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

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Mongolia Country Office supports the Government of Mongolia in achieving sustainable development outcomes in line with national priorities and the UNDP Country Programme. UNDP Mongolia places particular emphasis on integrated approaches to climate action, environmental sustainability, and inclusive governance. Within this framework, UNDP implements the Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Management of Natural Ecosystems Portfolio, which aims to strengthen climate resilience, promote low-emission development pathways, improve ecosystem management, and enhance institutional, policy, and financing mechanisms at national and subnational levels.

The Green and Inclusive Cities in Mongolia (GICM) Project is a national initiative financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF-8) under the Global Sustainable Cities Integrated Program, implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) with technical and implementation support from UNDP. Its overall goal is to support the transition toward integrated, inclusive, low-carbon, and climate-resilient urban development by strengthening urban planning and governance systems, improving cross-sectoral coordination, advancing results-based green budgeting and public finance, piloting inclusive and climate-responsive urban solutions, and enhancing institutional and human capacities at national and municipal levels. The project is implemented in Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, and Erdenet, where growing pressures on land use, air quality, infrastructure, service delivery, and social inclusion increasingly affect urban sustainability and resilience.

The project is structured main three components addressing (1) policy, regulatory, institutional and financial frameworks for integrated green urban development; (2) investments in sustainable, nature-positive and resilient urban solutions and innovative finance; (3) knowledge sharing and capacity development. It is implemented through a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under the oversight of a Project Board and in close coordination with Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), the UNDP Country Office, and the municipal authorities of Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, and Erdenet.

The Circular Economy and Waste Management Analyst shall report to and work under the direct supervision of the National Project Manager (NPM), and under the overall guidance of the Project Steering Committee. The contractor shall work in close collaboration with the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) staff and the project consultants' team. He/she is expected to liaise, interact, and collaborate with relevant stakeholders at national and local levels, including the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), Ministry of Urban development, construction and Housing, Ministry of Food, agriculture and light industry and the UNDP Country Office, the UNDP Regional Technical Advisor, and the municipal authorities of Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, and Erdenet. The assignment will be carried out in accordance with the approved Project Document, Annual Work Plans, and UNDP–GEF policies and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the National Project Manager (NPM) and in close collaboration with the PIU and the project consultants' team, the Circular Economy and Waste Management Analyst (part-time, 50%) provides technical leadership for the project's work on environmentally sound waste management and circular economy and material recovery systems, with a focus on Darkhan and Erdenet. The Expert ensures that interventions strengthen institutional coordination, recycling infrastructure, and public engagement, in compliance with the approved Project Document and Annual Work Plans.

The position leads Output 2.4 (environmentally sound waste management and the establishment of circular economy and material recovery systems) and contributes to Output 3.2 (Green City Innovation Labs - circular-economy and waste-reduction challenges) and Output 3.3 (public engagement and behaviour change on integrated waste management), helping cities close material loops, reduce plastic and organic waste, and create inclusive green jobs

Specific duties and responsibilities

1. Establish circular economy coordination and strategy

  • Support the establishment and operation of a multi-stakeholder circular economy working group in in pilot cities to coordinate circular economy initiatives, including materials flow analysis, waste reduction strategies, and inclusive recycling systems
  • Provide technical guidance on the application of life-cycle thinking in sectors such as construction, catering, renewable energy and battery lifecycle, and municipal services, and support Ulaanbaatar in developing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) roadmap.
  • Benchmark international and regional circular-economy good practices and assess complementary policy and economic instruments (e.g., deposit-return schemes, landfill levies, and green procurement) to strengthen the Extended Producer Responsibility roadmap and waste-reduction strategy.
  • Promote digital innovations, AI tools for circular economy solutions, including compost logistics, waste tracking, and food-system monitoring.

2. Develop waste and circular-economy infrastructure and investments

  • Support the establishment of small-scale composting and material recovery facilities (MRFs) in pilot cities through public-private partnerships (PPPs), including site selection, partnership structuring, and operational planning with gender and labor considerations.
  • Guide investments to improve waste recycling and disposal infrastructure in pilot cities — sorting stations, drop-off points, and collection systems for plastics, paper, metals, and organics in ger areas — including a transportation waste recycling logistics centers.
  • Oversee a technical study evaluating green technologies for hazardous medical waste and inform locally adapted solutions, ensuring no GEF funds are used for piloting technologies excluded under project safeguards.

3. Drive behavior change, inclusion and green jobs

  • Design and support awareness-raising and behaviour-change campaigns to reach 10,000 households in pilot cities, including marginalized households, using audience segmentation, city-specific materials, waste audits, and gamification, and measure results through pre/post surveys and monitoring of participation and contamination rates, in alignment with the integrated waste-management awareness campaign.
  • Ensure circular economy and waste interventions are gender-responsive and create inclusive green job opportunities, in coordination with the PIU and municipal stakeholders.
  • Support Green City Innovation Labs activties and Innovation Challenges/hackathons on waste reduction, recycling, and circular-economy solutions, help select and fund small-scale pilots, and channel results and lessons to the Green City Knowledge Hubs.

4. Support procurement, coordination, knowledge and reporting

  • Provide technical inputs to procurement (ToRs, technical specifications, evaluation) for waste management and circular economy consultancies, works, and equipment, and supervise the quality of contractors' deliverables.
  • Coordinate with municipal authorities, the private sector, and informal waste workers, and support inter-city knowledge exchange on circular economy and waste management.
  • Contribute to project reporting, knowledge products, and capacity-building activities.
  • Ensure all technical reports, equipment, deliverables and any other products or specific terms of references that are produced or purchased by the project are at highest appropriate quality
  • Facilitate access of UNDP technical teams as per their oversight role to any technical products and deliverables of key activities both in terms of ad hoc requests and standard procedures;

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

Competencies

Core competencies:

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

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 Development

  • Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and communities of contributors to participate and share, particularly externally

Business Management

  • Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
  • Partnerships Management: Ability to 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
  • Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience; Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
  • Monitoring & Evaluation: Ability to systematically monitor results of strategies, programmes, and activities with a view to make sure that they are being implemented effectively; Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback and reporting on the consistency or discrepancy between planned activities and programme management and results. Ability to make independent judgment of the management and results of strategies, programmes and activities based on set criteria and benchmark, keeping in mind the needs and concerns of client, current and upcoming. Knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, concepts, methodologies, systems, processes, and tools. Ability to make an independent judgement based on set criteria and benchmarks. Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.

2030 Agenda: Planet

  • Climate: Circular economy and green economy

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental engineering, environmental management, waste management, circular economy, industrial ecology, or a related field; OR
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • Applicants with a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field of study are not required to have professional work experience.
  • Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) are required to have a minimum of two (2) years of relevant professional experience in waste management, circular economy, recycling/material recovery, or environmental management is required.

Required skills:

  • Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and web-based management systems, and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages.

Desired Skills:

  • Demonstrated experience in raising public awareness and driving behavior change on waste management, including conducting relevant surveys and campaigns.
  • Substantive expertise in hazardous and solid waste management including regulatory requirements and handling, treatment and disposal practice

Required Language(s)

  • Fluency in English and Mongolian is required

Professional Certificates

  • Relevant professional certification or specialized training in the field is an asset

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.

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