National Plastic Action Partnership Analyst

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.

Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme Document (CPD) for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), and in line with the UN Sustainable development Country Framework (UNSDCF) of the UN system with Lao PDR, UNDP in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UNDP’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government of Lao PDR in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across three broad priority pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, including UXO clearance and risk education, (2) natural resources, climate change and disaster risk reduction, and (3) effective, responsive, and accountable governance (Lao PDR | UNDP).

UNDP’s comparative advantage has been its ability to work closely with a very broad range of government and local-level institutions at all levels. The UNDP country programme is aligned with the 9th NSEDP and aims to support Lao PDR recover from the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue its transition from LDC status, with a particular emphasis on supporting inclusive growth and reducing inequality.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an independent international institution committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. The WEF, incorporated as a foundation in 1971 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, is impartial, not-for-profit and is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.

The Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) hosted by the WEF was launched in September 2018 at the Sustainable Development Investment Summit as a lighthouse initiative within the Platform for Shaping the Future of Global Public Goods.  GPAP is a public-private platform which aims to tackle one of the most difficult and pressing challenges facing our global commons — plastics pollution — in particular the plastic pollution of rivers, deltas and the ocean.

The vision of GPAP is to partner with countries to champion a shift towards a circular plastics economy by addressing the root causes of plastic pollution, from production to consumption and reuse. GPAP brings together governments, regional bodies, international organizations and businesses, as well as innovators and civil society organizations on an impartial collaboration platform with the aim to shape a more sustainable and inclusive world through the eradication of plastic pollution. At the global level as well as nationally through National Plastic Action Partnerships (NPAPs), the GPAP brings together policymakers, business leaders and civil society to accelerate plastic action in six ways: informing policy; unlocking finance; transforming behaviour; boosting innovation; harmonizing metrics; and promoting inclusivity.

In 2024,  the Government of Lao PDR, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have joined the GPAP and became the 19th country partnership.

The National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) will contribute to three strategic interventions that include:

• Align with the government of Lao PDR, build stakeholder engagement, and establish the organizational and operational structures of the NPAP. 
• Generate evidence-based insights to feed into the national action roadmap and strengthen community engagement.
• Grow the NPAP community and members’ ownership by increasing coordination and collaboration and leveraging initiatives from different partners.

UNDP Lao PDR will act as the NPAP Secretariat for Lao PDR. The NPAP Secretariat in Lao PDR will play a critical role in coordinating and implementing the NPAP's initiatives in the country and the NPAP Analyst will be mobilized as a key position of the NPAP Secretariat team at the CO.

Plastic context

Lao PDR faces significant challenges with plastic pollution, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and economic growth. The country generates a substantial amount of waste, with plastic comprising up to 24% of the total waste in urban areas. This pollution has severe environmental and health impacts, including blocked drains, air pollution, and decreased tourism value1. The increase in single-use plastics, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has worsened the situation. Waste management infrastructure is inadequate, with only 40-60% of waste collected in urban centers and much of it improperly disposed of.

The government has recognized the need for action and endorsed the National Plastic Action Plan and committing to green growth strategies. The National Plastic Action Plan outlined four key outputs:

1. Develop legislation and policies for plastic waste management. 
2. Raise public awareness about reducing and recycling plastics. 
3. Encourage alternatives to single-use plastics. 
4. Establish a monitoring system for NPAP implementation.

This represents a significant step towards integrating sustainable consumption and production practices into national policy. By prioritizing plastic waste management, promoting circular economy principles, and fostering stakeholder engagement, Laos is taking proactive measures to combat environmental degradation while supporting economic growth in a sustainable manner. However, addressing plastic pollution requires comprehensive solutions that tackle the root causes, such as unsustainable production and consumption patterns, and inadequate legal frameworks and enforcement.

Businesses are the ones producing the single-use plastic products that litter our oceans and landfills. As such, they hold the key to innovating how we produce, use, and manage resources and plays a crucial role in combating plastic pollution through innovation, investment, and collaboration. Companies are at the forefront of developing sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics, such as biodegradable and compostable materials. They also invest in advanced recycling technologies to enhance the efficiency and capacity of plastic waste management systems.

