Title: National Project Coordinator (NPC)

​Requisition ID: 5557
Grade: NOC (SB-5)
Country: Thailand
Duty Station: Bangkok
Category: National Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 1 year
Application deadline: 8-May-2025, 11:59 PM (Vienna, Austria time)

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, oversees the Organization's development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization's normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

The Division of Circular Economy and Green Industry (TCS/CEG) contributes to greener and more circular industries and products by minimizing both resource use along value chains and the emission of pollutants to the environment. The Division promotes just transitions to circular economies, reduced release of pollutants into the environment and other green industrial and economic approaches to help Member States to grow economically while simultaneously addressing the three planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It does so by supporting resource efficiency increases in the manufacturing and use of products along value chains and during the life cycle of the product; by reducing or eliminating the emission of non-fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions; and by assisting in achieving the objectives of and compliance with multilateral environmental agreements. In doing so, its activities further improve competitiveness, as well as the development of and access to markets, particularly for SMEs. This contributes to climate-neutral, resilient, pollution-free industrial development, supporting co-existence that is in harmony with nature.

The Division acts as the focal point in UNIDO for various multilateral environmental agreements and multilateral co-operation in the field of the environment: the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer; the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants; and the Minamata Convention on Mercury; as well as other relevant international initiatives and conventions such as the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), and multilateral co-operation in initiatives like the Partnership on Action for Green Economy (PAGE) and the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) and the Green Industry Platform (GIP). The Division coordinates its service delivery with the services offered by other technical divisions, and other relevant organizational entities of UNIDO.

This position is located under the Responsible Materials and Chemicals Management Unit (TCS/CEG/RMC) which is responsible for supporting Member States to implement the chemicals and wastes obligations and requirements under the Basel, Minamata, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions and other emerging relevant agreements, in particular where it relates to larger and formalized industries and sectors, and to leverage its experience to address industrial pollution mitigation in general as well as other emerging compliance mechanisms. With novel approaches to materials and chemicals management and to innovation, with training and education, and with implementing circular economy approaches in particular related to the extension of product life by maintenance, the Unit further leverages its experience to facilitate responsible materials sourcing and to support smaller enterprises and entrepreneurs in greening their businesses.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Advanced Minamata Assessment in Thailand, SAP ID 190139, GEF ID 10983

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The legally binding global instrument was agreed at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, 19 January 2013. The treaty was formally adopted and opened for signature at the Conference of Plenipotentiaries held from 9 to 11 October 2013 in Minamata and Kumamoto, Japan and it entered into force on 16 August 2017. Up to November 2019, 128 countries had signed the treaty and 114 had ratified it.

The Minamata Convention has a phased approach to reduce, and where possible, eliminate mercury use in key industrial sectors. Provisions of the Convention include phase-out deadlines established for supply sources and trade, mercury-added products, and manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury compounds are used. Based on these targets, the Convention is designed to systematically reduce emissions and releases to land and water and phase out the use of mercury where alternatives exist.

Although Thailand did not sign the Convention by the time it was opened for signature, the country made several institutional arrangements and implemented several projects related to the Convention to prepare for being a Party and to support future implementation of the Convention. Thailand submitted an accession instrument to the Convention on 22 June 2017 and became the 66 party to the Convention and, since 20 August 2017, Thailand has been fully enforced by the obligations of the Convention. Prior to being a party to the Convention, the country made the following institutional arrangements and implemented the following projects, chronologically:

Thailand established a National Sub-committee on the Minamata Convention under the National Environment Board in 2013. The Chair of the Sub-committee is a member of the National Environment Board and the present Sub-committee consists of representatives from 21 relevant agencies and four experts.

The PCD implemented the project “Developing and Implementing Effective and Appropriate Mercury Management for Thailand” in 2013 after the National Sub-committee on the Minamata Convention was established. Under this project, a preliminary national inventory of emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds was developed using the UNEP Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Mercury Releases (2010) in order to identify potential sources for controlling mercury emissions and releases. The inventory was developed through a support of the PCD and in collaboration with King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT).

Based on the inventory results, the estimated releases of mercury to the environment in Thailand were around 32 tons of Mercury in 2010 (the inventory’s base year). Major sources of the releases of mercury into the environment included (1) illegal dumping of municipal solid waste (5.7 tons of mercury), (2) mineral oils extraction, refining and utilization (4.8 tons of mercury), (3) natural gas extraction, refining and utilization (4.2 tons of mercury), and (4) uncontrolled incineration (3.7 tons of mercury). The preliminary inventory mostly used estimated data due to lack of primary data and some activity rates in the calculation might not actually reflect the real mercury situation in Thailand. Thus, the preliminary inventory needs to be further updated and improved as well as externally validated.

