Result of Service

The consultant will serve as the in-country anchor for UNEP’s green and climate finance activities in Lao PDR, providing substantive research and analytical support, government liaison, workshop coordination, and administrative backstopping across the EFPU and UNEP FI workstreams. The Consultant will work in a UNDP Project management team of international and local professional and support staff. The Consultant is expected to exercise full compliance with UNEP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems. Specifically, the consultant will: • Enable the development of robust, evidence-based analyses on green budgeting, environmental fiscal reform, and financial sector sustainability through data collection, research, and drafting support • Facilitate clear communication and alignment with government counterparts by ensuring accurate translation, localisation, and presentation of technical materials in Lao and English • Support the successful design and delivery of capacity-building workshops, ensuring relevance to the Lao context and effective participation of key stakeholders • Ensure smooth in-country coordination and continuity of programme activities through proactive liaison, administrative support, and stakeholder management Overall, the consultant will contribute to strengthening the policy and institutional foundations for sustainable public finance and financial sector development in Lao PDR.

Work Location

Working remotely / Home-based (Vientiane, Lao PDR)

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The overall objective of the UNEP’s Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers and investors. For over 34 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations Joint Programme on Green and Climate Finance is a 24-month initiative implemented by UNDP (the leading agency), UNEP, UN-Habitat, and FAO. It aims to support the achievement of Objective 5.3.1 of the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy: "green growth and climate-resilient development are financed through sustainably increasing budget allocations, improving green budgeting, mobilizing ODA, and increasing private sector investments in an enabling business environment." The joint programme takes a two-fold approach to support sustainably financing green growth and climate-resilient development objectives of the NSEDP: i. expanding technical assistance to address current gaps in green and climate finance policy implementation; ii. enhancing coordination for greater policy coherence and effectiveness. By leveraging the expertise of 4 UN agencies, the joint programme will provide technical assistance to relevant Government departments responsible for the implementation of 8 policy actions (of the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy’s 54 actions) related to chapter 5.3 on green and climate finance. In addition, the programme will contribute to strengthening governance and management of 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy through supporting the establishment and operationalisation of a Sub-Committee on Green and Climate Finance under the “Financing Strategy for the 9th NSEDP National Committee”. Under this joint programme, two UNEP entities share responsibility for complementary analytical and capacity-building workstreams: UNEP’s Economics and Fiscal Policy Unit (EFPU) leads Activities 2.2 and 2.5, covering the Sustainable Budgeting Approach (SBA) and Environmental Fiscal Reform (EFR). These activities support the Ministry of Finance in integrating sustainability considerations into fiscal processes through (a) adapting and applying the SBA methodology to assess Lao PDR’s national budget across economic, social, and environmental dimensions; and (b) developing costed, sequenced policy recommendations on environmental fiscal reform options — including carbon pricing, green subsidies, and natural-resource revenue instruments — to align fiscal policy with the country’s green growth objectives. This work responds to Action 14 (green budgeting) and Action 51 (environmental fiscal reform) of the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy. UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) leads Activity 2.4, focused on the environmental sustainability of the financial sector. This involves developing a report with policy recommendations for the Bank of Lao PDR (BoL) and delivering capacity-building activities to strengthen sustainable finance practices within BoL and Lao commercial banks, in line with Action 50 of the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy. This national consultant position is jointly established and co-funded by EFPU (two-thirds) and UNEP FI (one-third) to provide in-country research, coordination, and operational support across both workstreams. The consultant will be the primary Vientiane-based presence for UNEP’s joint programme activities, ensuring continuity between international expert missions, maintaining government relationships, and contributing substantively to both the public finance and financial sector work. The consultant will attend the weekly Climate and Sustainable Finance Hub at the Ministry of Finance, in-person. Objectives: In line with the work programme to be delivered under the United Nations Joint Programme on Green and Climate Finance and under the direct supervision of the Head of UNEP FI Membership & Regional Coordination of UNEP FI, and the Programme Management Officer of UNEP EFPU, in close cooperation with other relevant teams the consultant will carry out the following project tasks: The Consultant will deliver the following outputs in accordance with the project workplan and timelines agreed with UNEP EFPU and UNEP FI. All deliverables shall be submitted electronically in Microsoft Office format (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and/or PDF, as required. Output 1: Research and analytical support provided for Green Fiscal Policy activities (EFPU Activities 2.2 & 2.5) • Relevant Lao-language fiscal and budget documents identified, compiled, translated (where required), and shared with the project team. • Budget and fiscal datasets reviewed, formatted, and validated to support Sustainable Budgeting Approach (SBA) and Environmental Fiscal Reform (EFR) analyses. • Research inputs, briefing notes, policy summaries, and supporting materials prepared in line with project requirements. • Performance Indicator: Timely submission of research inputs and datasets meeting quality standards established by the supervising experts. Output 2: Research and analytical support provided for Financial Sector Sustainability activities (UNEP FI Activity 2.4) • Policy and regulatory mapping of sustainable finance developments in Lao PDR completed and regularly updated. • Stakeholder interviews coordinated and/or conducted, with interview notes and summaries prepared. • Draft sections of the financial sector sustainability report prepared and revised based on feedback from UNEP FI and the Bank of Lao PDR. • Performance Indicator: Completion of assigned report sections and analytical outputs within agreed timelines and to the