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Project Manager - NPAP
Better Than Cash
Operations
Manila, Philippines · Philippines
Posted on Mar 17, 2026
Tiered Approach
In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:
- Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
- Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
- Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
- Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates
Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.
Background
The National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) is a multistakeholder initiative of the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), hosted at the World Economic Forum (the Forum). In December 2023 the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines and the Forum signed a letter of intent to officially launch a national collaboration platform for plastic pollution action, the Philippines National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP). NPAP aim is to tackle the challenge of plastic pollution by bringing together stakeholders from public and private sectors, academia and civil society, to . It facilitates initiatives and funding to scale and accelerate in-country partnerships that address plastic waste and pollution, contributing towards a just transition towards a circular economy of plastics, while contributing to the nation’s progress towards achieving many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Philippines, with its dynamic economy and a vast archipelago of 7,100 islands, grapples with the challenges of a large population and rapid urbanization. This has resulted in an increased demand for goods and services, leading to heightened consumption and waste generation. The country has gained international attention for its significant contribution to marine plastic pollution, ranking as the third-largest source globally in 2015 and the largest contributor of mismanaged plastic waste into the marine environment through river systems in 2021. The environmental, economic, and social costs of this challenge are severe, exacerbating climate and disaster risks.
Plastic pollution is recognized as a symptom of deeper systemic issues, including unsustainable production and consumption patterns, inadequate waste management infrastructure, legal frameworks, and enforcement, as well as economic, behavioral, and political factors. There is a pressing need for holistic solutions that address these root causes comprehensively. With a notable shift from traditional waste management towards embracing the principles of a circular economy, there is an understanding that a transformative and collaborative approach is required.
UNDP serves as the NPAP Secretariat in the Philippines and will play a critical role in coordinating and implementing the NPAP's initiatives in the country. It will collaborate closely with the NPAP Steering Board and GPAP Secretariat to develop and implement the NPAP's action roadmap, engage stakeholders, and monitor progress towards the NPAP's objectives. NPAP Secretariat supports and works closely with DENR as the lead Government partner.
The Project Manager will also manage the NPAP's budget, organize meetings and events, and provide regular updates to the NPAP Steering Board and GPAP Secretariat. It will work closely with various stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, civil society organizations, and academic institutions, to ensure the success of the NPAP's initiatives.
A Philippines NPAP Project Manager will be mobilized as a key position of the Philippines NPAP Secretariat team at the UNDP Country Office.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Project Manager will work under the direct supervision of the Climate Action Programme Team Leader in close coordination with the project management unit, DENR, technical partners, technical specialists, consultants, and contractors.
In performing the duties of the Manager, the organisation will seek the guidance of the NPAP Chair and the NPAP Specialist at the GPAP global Secretariat, to ensure coordination between the national, regional and global activities of GPAP.
The Manager is bound to submit financial reports (bi-annually) and progress and impact reports on a quarterly basis via Airtable to the GPAP Secretariat at the WEF, in addition to UNDP-required reports. In addition, the Manager is responsible for organizing regular calls with the GPAP Secretariat discuss key activities, outcomes and expenses, as well as to request guidance and support in times of key events and milestone activities.
The Manager is expected to comply with reporting frameworks agreed on with GPAP Secretariat and provided by Donors.
The Project Manager shall lead and manage all activities of the Philippine NPAP. Specifically, the Project Manager’s key roles include:
- Lead the strategic development, adaptive management, and oversight of the Philippines NPAP, in close coordination with DENR as the lead Government partner;
- Lead and manage the NPAP Secretariat staff and consultants;
- Lead the development and implementation of strategic activities of NPAP that accelerate progress reaching reduction/elimination of plastic pollution leakage goals through policy, business shifts, improved public awareness and sustainable financing mechanisms;
- In close coordination with Government and stakeholders, lead the finalization and rollout of the National Plastic Action Roadmap, and other key outputs,
- Ensure high‑quality programme planning, monitoring, and adaptive reporting, providing quarterly reports, members lists, case studies to GPAP secretariat; and
- Identify, engage, and coordinate with strategic investment partners, development partners, and private sector actors to mobilize financial and technical resources in support of implementation of the National Plastic Action Roadmap and other priority NPAP actions, including through blended finance, partnerships, and alignment with existing national and partner programmes.
- Develop a fundraising and sustainability strategy for NPAP Philippines, to support long-term implementation.