The PCD implemented the project “The Study of Thailand's Readiness on Compliance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury” in cooperation with Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) through the support of the PCD in 2014. The aims of the project were (1) to review the mercury situation based on the preliminary inventory previously conducted and provisions of the Convention, (2) to consult with relevant authorities and stakeholders about their concerns, (3)to assess the impacts, advantages and disadvantages of becoming a Party or a non-Party to the Minamata Convention, (4) to review existing regulations regarding the implementation of the Convention obligations and (5) to recommend actions needed for ratification and implementation of the Minamata Convention for taking into account when making decisions to be a Party or non-Party to the Convention. In this project, key actions and frameworks for actions required before and after accession to the Convention were advised and a number of stakeholder consultations and national public hearings were conducted. As a result, stakeholders and the public meetings agreed that Thailand should be a Party to the Convention.

The PCD implemented the project “Preparedness Plan to Become a Party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury” in 2015. A technical working group called “The Working Group on Preparatory Planning for accessing to the Minamata Convention on Mercury” was established by the National Sub-committee in order to develop an action plan for accession to and implementation of the Convention. The working group consisted of representatives from seven relevant agencies, namely, (1) the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) and (2) the Department of Primary Industries and Mines (DPIM) under the Ministry of Industry, (3) the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), (4) the Department of Agriculture (DOA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (5)the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Ministry of Public Health, (6) the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and (7) the PCD, which serves as the secretariat.

The working group delivered two key outputs to the National Sub-committee for reviewing and approving: (1) The roadmap for accession to the Convention and (2) the detailed action plan for accession to and implementation of the Convention which defined frameworks, timelines, and designated responsible agencies. The plan included a detailed gap analysis of regulations related to Mercury and the identification of policy interventions needed to implement the obligations of the Convention. Based on the plan, recommended actions included:

a. Defining some mercury compounds in accordance with the obligations of the Convention to be the 3 categories of hazardous substances under the Hazardous Substances Act, B.E. 2535 (1992) to control and report the supply and trade of mercury.

b. Issuing new regulations on prohibition or reduction of the use of mercury and mercury compounds in some products and manufacturing processes as well as of the import and export of mercury-added products, in accordance with the obligations of the Convention.

c. Reviewing emission and effluent standards from point sources that emit or release mercury into the environment.

d. Carrying out awareness-raising and capacity-building activities.

The National Sub-committee established another technical working group entitled “The Working Group on Legislative Preparation to Support Minamata Convention on Mercury” at the end of 2016. The working group consisted of representatives from 10 relevant agencies, namely, (1) the DIW (2)DPIM, (3) Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) under the Ministry of Industry, (4) FTI, (5) FDA, (6) Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (7) Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF) under the Ministry of Energy, (8) Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) under the Ministry of Commerce, (9) Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and (10)PCD acting as the secretariat.

The working group delivered the following key outputs to the Sub-committee for approval in preparation for the accession to the Convention: Gantt charts which included activities and timelines for amendment of regulations under the DPIM and DIW to be in accordance with article 3 (mercury supply sources and trade), under the DFT, DIW, TISI and FDA to be following article 4 (mercury-added products), under the DIW to be in accordance with article 5(Manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury compounds are used), under the DPIM to be in accordance with article 7 (Artisanal and small-scale gold mining), and under the DIW to be in accordance with article 8 (Emissions) of the Convention.

The PCD in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) implemented the project “Ratification and Early Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Thailand” in 2017. The results of the project included seminars that disseminated information about the Convention to relevant stakeholders and the general public and leaflets of key messages of the Convention.
The PCD in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health of Thammasat University implemented the project funded by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on “Mercury emissions from coal combustion in Thailand” in 2017. Key results of the project included a database of coal power plants in Thailand and an estimate of the mercury emissions factor of coal power plants in Thailand.

After Thailand became a party to the Convention on 22 June 2017, the PCD in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion (DEQP)under the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Environment of Japan, started implementing the project “Strengthening capacity for multimedia mercury monitoring in the Asia Pacific Region”. The aim of the project was to implement the article 22 of the Convention (effectiveness evaluation of the Convention) through building up national and central laboratories for mercury analysis and monitoring, developing national mercury monitoring plan, and disseminating information about the health and environmental risks associated with mercury among relevant stakeholders for decision making on mercury management. The project timeframe was from 2018 to 2020. Besides, the PCD has collaborated with the Pollution Control Department of Laos to support the implementation of the project “Ratification and Early Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Laos supported by UNITAR. The PCD will share the experience and lessons learned of Thailand with Laos on the process for ratification of the Convention.

