Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the international environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The NDC Act & Invest Initiative is a global programme led by UNEP and currently funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and the NDC Partnership’s Partnership Action Fund (PAF) multi-donor trust fund. It is designed to help countries raise their climate ambition and translate their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted in 2025 into actionable, investable plans. Building on lessons learned from the NDC Action project implementation and previous NDC cycles, the initiative addresses critical gaps in policy alignment, financing, and implementation. It brings together governments, development partners, and the private sector to develop coherent, science-based, and finance-ready NDC frameworks. Structured around three interconnected workstreams —fostering G20+ ambition and action, piloting policy and planning alignment, and providing deep-dive support to enhance NDC investability, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between climate commitments and tangible implementation. By aligning national strategies, strengthening enabling environments, and working collaboratively with key partners —including the NDC Partnership, GIZ, UNDP’s Climate Promise, UNFCCC, multilateral development banks (MDBs), development finance institutions (DFIs), and private sector actors, NDC Act & Invest seeks to make the next generation of NDCs both more ambitious and more achievable, accelerating progress toward the 1.5°C goal and enhancing global resilience. The NDC Act & Invest team, based within the Mitigation Branch in Paris, is responsible for the global management and overall coordination of the initiative across partner countries, in line with UNEP’s delivery model. The team also acts as the main liaison between UNEP and the NDC Partnership, coordinating UNEP’s responses to country support requests shared through the Partnership, identifying and applying for additional funding where appropriate, and consolidating implementation and progress reporting. In addition, the team maintains close coordination with related projects under the IKI Programme to ensure coherence and synergies across initiatives. Funded by the NDC Partnership’s Partnership Action Fund (PAF) and implemented by UNEP, this project is intended to support the Government of Namibia in finalising a technically robust, nationally aligned, and implementation-ready LT-LEDS, by consolidating existing analytical work, addressing remaining policy and evidence gaps, and translating long-term climate ambition into a clear framework for implementation, investment and coordination. Namibia is advancing its Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy’s (LT-LEDS) finalisation through 08-month technical assistance building on existing climate planning work. The LT-LEDS will be developed to be fully aligned with national plans, including Vision 2030, the Harambee Prosperity Plan II, the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6) and Namibia’s updated NDC 2.0 (2023), with the aim to translate long-term mitigation and adaptation objectives into concrete sectoral pathways. This project aims to consolidate Namibia’s LT-LEDS into a comprehensive, actionable framework to 2050, supported by a cost-benefit analysis, a gender and social inclusion assessment, and a practical implementation work plan addressing governance, capacity and financing needs. The project’s process will include extensive stakeholder consultations and national validation to ensure ownership, followed by targeted dissemination to strengthen political buy-in and mobilise development partner support. UNEP seeks to mobilise a Southern Africa-based Climate Policy and Fiscal Expert to provide insight and climate finance expertise for Namibia’s LT-LEDS process. The expert is expected to support policy coherence and the integration of climate objectives into economic planning and budgeting, analyse fiscal framework, and identify opportunities to mobilise domestic and international finance. The expert is intended to help ensure the LT-LEDS and NDC 3.0 implementation plan are economically viable, investment-ready and financially sustainable. Objectives, output expectations and performance indicators The Regional Climate Policy and Fiscal Expert will support the Team Lead to ensure that LT-LEDS outputs are aligned with Namibia’s socio-economic and institutional context. The expert will: - tailor cost-benefit assumptions, - assess policy and fiscal impacts, and; - support coordination with government counterparts. The expected results outlined below correspond to the main milestones of the work plan and are accompanied by performance indicators to assess their achievement. Result 1: National economic data and context are reflected in the analytical foundations of the LT-LEDS. Activity 1.1: Contribute local data and economic analysis for cost-benefit analysis (CBA) o Work with national