Project Advisory Director – NDC Partnership

Job Highlight

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to Mexico's climate action agenda by providing high-level economic expertise and strategic guidance to the government. The role offers significant exposure to national and international climate policy processes, as well as the chance to lead and mentor a technical team.

About The Project Office
WEC Background:
The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support. WEC effectively operationalizes partners' agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC's ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

About The Group
The NDC Partnership:
The NDC Partnership is a global coalition, bringing together more than 250 members, including more than 130 countries, developed and developing, and more than 110 institutions to deliver on ambitious climate action that helps achieve the Paris Agreement and drive sustainable development. Governments identify their NDC implementation priorities and the type of support that is needed to translate them into actionable policies and programs. Based on these requests, the membership offers a tailored package of expertise, technical assistance and funding. This collaborative response provides developing countries with efficient access to a wide range of resources to adapt to and mitigate climate change and foster more equitable and sustainable development. The NDC Partnership Support Unit is jointly hosted by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). For this project, the Consultant will be contracted through UNOPS.

Role Purpose
The Project Advisory Director has a senior leadership role responsible for guiding strategic proposals for innovative economic models, monitor global trends in climate economics, integrate relevant innovations into national policies and develop economic incentives and instruments as well as analyze and propose solutions for barriers to the implementation of the 2030 and 2035 NDC targets. The Director will interact with other high-level officials both within the Ministry and in other ministries as well as local governments.

The Chief Project Advisor will coordinate closely with the Coordinator of the NDC for Mexico at the General Directorate for Policy and Climate Action (DGPAC), which is part of the Undersecretariat for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy at SEMARNAT.

Under the supervision of the Senior Programme Manager at UNOPS, the incumbent will maintain fluid communication to effectively monitor the proper fulfilment of objective by the consultants who will be part of the EIU.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Develop and refine proposals for innovative economic models, mechanisms or instruments that facilitate the mobilization of public and private resources, including fiscal incentives, blended finance, and risk-sharing mechanisms, in coordination with the Undersecretariat for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy.
• Conduct economic modeling of decarbonization pathways using quantitative tools to inform sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies (i.e input-output matrix analysis, marginal abatement cost curves, among others).
• Propose a comprehensive approach for evaluating investment projects requiring environmental permits, to include consideration of GHG emissions, pollutants, as well as compensation mechanisms to facilitate decision making process.
• Coordinate the design and implementation of economic frameworks for addressing economic and financial barriers regarding adaptation and loss and damage components of the NDC, ensuring methodological consistency and policy relevance.
• Lead the development of economic inputs for the National Offsets Program, the Circular Economy Strategy, and Mexico´s first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) including its adoption, implementation, and monitoring frameworks.
• Carry out and document economic analysis and assessments related to adaptation and loss and damage measures under the PECC (Special Climate Change Program), ensuring alignment with sectoral mandates.
• Supervise technical staff of the Economic Intelligence Unit and ensure quality assurance across all modeling and analytical outputs.
• Engage with local, national and international officials and other stakeholders to validate findings and promote policy uptake.
• Monitor global trends in climate economics and integrate relevant innovations into national policies.
• Prepare brief reports and technical notes on activities requested by the Undersecretary and the DGPAC (Dirección General de Políticas para el Cambio Climático).
• Implement robust monitoring systems for performance, timelines, and budgets.
• Provide executive-level reporting, including project performance dashboards and updates.

Impact of Results

• The Project Advisory Director will play a central role in developing and executing economic modeling and analysis for the different components of Mexico's NDC including adaptation to ensure that it reflects current climate risks and policy priorities to facilitate its implementation.
• The Director will lead the development of the new economic analysis related to loss and damage component of the NDC, providing economic justification and implementation pathways for this emerging area.
• National Offsets Program, Circular Economy Strategy, and Mexico's first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) will benefit from robust economic analysis, facilitating its adoption, implementation, and long-term monitoring, including the evaluation of investment projects related to these policy instruments.
• Sectoral adaptation and loss and damage measures under the PECC will be supported by rigorous analysis, enhancing their effectiveness and coherence.
• The Unit's outputs will contribute to more informed and economically sound climate policy decisions.
• Improved integration of economic modeling into national climate planning will strengthen Mexico's ability to meet its international commitments.
• Enhanced stakeholder engagement and inter-institutional coordination will improve the uptake and implementation of economic recommendations.
• The Director's work will ensure that climate finance strategies are grounded in solid economic evidence, increasing their credibility and impact.
• Strengthened capacity within the Unit to respond to emerging climate finance opportunities and policy needs.
• Increased transparency and accountability in the evaluation of private sector projects with environmental implications.
• Better alignment of adaptation and loss and damage strategies with economic, fiscal and development planning.
• Institutional learning and capacity development in climate economics and policy analysis.

Required
Education Requirements

• An advanced degree (Master's or higher) preferably in Economics, Public Policy, Environmental Engineering, Business Administration, Sustainable Development, Finance, Climate Change, Environmental Science, Business Administration, or relevant fields
• Bachelor's degree preferably in a relevant field as outlined above, with an additional 2 years of relevant work experience (9 total), may be accepted in lieu of the education requirements outlined above.

Desired

• Ph.D./Doctorate/Post Doctorate in Economics, Public Policy, or related field.

*Required
Experience Requirements*

• Minimum 7 years of experience in economic modeling, climate policy, or public finance.
• Demonstrated experience in managing technical teams and producing high-quality reports.

Desired

• Experience with input-output modeling, CGE analysis, and climate finance mechanisms.
• Familiarity with international climate reporting standards and multilateral processes.
• Experience contributing to the development or revision of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), or similar national climate policy instruments.
• Experience working with or advising ministries of finance, planning, or environment on climate-related economic reforms or fiscal policy integration.