In addition, following the timelines for amendment of regulations submitted by the Working Group on Legislative Preparation to Support Minamata Convention on Mercury to the National sub-committee, some progress has been made by designated agencies including: 1) the DPIM has recently amended its regulation to prohibit the use of chemicals including mercury in the process of gold mining in order to remove and reduce mercury used in gold mining in accordance with article 7 (Artisanal and small-scale gold mining), and 2) the DIW has recently amended its regulation to include additional mercury compounds in accordance with article 3 (Mercury supply sources and trade) in the list of Hazardous Substances under the Notification of Ministry of Industry (B.E. 2560), i.e., mercury compounds that are only used in laboratories, mercury (I) chloride, mercury (II) sulphate, and mercury (II) nitrate were listed as Hazardous Substances Level 3 under responsibility of the DIW, which means that the import, export, production, and possession of these substances have to be permitted by the DIW.

Despite arrangements made and projects implemented, several barriers need to be overcome for Thailand to meet the obligations of the Minamata Convention.

These include:

Capacity and information barriers: There is a need for an improved and updated national mercury inventory which is in accordance with article 8 of the Convention and necessary for developing the national implementation plan and national priorities on mercury management: The preliminary inventory developed in 2013 was at level 1 based on the UNEP 2010 toolkit. In this 2013 inventory, there was a lack of detailed data on mercury stocks, sources of emissions and releases. There was a lack of primary data collection, and a lot of estimations were made especially in industry sectors (including oil and gas sectors). Thus, a national inventory needs to be updated and developed at level 2 based on the UNEP 2017 toolkit. As a result, a lot of primary data collection would be required especially in the industry sectors of Thailand, in which the issues of mercury emissions and releases are emerging and essential.

Policy and regulatory barriers: There are gaps in legislative and regulatory frameworks necessary for implementing the provisions of the Convention. Also, there is a need to develop a national implementation plan (in accordance with article 20 of the Convention and a national plan for controlling emissions and releases in accordance with articles 8 and 9 of the Convention, respectively), as well as national priorities for action on mercury management based on an improved and updated national inventory of mercury emissions and releases. Recommendations for improving legislative and regulatory frameworks made in the action plan developed in 2015 for accession to and implementation of the convention, as mentioned earlier, included the issuance of new regulations. The following regulations were advised to be issued:
Prohibition of the primary mining of mercury under the Mining Act.
Control of the supply sources and trade of mercury and mercury compounds under the Hazardous Substances Act;
Prohibition of the use of Mercury for artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) under the Mining Act;
Prohibition/ reduction of the use of mercury and mercury compounds in the manufacturing process under the Factory Act;
Prohibition/ restriction of the use of mercury and mercury compounds in certain products such as dry cell batteries, switches and relays, lamps, cosmetics, antiseptics, etc.

Besides, the recommendations also included the revisions of the emission and effluent standards under the Enhancement and Conservation of the National Environmental Quality Act and the Factory Act, and the threshold limits of mercury for mercury waste management under the Factory Act.

Although Thailand developed the action plan for accession to and implementation of the Convention in 2015, the action plan was focused upon accession to the Convention and was based on the preliminary inventory developed in 2013. Therefore, there is a need to develop a detailed and comprehensive implementation plan for mercury management at the national level and national priorities for action in order to implement the obligations of the Convention. A national implementation plan needs to be developed in accordance with article 20 of the Convention and will include a national plan for controlling emissions and releases in accordance with articles 8 and 9 of the Convention, respectively, and will also include a plan for issuing new regulations in accordance with the Convention.

Recently, sectoral plans on mercury management such as plan on mercury management in the public health sector have been developed. These sectoral plans need to be integrated into the national implementation plan. The national implementation plan and national priorities for action need to be developed based on an improved and updated national inventory to better reflect the current situation of mercury in Thailand. An improved and updated inventory will lead to a better understanding of not only the current situation of mercury but also the trend of mercury emissions and releases due to changing regulations and policies related to mercury in certain sectors in Thailand. It will also be used to support prioritizing actions for mercury management.

