Project Expert (Market System Development)

Volunteering Admin

Overview

Provide technical leadership in developing market systems for plastic waste management.

You have:

• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience at the national or international level in developing and implementing market systems, with a strong focus on plastic waste management or the broader waste management sector.
• Previous experience in project implementation or related work for a donor organization, UN agencies, or INGO will be an advantage.
• Extensive expertise in market system development and value chain facilitation, especially in plastic waste management or circular economy sectors.
• Proven ability to design and implement inclusive market interventions supporting CMSMEs and informal sector actors.
• Strong skills in stakeholder engagement, partnership building, and multi-sector coordination involving government, private sector, and civil society.
• Experience conducting market assessments, identifying systemic barriers, and developing scalable, gender-sensitive solutions.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills, with proficiency in relevant data analysis and reporting tools.
• In-depth understanding of plastic circularity, informal sector dynamics, and sustainable waste management systems in Bangladesh.
• Knowledge of policy and regulatory frameworks governing plastic waste management, recycling, and informal sector integration in Bangladesh or similar country contexts.
• Familiarity with designing and promoting inclusive business models that address gender equity, health, and safety concerns within the plastic value chain.
• Strong ability to prepare strategic documents such as market development plans, investment promotion materials, and public–private partnership frameworks.

Contract

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

The UNDP Circularity Portfolio in Bangladesh is driving transformative change in plastic waste management through two key initiatives: the TCCF Plastics Circularity Project and the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP). Funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, the TCCF project promotes sustainable plastic waste management by establishing Circularity Hubs, engaging informal sector workers, supporting CMSMEs, and fostering gender-inclusive solutions to reduce environmental pollution. Complementing this effort, the NPAP supported by the World Economic Forum serves as a multi-stakeholder national platform to develop and implement a roadmap for transitioning to a circular plastics economy. Together, these projects advance Bangladesh’s commitment to reduce plastic leakage into nature, improve resource efficiency, and align with global sustainability goals through inclusive, data-driven, and locally grounded interventions.  

The TCCF Plastics Circularity Project aims to tackle plastic waste challenges across nine Asian countries, including Bangladesh, by promoting sustainable waste management and transitioning toward a circular economy. The project supports improved plastic collection, recycling, and reduced environmental leakage, ultimately contributing to public health, environmental protection, and inclusive green growth. 

The Bangladesh National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) is a multistakeholder platform that gathers government, academia, researchers, experts, industry, financial institutions, the private sector, and civil organizations in the efforts to resolve plastic pollution. NPAP serves as a catalyst to accelerate the development of waste management solutions that are based on circularity, maintaining the balance between economic growth and environmental preservation. 

Under the supervision of Project Manager, the Market System Development Expert will provide technical leadership and strategic guidance to support the development and strengthening of plastic waste market systems within the Circularity Portfolio. The expert will work closely with project teams, local government bodies, private sector actors, informal sector stakeholders, and development partners to promote inclusive, resilient, and sustainable market linkages for circular economy initiatives across the targeted cities.

Key Functions:

A. Market System Analysis and Strategy Development :

• Conduct comprehensive market system assessments focusing on plastic waste value chains, including informal and formal actors, business models, and enabling environment factors. • Identify market constraints, opportunities, and leverage points for improving plastic waste recycling, collection, sorting, and reprocessing. • Develop actionable market system development strategies aligned with circular economy principles and project goals.

B. Business Model Development and Support :

• Facilitate the design and refinement of inclusive business models for CMSMEs and other actors engaged in plastic waste management and recycling. • Support market linkage between waste collectors, recyclers, private sector companies, and financial service providers. • Provide technical support and capacity building to strengthen the sustainability and scalability of business operations within the plastic circular ecosystem.

C. Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement :

• Collaborate with industry associations, government agencies, informal sector groups, and development organizations to foster coordinated efforts in plastic circularity. • Promote multi-stakeholder platforms and public-private partnerships to enhance market integration and resource mobilization. • Assist in organizing workshops, policy dialogues, and knowledge exchange forums on market system development and plastic circularity.

D. Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management :

• Support the development of monitoring frameworks to track market system changes and measure the impact of interventions. • Prepare regular technical reports, market analyses, and case studies to document lessons learned and good practices. • Facilitate knowledge sharing within project teams and with external partners to support adaptive management and continuous improvement.

E. Other Duties :

• Provide input and technical advice for project proposals, resource mobilization, and scaling strategies related to market development. • Undertake any other tasks assigned by the Project Manager or UNDP ECCR Cluster Lead to ensure successful implementation of the project.

• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

• Minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience at the national or international level in developing and implementing market systems, with a strong focus on plastic waste management or the broader waste management sector.

• Previous experience in project implementation or related work for a donor organization, UN agencies, or INGO will be an advantage

• Extensive expertise in market system development and value chain facilitation, especially in plastic waste management or circular economy sectors.

• Proven ability to design and implement inclusive market interventions supporting CMSMEs and informal sector actors.

• Strong skills in stakeholder engagement, partnership building, and multi-sector coordination involving government, private sector, and civil society.

• Experience conducting market assessments, identifying systemic barriers, and developing scalable, gender-sensitive solutions.

• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills, with proficiency in relevant data analysis and reporting tools

• Experience of working with international organizations, financial institutions, NGOs/ INGOs including the UN is desired. 

• In-depth understanding of plastic circularity, informal sector dynamics, and sustainable waste management systems in Bangladesh.

• Knowledge of policy and regulatory frameworks governing plastic waste management, recycling, and informal sector integration in Bangladesh or similar country contexts.

• Familiarity with designing and promoting inclusive business models that address gender equity, health, and safety concerns within the plastic value chain.

• Strong ability to prepare strategic documents such as market development plans, investment promotion materials, and public–private partnership frameworks.

Dhaka is located in central Bangladesh along the Buriganga River. Not only is it the capital city, but it is also the largest in the country. It is the centre of political, cultural, and economic life in Bangladesh. The official language is Bengali, while English is the working language of UN Agencies. In recent decades, Dhaka has seen the modernization of services, communications, and public works. The city is attracting large foreign investments and greater volumes of commerce and trade. It is also experiencing an increasing influx of people from across the nation; this has reportedly made Dhaka one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Good English-speaking medical, dental services, and educational centres are available for internationals. Dhaka is connected to other cities by rail, road, and by air and internationals can move easily from one city to another.

Dhaka has venerable green spaces, including many gardens and parks, historical places, and nice restaurants. The weather is tropical - hot and very humid during the summer monsoon season (April-September) and drier and cooler in the winter (October-March).

Historically, Bangladesh has been a safe country for internationals so far. While Dhaka is not categorized as a hardship station, the volunteer should be prepared for limitations in freedom of movement on foot, by public transport, and to certain locations. Provide brief description of relevant living conditions in duty station, for example, security situation, access and air travel, climate, cultural awareness such as dress code and alcohol use, cost of living, accommodation options, availability of food, water, and electricity, medical facilities, banking facilities, communications infrastructure, among others.

You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator. The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.”

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Potential interview questions

Added 11 months ago - Updated 10 months ago - Source: unv.org