for senior staff presentations. 1
• Managing project team members and interns, and supporting administrative processes of the Division.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental management, natural sciences, social sciences with environment-related courses, or a related interdisciplinary field. A first-level university degree in the above fields combined with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in research and analysis, policy advocacy, regional cooperation, and/or technical cooperation projects related to environment and development challenges. Experience in working with multilateral environmental agreements and data analysis is also required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in relevant fields such as environmental management, natural sciences, or social sciences with environment-related courses. Alternatively, a first-level university degree in these fields along with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

Experience:
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in relevant areas such as research and analysis, policy advocacy, and technical cooperation projects related to environment and development challenges is required. Experience in water resources management, air pollution, climate mitigation, and environmental governance is also necessary. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in producing publications and knowledge products, as well as establishing partnerships with key stakeholders. Experience working in developing countries and with national governments in relevant areas is desirable.

Languages:
Fluency in English is required for this position, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of another UN official language, such as French, is considered an advantage.

Additional Notes:
The position is subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and may require staff to move periodically to new functions in their careers. The United Nations is committed to achieving gender balance and encourages female candidates to apply. The organization promotes a diverse and inclusive environment and provides reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. The recruitment process does not involve any fees, and candidates are urged to follow all application instructions carefully.