Environmental Affairs Specialist
2026-01-24T05:43:40+00:00
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
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https://www.unep.org/
FULL_TIME
Nairobi
Nairobi
00100
Kenya
Nonprofit, and NGO
Science & Engineering, Civil & Government, Social Services & Nonprofit, Business Operations
2026-02-21T17:00:00+00:00
8
Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the world's 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 environment.
Responsibilities or duties
Under direct supervision of the Regional Coordinator for ROA, the incumbent will be mainly responsible to contribute to the strengthening of UNEP’s regional scientific capacity, capability and science-policy interfaces – including through the generation, synthesis, and application of robust, interdisciplinary science and evidence to drive effective action for environmental protection. The incumbent will carry out the following functions:
- Support UNEP’s coherent integration of science-based environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Africa’s regional and national policy planning and prioritisation process, including through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks and Country Analyses;
- Provide technical support and other offers to the UN Country Teams (UNCT), including in production and/or updating of country environmental performance reports, known as National Environment Summary reports, to enhance the efficacy of UNEP UNCT Focal Points’ engagements in substantive environmental matters in the UN Resident Coordinator system; Participate in uplifting science and strengthening UNEP’s science offer to Member States, including through substantive contributions to regional environmental assessments and other targeted science-policy engagements, and harnessing the Shared Environmental Information System and its applicable principles
- Contribute to a strengthened delivery of UNEP regional science-policy sub-programme mandate in the Africa region as per the corporate Medium-Term Strategy, Delivery Model Policy, and science-policy related initiatives, programmes, projects and other interventions;
- Enhance the capacity of Member States, partners and stakeholders to develop and apply environmental information for science-based planning and decision-making, including empowering them to take actions for addressing climate, pollution, and nature crises, and integration into key environmental policy and decision-making processes, including regional ministerial forums;
- Support science-policy reporting and communication, including preparing progress reports, monthly political briefs, and other communication materials to inform strategic positioning and decision-making at relevant levels of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa;
- Strengthen stakeholder engagements on science policy perspectives for environmental protection, including close collaboration with regional bodies and centres of excellence on thematic and other environmental issues;
- Provide science-policy perspectives in regular country briefs to inform and elevate the organisation’s strategic positioning and effective delivery of its mandate in the region;
- Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Senior Management from time to time.
Qualifications or requirements
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in a discipline related to environment and sustainable development, with knowledge of environmental assessment, management, economics or a related field, is required.
- A first-level university degree in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
- Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
Experience
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in environmental policy development and associated natural resource and ecosystem management is required.
- Experience in the UN system’s reform process, including the UN Resident Coordinator System (UNRC) and Regional Collaborative Platforms (RCPs) is required.
- Experience and good grasp of UN 2.0 and UNEPs ‘New Delivery Model Policy’ is desirable.
- Within the five year required, a minimum of two (2) years or more of experience in UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks is desirable.
* Support UNEP’s coherent integration of science-based environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Africa’s regional and national policy planning and prioritisation process, including through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks and Country Analyses; * Provide technical support and other offers to the UN Country Teams (UNCT), including in production and/or updating of country environmental performance reports, known as National Environment Summary reports, to enhance the efficacy of UNEP UNCT Focal Points’ engagements in substantive environmental matters in the UN Resident Coordinator system; Participate in uplifting science and strengthening UNEP’s science offer to Member States, including through substantive contributions to regional environmental assessments and other targeted science-policy engagements, and harnessing the Shared Environmental Information System and its applicable principles * Contribute to a strengthened delivery of UNEP regional science-policy sub-programme mandate in the Africa region as per the corporate Medium-Term Strategy, Delivery Model Policy, and science-policy related initiatives, programmes, projects and other interventions; * Enhance the capacity of Member States, partners and stakeholders to develop and apply environmental information for science-based planning and decision-making, including empowering them to take actions for addressing climate, pollution, and nature crises, and integration into key environmental policy and decision-making processes, including regional ministerial forums; * Support science-policy reporting and communication, including preparing progress reports, monthly political briefs, and other communication materials to inform strategic positioning and decision-making at relevant levels of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa; * Strengthen stakeholder engagements on science policy perspectives for environmental protection, including close collaboration with regional bodies and centres of excellence on thematic and other environmental issues; * Provide science-policy perspectives in regular country briefs to inform and elevate the organisation’s strategic positioning and effective delivery of its mandate in the region; * Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Senior Management from time to time.