By embracing a circular economy approach, collaborating with private sector and leveraging their resources and influence, Lao PDR can accelerate the transformative efforts to mitigate plastic pollution impacts and promote sustainable development. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent liaises closely with the national authorities working in the thematic area of the project, the donor community, and other UNDP programmes and projects in the country. The incumbent works with the project experts and counterparts of the Government beneficiary institution(s), as well as engages with other national institutions, international organizations, and other relevant actors.

• The NPAP Analyst in Lao PDR will manage the NPAP Secretariat in Lao PDR and the activities of NPAP in Lao PDR. The NPAP Analyst's roles and responsibilities involve leading and managing the NPAP Secretariat team to ensure smooth day-to-day operations and effective engagement with the NPAP community, including the Leadership Board, Task Forces, and wider community through meetings, workshops, and other convening formats. 
• The Analyst supports the identification and engagement of Steering Board members, experts, and task-force members, and leads the planning and implementation of strategic activities for NPAP in 2025 and beyond. Responsibilities include overseeing partnership communications and knowledge management, managing and monitoring overall NPAP progress, identifying strategic investment partners, and collaborating with GPAP and Metrics Consultants to ensure timely completion of deliverables. 
• The Analyst implements the NPAP annual workplan, provides quarterly and periodic financial reports to the GPAP Secretariat, and facilitates NPAP activities, including managing logistics and creating meeting content. Additionally, the role involves managing NPAP personnel, supporting the NPAP Leadership Board and Task Forces in coordinating implementation activities, preparing and delivering Leadership Board Meetings, organizing workshops, contributing to communication activities, and curating NPAP spaces on the GPAP Digital Collaboration Platform. 
• The Analyst also coordinates operational and financial reporting, develops reports and issue briefs on plastic waste and pollution, synthesizes lessons learned, and reviews relevant literature and studies. 
• The NPAP Analyst will be part of UNDP’s Natural Resources Management, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Unit and will liaise closely with the GPAP Secretariat at WEF, which provides strategic advisory to the broader GPAP country platforms (NPAPs) work. The position is expected to drive the NPAP in Lao PDR effectively deliver the three strategic interventions.

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 2: Scale up solutions and simplifies processes, balances speed and accuracy in doing work
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 2: Offer new ideas/open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic/integrated thinking
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 2: Go outside comfort zone, learn from others and support their learning 
• Adapt with Agility:  LEVEL 2: Adapt processes/approaches to new situations, involve others in change process 
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 2: Able to persevere and deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously 
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 2: Is facilitator/integrator, bring people together, build/maintain coalitions/partnerships 
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 2: Facilitate conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making 

People Management competencies: 

• UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. 

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

Digital     

• Agile methodologies and practices. Ability to manage projects and processes through continuous iteration, learning and improvement.  Ability to manage a self-organising cross-functional teams, foster a team culture of curiosity and learning.  Being nimble and being able to improvise and quickly adjust to unforeseen events or changes in conditions or context.

General (across the functions)   

• Event planning and execution. Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate.

Partnership management    

• Private sector engagement. Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector.
• Relationship management. Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding
• Multi-stakeholder engagement and funding. Knowledge and ability to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships, and remove any obstacles to resource mobilization and multi-stakeholder funding platforms
• 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

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Environmental Sciences, Sustainable Development, Public Policy, or other relevant field is required, or 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years (with master’s degree) or 4 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in project management and partnership development, development coordination or public finance management.
• 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. 
• Familiar with the development context, processes, and challenges in Laos at both central and sub-national levels. 
• Experience working in sustainable supply chain issues, ideally in plastic value chain 
• Working experience with public and private sectors 
• Experience in fostering networks and partnerships and ability to provide coordination with government entities, UN agencies and other development partners. 
• Strong professional network in Lao PDR both with public and private sector
• Experience in providing policy and / or programme advice and leading policy dialogues and actionable development plans. 
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability. 

Required languages:

• Fluency in English and Lao language 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.

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