National Project Manager of BIOFIN Thailand

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works in about 170 countries and territories across the world, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, and build the resilience of people and the planet so that countries can progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s global policy network and communities of practice bring a wealth of development policy insights to each country where we serve, while helping to share those countries’ experiences with the world.

In Thailand, UNDP partners with national and local institutions, civil society, academia, and the private sector to advance the SDGs, combining local, regional, and global solutions and expertise to help Thailand respond to complex challenges in an agile and inclusive way. Among them are strengthening institutions, promoting inclusive and sustainable development, tackling climate action, and conserving biodiversity

UNDP launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) in October 2012 as a new global partnership aimed at addressing the biodiversity finance challenge comprehensively. This initiative seeks to build a robust business case for increased investment in the ecosystems and biodiversity management, with a particular emphasis on national needs and transformational opportunities. The Global BIOFIN Programme supports 133 countries to design and implement the Biodiversity Finance Plan (BFP). The BFP will support countries to achieve the national targets of their National Biodiversity Strategic and Action Plans (NBSAPs) align with the 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

These solutions aim to achieve four key results: a) Generate revenues: identify existing or innovative mechanism to generate and leverage financial resources for biodiversity, such as attracting impact investments in conservation projects. b) Realign current expenditures: Implement measures to redirect existing financial flows towards biodiversity initiatives. c) Avoid future biodiversity expenditures: Develop strategies to prevent or reduce future investment needs by eliminating or amending counterproductive policies and expenditures. d) Deliver financial resources more effectively and efficiently: Enhance cost-effectiveness and efficiency in budget execution, achieve synergies, and promote a more equitable distribution of resources.

In Thailand, the BIOFIN implementation in Phase II (2018 – 2030) will continue to support the Royal Thai Government and other key stakeholders from the private sector and civil society in implementing The Biodiversity Finance Plan (2023 – 2027). This Plan outlines a mix of suitable biodiversity finance solutions aimed at closing the biodiversity finance gap in Thailand. As a result, Thailand is now implementing key biodiversity finance solutions designed to align with National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and achieve national biodiversity targets.

UNDP is seeking a National Project Manager of BIOFIN Thailand will oversee the management of in-country activities, ensuring the development and implementation of a comprehensive work plan and budget within established timelines to support implementation of the National Biodiversity Finance Plan. The Manager will foster effective collaboration among national teams and stakeholders, ensuring that implementation mechanisms such as the National Steering Committee and technical working groups, are established and functional effectively. The manager will participate in cross-country knowledge exchange and global forums highlighting the learnings in designing and implementing finance solutions. At the same time, the successful candidate will need to ensure strong integration and cooperation with other UNDP and UN’s other initiatives as well as actively contribute to resource mobilization efforts. - by contributing to ideation, preparation of concept notes and/or proposals.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.  

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.  
 

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Project Manager of BIOFIN Thailand will be under the direct supervision of the UNDP Thailand’s Integrated Team Leader. The Manager will be responsible for the overall management of in-country activities, ensuring the effective implementation of the approved work plan and budget within established timelines, while fostering strong partnerships. Embedded in the UNDP Thailand Country Office, the BIOFIN team benefits from support of the global and regional teams, offering access to international expertise, peer networks, and technical resources to continuously elevate its impact.

BIOFIN Project Management Responsibilities 

• Lead strategic planning for the project, including formulation and periodic revision of the Annual Work Plan (AWP), budget planning, HR, and procurement. Develop detailed implementation plans in close coordination with UNDP Thailand’s Programme, HR, and Procurement teams.
• Manage and coordinate overall project implementation to ensure relevance, high performance, and delivery of quality outputs within specified time and budget constraints, in line with UNDP procedures and Government standards.
• Provide direction, guidance, and direct supervision to project personnel. Review and ensure technical quality of outputs produced by the team, consultants and relevant partners.     
• Organise project workshops in a consultative manner, engaging a diverse range of biodiversity finance stakeholders, including government, private sector, NGOs, academia, local communities, and youth group. 
• Ensure timely and thorough consultation and reporting of project updates including status of implementation of finance solution and financial utilization with the National Steering Committee with accompanying agenda and documentation      
• Proactively identify and communicate risks in implementation to the global BIOFIN and the UNDP Country Office.  
• Facilitate monthly meetings among the national team and regular calls with the Senior Advisor from the global BIOFIN Team, ensuring participation of BIOFIN Core Team in regional technical calls.      
• Collaborate closely with relevant UNDP and UN initiatives to ensure effective integration, alignment, and synergy across programs.
• Actively contribute to resource mobilization efforts by identifying opportunities, supporting proposal development, and engaging with potential partners which could include, but not limited to, government, private sector, philanthropies, and others.