Awareness barriers: The general public is not aware of the impacts of mercury on human health and the environment, and do not know how to deal with mercury-containing compounds and products owned and used. To implement the national implementation plan efficiently and successfully, information needs to be disseminated, and awareness needs to be raised widely to increase understanding and involvement of relevant stakeholder groups (e.g. Public and private sectors, academia, and civil society). With the accession to the Convention, Thailand will require assistance to formulate and apply sector-wide programs through cost-effective approaches, within the context of its national development efforts. The development of the Advanced Minamata Assessment proposed will provide more information to enable policy and strategic decisions to be made and will assist Thailand to identify priority sectors and activities within the country and to efficiently and effectively implement the key obligations of the Minamata Convention.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager in HQ and close cooperation project team in the field and HQ, the National Project Coordinator will be responsible for the overall coordination/implementation, monitoring/evaluation and reporting of the project. Specifically, the Project Coordinator will perform the following duties:

MAIN DUTIES

1) Project Coordination and Implementation

Advise the Project Manager on preparing detailed work plan and budget, design monitoring and evaluation tool for the project activities;
Coordinate the execution of all activities leading to the successful implementation of the project in the country, including implementation, quality control and monitoring of all project activities in the country;
Liaise with government counterparts, provide regular updates, financial reports and troubleshot problems as required;
Attend key meetings related to the project and act as the focal point of the project at national level;
Coordinate the preparation of ToRs for recruitment of international and national project consultants and contractors;
Coordinate the preparation of technical requirements/technical specifications for procurement, including designing of technical requirements, elaboration of relevant questions from tenders, evaluations, etc. ensuring compliance with the relevant UNIDO administrative rules and policies;
Organize and conduct briefings and debriefings on projects for the country, sub regional aspects, resources and development towards maximizing project performance level;
Supervise the work of the local project team assigned to work on the project and/or to perform ad-hoc activities;
Take project initiatives to enhance the success of the programme including partnerships opportunities with private sectors;
Maintain close links with other private sector development initiatives to ensure a consistent and integrated approach.
Concrete/ measurable Outputs to be achieved

Project activities, implemented in close collaboration with national counterparts at a high standard and with results- based approach.
Procurement approaches streamlined and according to UNIDO rules and regulations; Tender documents are of high quality and prepared in a timely manner.
National experts guided and empowered so as to produce high quality project outputs and deliverables.
National experts guided and empowered so as to produce high quality project outputs and deliverables.
Procurement approaches streamlined and according to UNIDO rules and regulations; Tender documents are of high quality and prepared in a timely manner.
Effective partnership maintained.
Meeting reports
Performance appraisals of local project team
Reports on partnerships established or meetings held
Database of key private sector players

2) Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

Provide inputs for strategic advice in the elaboration of the operational planning and monitoring system for the project;
Coordinate the monitoring and evaluation for the activities of the project using appropriate tools with output verifiable indicators;
Execute the administrative and financial monitoring of the project and its activities;
Coordinate the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reporting for the programme according to donor specifications and UNIDO requirements;
Support the preparation of steering committee meetings (SCs) and provides relevant documentation, including reporting, drafting TORs of the Steering Committee based on UNIDO templates and if required act as Secretary of the PSC.
Coordinate the preparation of a final report at the end of the contract comprising all relevant information compiled from the interim reports, conclusions and recommendations.
Concrete/ measurable Outputs to be achieved

Project monitoring framework drafted. Project reporting templates drawn up.
Reports are prepared and submitted as agreed and planned.
Financial reports submitted
Reports submitted.
Meetings conducted and reported and TORs prepared. Meeting minutes template filled in and sent to PMs following every meeting
Final report prepared and submitted to the PM.
3) External Relations

Maintain networks and partnerships with national institutions, private sector, UN project partners;
Coordinate the dissemination of project knowledge to the wider public by proposing examples of best practices and success stories, as well as replicable strategies and approaches.
Concrete/ measurable Outputs to be achieved

Partnerships with project partners are strengthened.
Communications strategy completed and success stories and lessons learned disseminated through identified appropriate media.
​​​​​​​4) Final phase

Prepare a consolidated final report of the programme/project in close consultation with all the stakeholders and submit to UNIDO by the end of the programme/project.
Concrete/ measurable Outputs to be achieved

Final report produced.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in environment, project management, engineering, sciences, economics, business administration, international relations or other relevant discipline is required.

Technical and Functional Experience:

At least five (5) years of professional experience in coordinating the implementation of development/technical cooperation programmes/projects at national level, is required.
Experience in evaluating the needs, conditions and problems of the country or similar country in the region is required.
Ability to research and analyse information independently and recommend solutions is required.
The ability to write in a clear and concise manner is required.
The ability to work effectively in multicultural teams is required.
Experience with chemical and waste is required.
Experience working on Global Environment Facility funded projects is desirable.
Experience with sustainability, environmental management and climate action projects is desirable.
Experience/knowledge of international projects, other United Nations, development agencies, donor communities, private sectors, government and relevant institutions in Thailand and in the region is desirable.

Languages Fluency in written and spoken Thai and English is required.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core values:
WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key competencies:
WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

This appointment is limited to the specified project(s) only and does not carry any expectation of renewal.
Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.

Visit the UNIDO website for details on how to apply: www.unido.org