satisfaction of UNEP FI and project counterparts. Output 3: Capacity-building workshops and stakeholder engagement activities supported • Workshops or capacity-building events successfully coordinated and delivered. • Workshop agendas, concept notes, presentations, participant materials, translations, and evaluation forms prepared and disseminated. • Participant feedback and evaluation results compiled and analysed. • Performance Indicator: Workshops delivered according to agreed schedules, with required documentation completed and participant feedback reports submitted within agreed timelines. Output 4: Project coordination and administration support provided • Regular liaison maintained with government counterparts, project partners, and technical experts. • Meeting minutes, correspondence, stakeholder records, procurement-related documentation, and reporting inputs prepared as required. • Administrative and operational support provided in accordance with UNEP and UNDP procedures. • Performance Indicator: Timely completion of coordination and administrative tasks, effective communication with stakeholders, and submission of required reports and documentation according to project deadlines. Specific tasks and responsibilities: The Consultant, jointly hired by UNEP EFPU and UNEP FI, works in a UNDP Project management team of international and local professional and support staff. The Consultant will provide support on policy research for the development of the report for the Bank of Lao PDR (BoL), as well as for the preparation and implementation of capacity building activities to disseminate the recommendations and enhance the capacities on sustainable finance within the Bank of Lao PDR (BoL). The Consultant is expected to exercise full compliance with UNEP programming, financial, procurement and administrative rules, regulations, policies and strategies, as well as implementation of the effective internal control systems. Summary of Key Functions: • Research and Analytical Support for Green Fiscal Policy (EFPU – Activities 2.2 & 2.5); • Research and Analytical Support for Financial Sector Sustainability (UNEP FI – Activity 2.4) • Workshop and Capacity-Building Coordination (Both Workstreams) • Project Administration, Liaison, and Coordination (Both Workstreams) Function A: Research and Analytical Support for Green Fiscal Policy (EFPU – Activities 2.2 & 2.5) Supporting the international experts delivering the Sustainable Budgeting Approach and Environmental Fiscal Reform analysis. Tasks include: • Source, compile, and where necessary translate Lao-language government fiscal documents — including Budget Execution Reports, Government Finance Statistics, revenue data, and Ministry of Finance policy documents — for use in the SBA and EFR analyses • Support the application of the SBA methodology by assisting with data entry, verification, and formatting of budget line-item data for the triple-lens (economic, social, environmental) assessment framework • Conduct desk-based research on Lao PDR’s fiscal landscape, including tax expenditure data, subsidy structures, extractive-sector revenue flows, and environmental fee regimes, to inform the EFR analysis • Assist in drafting Lao-language summaries, data tables, and briefing materials for Ministry of Finance counterparts • Support the preparation of policy briefs and workshop materials, ensuring accuracy of Lao-language fiscal terminology and alignment with MoF conventions • Contribute to mapping the transition from the 9th to the 10th NSEDP Financing Strategy as it relates to green budgeting and environmental fiscal reform commitments Function B: Research and Analytical Support for Financial Sector Sustainability (UNEP FI – Activity 2.4) Supporting the development of the report on environmental sustainability of the financial sector in Lao PDR. Tasks include: • Conduct desktop research and mapping of policy and regulatory developments related to sustainable finance in Lao PDR, including recent regulations, BoL directives, and commercial bank practices • Organise and, where needed, conduct interviews with relevant stakeholders to complete the policy mapping • Analyse and summarise research findings based on analytical frameworks agreed with the UNEP FI team • Draft relevant sections of the report based on the policy mapping and analysis, in accordance with the outline agreed with UNEP FI and BoL • Translate relevant documents between Lao and English, including the policy report (or sections thereof) and the climate mitigation journey framework Function C: Workshop and Capacity-Building Coordination (Both Workstreams) The consultant will coordinate logistics and provide substantive support for capacity-strengthening workshops under both EFPU and UNEP FI activities. Up to four workshops are anticipated during the contract period. Tasks include: • Coordinate event logistics: venue arrangements, catering, participant invitations, communications with MoF, BoL, and other agencies, and scheduling • Prepare and translate pre-event and post-event documentation, including concept notes, agendas, participant materials, and evaluation forms • Localise and adapt workshop materials for the Lao context, ensuring cultural appropriateness, accurate fiscal and financial terminology, and relevance to government counterparts • Provide interpretation services during workshops or source and coordinate professional interpreters for simultaneous translation • Support UNEP staff with travel arrangements, on-site coordination, and introductory meetings with government counterparts during missions to Vientiane • Design and administer post-event evaluations with disaggregated data collection Function D: Project Administration, Liaison, and Coordination (Both Workstreams) As the Vientiane-based anchor for UNEP’s joint programme activities, the consultant will maintain continuity between international missions and ensure effective coordination with government counterparts and project partners. Tasks include: • Act as day-to-day liaison between UNEP (EFPU and FI), government ministries (MoF, MPI, BoL, MONRE), and other joint programme partners (UNDP, UN-Habitat, FAO) • Draft meeting minutes and correspondence; translate and interpret between Lao and English as needed • Maintain stakeholder contact lists and ensure timely information flow between the UNEP teams, technical experts, and government agencies • Learn and apply UNDP’s Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP) and Quantum Platform for day-to-day project administration, financial reporting, and procurement support • Support the preparation of Financial Authorisations and procurement processes through the designated procurement agent (UNDP, UNOPS, or others) • Contribute to quarterly and annual reporting against joint programme targets The consultant will be under the overall supervision of, and, working in The consultant will report to: Overall supervisor: The Head of UNEP FI. Direct Supervisor: The Head of UNEP FI Membership & Regional Coordination The Programme Management Officer, UNEP EFPU Close Coordination: Other relevant UNEP FI, EFPU teams, and relevant project partners.

