Circular Economy Specialist

Volunteering Communications & PR Environment

Overview

Broaden the circular economy initiative in Bhutan.

You have:

• Experience in implementing development programmes and projects at the national and/or international level.
• Experience with the Asian and Pacific region would be an asset.
• Experience working in the UN or other international development organizations.
• Experience in qualitative social research, human-centered design, or behavioral insights would be an asset.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications and general computer literacy.
• Self-motivated and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to adapt professionally in challenging environments.
• Interest in the work of the UNDP and volunteerism.

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

The current patterns of production and consumption are not sustainable. We are consuming Earth's natural resources at a rate faster than they can be replenished, a situation often described as an 'ecological overshoot.' Estimates suggest that if the trend persist on this trajectory, we will require resources equivalent to nearly three Earth-like planets by 2050 , placing an unsustainable strain on our fragile ecosystems. Our prevailing "linear economy" operates via a take-make-waste approach - extracting raw materials, processing them into products, then discarding as waste. This linear approach results in a concerning statistic: currently only 7.2% of used materials are projected to be cycled back into our economies. The consequences of this linear model contribute significantly to environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The circular economy emerges as a transformative alternative model to minimize waste and promote sustainable use of resources.

Circular economy is an important area of intervention that government and private sectors in Bhutan and has been identified as a priority area in the country’s 13th Five Year Plan (13th FYP). Currently, UNDP Bhutan is implementing a plastic circularity project with an objective to address the growing challenges of waste management. This project is a continuation of the various circular economy programmes such as the health waste management project, solid waste experimentation, waste management during COVID pandemic.

The circular economy assignment is to broaden the scope and scale of the circular economy initiative of Bhutan at large.

Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative and under direct supervision of the Head of Experimentation at UNDP CO, the volunteer will be tasked with the following key responsibilities:

Coordination and technical support • Provide advisory services and technical support to the environment and climate team inclusive of reviewing relevant policy documents and reports related to circular economy. • Facilitate co-creation workshops with stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, private sectors, youths and communities. • Conduct user research and analyze qualitative and quantitative data and prepare various written outputs eg. policy briefs, inputs to publications, and sections of reports and studies. • Provide substantive support to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc. • Assists in policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies related to sustainable consumption and production, circularity and inclusive green economy.

Build Strategic Partnership and Resource Mobilization • Identify resource mobilization opportunities, as well as stewardship, leadership, and economic-finance mechanisms to ensure sustainable and long-lasting impact building on the past and existing UNDP’s circular economy projects and initiatives. Develop content in the form of pitches and proposals document. • Carry out mapping of potential partnerships, funding windows for the circular economy programme and initiative.

Results/expected outputs:

As an active UNDP Bhutan team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNDP Bhutan and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

• Successful Resource Mobilization partnership. Explore at least two funding windows. • Project development of national and regional concept notes in food waste, solid waste and others with an objective to create green jobs.

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

Innovation Management: Ability to create the strategies, conditions, structures, and systems necessary for organizational innovation; navigate uncertainty and ambiguity while managing projects based on principles of adaptation and emergence;

Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements

Communication: Ability to 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.

Knowledge Generation: Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

at the national and/or international level in implementing development programmes and projects; • experience with the Asian and Pacific region would be an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization; • Experience in areas of either qualitative social research, human centered design, user experience, behavioral insights, or futures and foresights would be an asset; demonstrated experience in conducting field or remote qualitative research is desired. • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of diverse partners and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in the work of the UNDP, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

Bhutan is a lower middle-income country1, landlocked between China and India, with an estimated population of 770,0002. A Human Development Index of 0.666 (2021)3 places it in the medium human development category, ranked 127 out of 189 countries. Rapid economic growth averaging 7.5 per cent per annum was experienced since the 1980s4. Between 2010 and 2021, the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita increased by 22.3 per cent to USD 11,3005. Poverty rates reduced sharply from 23 per cent in 2007 to 8 per cent in 20176, with 12.4 per cent recorded in 2022.7 Significant gains in human development, poverty reduction and living standards have been guided by Bhutan’s gross national happiness philosophy of balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability, inclusive social progress and cultural vibrancy, underpinned by good governance.

Despite the positive momentum, socio-economic vulnerability remains, primarily due to difficult geographical conditions, narrow economic base, dependency on limited international market for trade, and increased emigration of productive population in recent years. Bhutan is a relatively stable and peaceful country.

The capital, Thimphu, is located at an elevation of 2,334 meters where the summers are warm, and winters are chilly.

The Bhutanese currency Ngultrum is pegged with the Indian Rupees and one USD is equivalent to 82 Ngultrums approximately. In the capital, rented flats range from Nu.7000-17,000 (96 to 250 USD) while furnished apartments cost around 300 to 700 USD. Public transportation including taxis are cheap starting from 0.3 USD to 5 USD. Groceries and other food items would amount to around 300 dollars a month.

Bhutan provides free basic health and education and as per Article 9 of the Constitution of Bhutan, access to universal basic health services is free to all individuals living in the country. The country’s national language is Dzongkha but the local populace is comfortable in using English which makes day to day conversations easy.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unv.org