Capacity building and institutional strengthening

• Engage with key policy processes to integrate and mainstream BIOFIN policy recommendations.  
• Lead the development of the structure, functions, organizational linkages, and constitution of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and the Biodiversity Finance Plan for Thailand.  
• Assist in preparing templates for work plans, monitoring and evaluation systems, and partnership arrangements with national agencies and private sector. 
• Supervise the implementation of sub-projects outlined in the Biodiversity Finance Plan endorsed by the Royal Thai Government. 
• Co-organize meetings with the Global BIOFIN team to identify programs and activities within the NBSAP and BFP suitable for Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding.      

Technical support in the design and implementation of finance solutions 

• Conduct technical research and / or policy research related to the design and implementation of finance solutions including review of existing literature and policy frameworks to support the design of finance solutions 
• Convene technical meetings with partners including government agencies, private sector and academe to assess feasibility of finance solutions 
• Liaise with global team and other UNDP initiatives on improving implementation of finance 

Reporting, Communication, and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

• Monitor project performance against targets, identify course corrections, and address deviations proactively.
• Lead in project reporting, drafting monthly and quarterly reports for submission to the Global BIOFIN team and donors. 
• Develop comprehensive reports for all technical workshops. 
• Create briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles, and other media products as required. 
• Assist with research and contribute to writing and editing sections of technical reports. 
• Review all national-level deliverables to ensure quality and alignment with the BIOFIN methodology.
• Participate in cross-country knowledge exchange and global forums highlighting the learnings in designing and implementing finance solutions.
• Advocate for BIOFIN recommendations at all levels.          

Facilitate Knowledge Management and Communication

• Document programme/project stories, lessons learned, and best practices in programme/project development, implementation, and oversight. 
• Access BIOFIN and other global and regional knowledge, distill best practices and facilitate their dissemination and incorporation within BIOFIN Programme and projects, UNDP CO, and to counterparts and partners; 
• Support capacity building and networking with other BIOFIN countries at the regional and global level, and to      facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote uptake through Knowledge platforms such as webinars, thematic workshops, Knowledge fairs etc.     
• Support the technical advisor, together with other national program managers in the region, in mentoring new BIOFIN countries through peer-to-peer learning exchanges including periodic calls and in-country missions.
• Actively support the dissemination of the project’s results and achievements to wider audience in close partnership with UNDP Communications Team.

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 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 Management

• 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
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Business Direction & Strategy

• Systems 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

Partnership Management

• Strategic engagement: Ability to capture and sustain attention, interest and agreement of high-level, influential policy and decision makers and secure their buy-in of high-level vision and objectives
• Emerging partnerships: Ability to engage with emerging partners, develop and manage a strategy and develop approaches to developing and managing these new strategic partnerships

2030 Agenda: Planet 

• Nature: Ecosystems and biodiversity: Biodiversity Finance, Environmental Governance: Multilateral Environmental Agreements (e.g. CBD and UNCCD), Environment: Environmental economics, including macro and micro tools and policies. Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme: Nature-positive economy and Biodiversity Finance

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental or Natural Resource Management, Economics, Business Administration, Political Science or a related field on Environment and Finance is required. or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the above fields in combination with additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant professional experience in managing environment / natural resource management projects / initiatives and implementing sustainable finance project in Thailand

Required skills:

• Prior experience in designing or implementing sustainable finance mechanisms or projects
• Experience in working with governments and/or private sector on sustainable finance
• Experience in working collaboratively with other members in the organization

Desirable skills:

• Experience in sustainable finance and development or other closely related field.
• Experience with UNDP policies, procedures, and practices particularly to project development and implementation and/or working experience in an international organization/UN Agencies.
• Previous experience in the private sector and local government.

Required Languages: 

• Fluency in English and Thai 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.

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.