data providers, including ministries, central bank, regulators, and statistics agency, to collect updated economic and sectoral data relevant to LT-LEDS options. o Apply cost-benefit frameworks using local data, including estimation of mitigation costs and quantification of co-benefits. Activity 1.2: Evaluate fiscal impacts and viability o Analyse the fiscal implications of key LT-LEDS measures. o Prepare a briefing for the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, Central Bank and key financial stakeholders on these impacts and incorporate feedback. Expected deliverables: o 1.a Section/report input on Namibia-specific economic assumptions and results integrated into CBA report. Result 2: Policy recommendations in the LT-LEDS are aligned with Namibia’s development plans and are institutionally feasible. Activity 2.1: Embed national policy perspectives into the LT-LEDS draft o Review the draft LT-LEDS and incorporate context on current national policies. o Draft targeted sections highlighting alignment with national development priorities and synergies with ongoing initiatives. Activity 2.2: Assess and ensure institutional feasibility o Assess institutional implementation capacity against each proposed LT-LEDS measure and identify mandate, legal or capacity gaps and recommend practical adjustments. o Integrate these considerations into the draft LT-LEDS document and coordinate with the Team Lead to reflect them in the final version. Expected deliverables: o 2.a Annotated draft LT-LEDS with integrated comments/revisions on policy and fiscal aspects. Result 3: An implementation framework is designed, detailing roles, responsibilities, and resource needs for LT-LEDS actions, endorsed by Namibia’s relevant institutions. Activity 3.1: Map institutional roles in the Work Plan o Lead the development of an institutional map for LT-LEDS implementation, that should identify all key implementing bodies. o Define and validate clear roles, responsibilities, coordination mechanisms and lines of accountability with the relevant institutions. Activity 3.2: Integrate financing and capacity needs o Identify the financing needs for priority LT-LEDS actions and suggest potential sources. o Assess institutional capacity-building needs o Translate the actions and needs into concrete resource requirements Expected deliverables: o 3.a Inputs to the Work Plan document, including a clear institutional map and financing strategy for LT-LEDS implementation. Result 4: stakeholder consultation is executed and feedback is incorporated. Activity 4.1: Facilitate technical stakeholder consultations o Support MEFT and Team Lead in organising and delivering at least three regional or sectoral workshops. o Facilitate open, informed dialogue by leading discussions and addressing stakeholders’ questions. o Document all stakeholder inputs through detailed notes to inform subsequent revisions. Activity 4.2: Synthesise and integrate feedback o Compile consultation feedback related to policy and institutional issues and prepare a concise brief or slides for the Team Lead that highlight actionable suggestions. o Integrate relevant local insights into the revised LT-LEDS and implementation plan. Expected deliverables : 4.a Contribution to Consultation Report, including summary of feedback from finance/planning stakeholders and how it is addressed in the strategy. The consultant/individual contractor will report to Jérôme Malavelle, Global Coordinator of NDC Act & Invest, Global Climate Action Unit, Mitigation Branch.
Qualifications/special skills
o Hold an advanced degree in economics, public policy, climate/green finance, or a related discipline. o At least 10 years of experience in climate change policy, public and private finance or economic planning in Southern Africa (required). o Demonstrated experience working directly with government institutions, particularly Ministries of Finance or Environment, in Namibia or neighbouring countries (required). o Proven experience in designing or implementing climate-aligned fiscal measures, including carbon taxes, energy subsidy reforms or similar (required). o Experience in contributing to national development plans and long-term frameworks is highly desirable (required). o Familiarity with regional economic and climate policy landscape, including SADC and African Union initiatives, is an asset (required). o Strong background in policy analysis, stakeholder consultation and institutional capacity assessment (required). o Strong analytical skills, including ability to perform economic analysis, financial modelling, and appraisal of climate mitigation/adaptation options. o Excellent writing and presentation skills, with the ability to distil complex information into clear policy advice for decision-makers. o Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills, especially in facilitating discussions with government economists, planners, and financial partners. o Solid understanding of climate policy frameworks and public finance processes.