* Environmental policy development * Natural resource management * Ecosystem management * UN system's reform process * UN Resident Coordinator System (UNRC) * Regional Collaborative Platforms (RCPs) * UN 2.0 * UNEPs ‘New Delivery Model Policy’ * UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks * Data analytics * Business analytics * Data science
* Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in a discipline related to environment and sustainable development, with knowledge of environmental assessment, management, economics or a related field, is required. * A first-level university degree in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. * Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
JOB-69745c0c059a3
Vacancy title:
Environmental Affairs Specialist
[Type: FULL_TIME, Industry: Nonprofit, and NGO, Category: Science & Engineering, Civil & Government, Social Services & Nonprofit, Business Operations]
Jobs at:
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Deadline of this Job:
Saturday, February 21 2026
Duty Station:
Nairobi | Nairobi
Summary
Date Posted: Saturday, January 24 2026, Base Salary: Not Disclosed
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JOB DETAILS:
Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the world's 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 environment.
Responsibilities or duties
Under direct supervision of the Regional Coordinator for ROA, the incumbent will be mainly responsible to contribute to the strengthening of UNEP’s regional scientific capacity, capability and science-policy interfaces – including through the generation, synthesis, and application of robust, interdisciplinary science and evidence to drive effective action for environmental protection. The incumbent will carry out the following functions:
- Support UNEP’s coherent integration of science-based environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Africa’s regional and national policy planning and prioritisation process, including through the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks and Country Analyses;
- Provide technical support and other offers to the UN Country Teams (UNCT), including in production and/or updating of country environmental performance reports, known as National Environment Summary reports, to enhance the efficacy of UNEP UNCT Focal Points’ engagements in substantive environmental matters in the UN Resident Coordinator system; Participate in uplifting science and strengthening UNEP’s science offer to Member States, including through substantive contributions to regional environmental assessments and other targeted science-policy engagements, and harnessing the Shared Environmental Information System and its applicable principles
- Contribute to a strengthened delivery of UNEP regional science-policy sub-programme mandate in the Africa region as per the corporate Medium-Term Strategy, Delivery Model Policy, and science-policy related initiatives, programmes, projects and other interventions;
- Enhance the capacity of Member States, partners and stakeholders to develop and apply environmental information for science-based planning and decision-making, including empowering them to take actions for addressing climate, pollution, and nature crises, and integration into key environmental policy and decision-making processes, including regional ministerial forums;
- Support science-policy reporting and communication, including preparing progress reports, monthly political briefs, and other communication materials to inform strategic positioning and decision-making at relevant levels of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa;
- Strengthen stakeholder engagements on science policy perspectives for environmental protection, including close collaboration with regional bodies and centres of excellence on thematic and other environmental issues;
- Provide science-policy perspectives in regular country briefs to inform and elevate the organisation’s strategic positioning and effective delivery of its mandate in the region;
- Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Senior Management from time to time.
Qualifications or requirements
Education
- Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in a discipline related to environment and sustainable development, with knowledge of environmental assessment, management, economics or a related field, is required.
- A first-level university degree in combination with 2 additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
- Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.
Experience
- A minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in environmental policy development and associated natural resource and ecosystem management is required.
- Experience in the UN system’s reform process, including the UN Resident Coordinator System (UNRC) and Regional Collaborative Platforms (RCPs) is required.
- Experience and good grasp of UN 2.0 and UNEPs ‘New Delivery Model Policy’ is desirable.
- Within the five year required, a minimum of two (2) years or more of experience in UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks is desirable.
Work Hours: 8
Experience in Months: 12
Level of Education: postgraduate degree
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