Qualifications/special skills

Education: A master’s degree in environmental or climate science or management, public policy, economics, or finance is required. A bachelor’s degree could be taken in lieu of master’s degree provided the selected candidate has 5 years of relevant experience. Professional Experience: • At least three (3) years working experience in environmental/public policy, project management, and/or sustainable finance is required. Experience in conducting policy research, supporting the design of and/or delivering capacity building programme / trainings, and/or engaging with government agencies in Lao PDR, especially Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Bank of Lao PDR and other financial regulators, is highly desirable. • Experience in project coordination, stakeholder liaison, or logistical support for policy or technical assistance projects, preferably in the field of public finance, environmental policy, or sustainable development is highly desirable. • Demonstrated ability to facilitate collaboration among international experts, government agencies, and project teams is highly desirable.

Languages

Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Fluency in both English and Lao is required.

Additional Information

Skills & Knowledge: Experience in environmental policy, financial regulations, and sustainable finance policies in Lao PDR, is highly desirable. Excellent oral and written communications skills in English, strong interpersonal skills and ability to manage complex analysis; ability to cope with juggling multiple tasks across diverse projects in an organized and timely manner; attention to detail. The consultant should have the ability to establish and maintain good working relations in a multicultural and geographically dispersed team working across functions. A hands-on, pragmatic approach is desirable.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.