Proposal Writer

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

The East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), headquartered in Bangkok, supports UNOPS operations across 24 countries in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and the Pacific. Established in January 2023, EAPMCO provides strategic direction, operational support, and quality assurance to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of projects across its portfolio. EAPMCO implements initiatives in priority areas such as energy transition, climate change, and sustainable development, drawing on UNOPS' core expertise in human resources, procurement, infrastructure, fund management, and programme management.

The Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership (ETP), a programme of UNOPS, brings together governments and philanthropies to work with partner countries in the region. We support the transition towards modern energy systems that can simultaneously ensure economic growth, energy security, and environmental sustainability. Enabling the transition toward greener energy systems will greatly contribute to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement objectives. 

ETP focuses on Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, which are the countries in the region with the highest energy demand, a substantial pipeline for fossil fuel-based projects, and a significant and cost-effective potential for renewable energy and energy efficiency. ETP provides high-level technical advisory support, holistic support to Governments on financing and technical needs, capacity and skill development, and facilitation of dialogues in all related areas. 

The role will primarily support the development of comprehensive technical proposals for funding opportunities, alongside business development pitches, case studies, and donor-facing reports. The role ensures that complex energy data and project methodologies are translated into competitive grant applications that clearly align with ETP’s Results-Based Monitoring Framework (RBMF). The primary objectives are to articulate ETP’s programme value proposition, secure new funding, and demonstrate impact to targeted audiences.

The role will be home-based and is part of ETP’s retainer pool. This is not a full-time position. Retainers are engaged to carry out tasks on an intermittent basis, called upon to work when needed or as planned. There are no guaranteed minimum working hours or days. 

The retainer will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Manager based in Bangkok, and will closely coordinate with the Country Coordinators based in Jakarta, Hanoi, and Manila. S/he will develop a workplan upon signing the contract, and can update the workplan periodically to adjust to ETP’s needs and requirements. Specifications and deadlines for each individual assignment will be given as and when the services are requested.

1. Review ETP programme/project documents, technical data, and regional energy policies to construct compelling, technically sound funding narratives, logical frameworks, and project methodologies.

2. Gather and synthesize highly technical data and information, outlining the appropriate structure for funding proposals in close coordination with ETP technical experts to ensure inputs are accurately captured and highly competitive.

3. Ensure the accuracy and technical depth of the narratives in articulating complex energy transition concepts, financial needs, and anticipated climate impacts to potential donors.

4. Ensure the narrative drafting and project design are results-based, being heavily grounded in ETP's Theory of Change and RBMF, demonstrating clear value propositions and return-on-investment for philanthropies and government funders.

5. Translate complex energy transition mechanics into clear, persuasive proposals tailored specifically to the evaluation criteria and priorities of diverse funding bodies.

6. Participate in programme team meetings to identify pipeline opportunities, acquire technical insights, and integrate updates on the region's energy infrastructure and geopolitical contexts into funding strategies.

7. Support the structuring and refinement of business development proposals, ensuring strict adherence to donor templates, evaluation criteria, and ETP branding guidelines.

8. Work collaboratively to interview and coordinate with internal subject matter experts to extract technical data and refine competitive grant applications based on iterative feedback.

9. Perform other technical writing, editing, or proposal-support functions as needs arise.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Studies, Energy Policy, Sustainable Development, Renewable Energy Engineering, Economics, or any related technical field with 4 years of relevant experience  OR
  
  

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above disciplines with 2 years of relevant experience is required.

Required

• Relevant experience is work in technical proposal writing, grant writing, project design, or a similar role focused on business development is required.

• Demonstrated expertise and deep understanding of climate change, modern energy systems, or energy transition topics is required.

• Good knowledge of Google-suite applications is required

Desired

• Experience working with UN, EU, or philanthropic donor funding guidelines, logical frameworks, and evaluation criteria is highly desirable.

• Strong research, technical data synthesis, and analytical skills are highly desirable.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.