As the lead of the NPAP Secretariat, the Project Manager shall work with NPAP Steering Board and GPAP Secretariat as the lead of the NPAP Secretariat. Specifically the Project Manager will have the following responsibilities:
- Lead the identification, organisation, and management of NPAP members, which will include a Steering Board, Task Forces and a wider community. Managing the NPAP involves facilitating meetings, briefing the NPAP chair, creating meeting content under the guidance of the NPAP chair, and managing all logistics for meetings, workshops, roundtables and other formats of convening;
- Provide strategic guidance and coordination to support the development and implementation of priority actions in collaboration with Government and key stakeholders;
- Act as Programme Manager for the national strategic initiative of NPAP, supporting the Philippines NPAP Steering Board and Task Forces/Working Groups in coordinating implementation activities;
- Act as the lead for the preparation and delivery of the Philippines NPAP Steering Board Meetings, in collaboration with the DENR and the GPAP Global Secretariat, including proposing the agenda and work plans for discussion, and moderating the meetings and calls;
- Organize workshops and events bringing together stakeholders from public, private sector, civil society and international organizations focusing on plastic action;
- Lead the development and execution of communication, engagement, and visibility strategies for national and global communication activities and events of GPAP; and
- Curate the Philippines NPAP spaces on the GPAP Digital Collaboration Platform (TopLink) as needed, promoting the use and dissemination of relevant material.
The Project Manager shall drive the Philippine NPAP towards the delivery of the following outcomes and outputs:
- Development of a robust governance structure including engagement and participation of the NPAP Steering Board and Task Forces/Working Groups members to work collaboratively on the implementation of the identified priority actions (to be identified in collaboration with the government and outlined in the Action Roadmap);
- Development of platform infrastructure and community including engagement of key regional stakeholders to build a wider NPAP community and increase ownership of the NPAP agenda by plastic producers, plastic users, consumers, collectors, pickers, governments and others, including but not limited to the private sector and civil society organisations;
- Strengthen coordination and alignment across partner initiatives, improving visibility of the initiatives of GPAP/NPAP partners in the country/region, and enabling action‑focused collaboration and learning opportunities;
- Promotes active engagement from private sector and non-governmental players to build a wider NPAP community that supports the development of the Roadmap and collaborates to implement the identified priority actions;
- Identification of opportunities to accelerate action for a new plastic circular economy;
- Developing reports, such as the landscape analysis report, and/or issue briefs for relevant stakeholders on plastic waste and pollution, upon agreement with GPAP;
- Submitting quarterly reports to GPAP (through Airtable platform) and financial reports;
- Capture, synthesize, and disseminate lessons learned and best practices, providing case studies where relevant, to increase NPAP visibility both nationally and internationally; and
- Review existing literature, studies, news, and events related to plastic pollution and waste.
Facilitate knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relevant to the project.
- Identify capacity building needs and opportunities. Ensure appropriate training, project workshops and other relevant activities are organized and implemented in a consultative manner, involving technical experts and stakeholders that may include the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and/or academia.
- Ensure project reports capture results, lessons learned and good practices for possible wider application.
- Participate in and ensure sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice on development and project related issues. Support establishment of knowledge platforms for the project, facilitate innovative mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge from the project, and develop knowledge resources and products to share with project partners and to support UNDP’s engagement in this area.
- Promote advocacy for UNDP’s work and opportunities for collaboration in addressing development trends in coordination with the project partners, stakeholders, and UNDP communications personnel.
The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Competencies
Core competencies:
- Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
- Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
- Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
- Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
- Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
- Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
- Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management Competencies:
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:
Business Management
- Partnerships Management. Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
Digital & Innovation
- Systems Thinking & Transformation. Understand that complex problems need a nonreductionistic, holistic approach. Ability to explore challenges from multiple perspectives by zooming in and out, with a focus on relationships and flows rather than individual elements; understand how certain dynamics and conditions are driving and influencing an issue. Ability to develop a collective understanding by a mapping systems and their dynamics (e.g. flows or resources, information; power relations); is able to handle ambiguity and can help others navigate it. Being able to identify intervention points to leverage change and system transformation by setting out a coherent collection of multiple interventions to probe the system for desirable effects. Understand that change is nonlinear and unpredictable; being comfortable and able to work with emergence.
Business Direction & Strategy
- System Thinking. Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
Business Development
- Knowledge Facilitation. Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.
2030 Agenda: Planet
- Nature, Climate and Energy. Circular economy and green economy
2030 Agenda: Prosperity
- Inclusive Growth. Social inclusion
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Environmental or Natural Sciences, Natural Resource Management, Engineering, Industrial Ecology, Economics, Public Policy, Social Science, Sustainable Development, or other relevant fields is required; or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the above fields, in combination with an additional two (2) years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience:
- A minimum of 5 years (with Master´s degree) or 7 years (with Bachelor´s degree) of professional experience in the promotion of circular economy, green economy, environment and climate change, sustainable development, systemic design/portfolio approaches, or innovation is required.
Required skills and competencies:
- At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in managing projects, programmes, portfolios or platforms, including work planning and budgeting and supervision of staff/consultants, on circular economy, green economy, environment and climate change, innovation, and management policy, programming.
- Demonstrated experience working/coordinating with the national and local government of the Philippines, multilateral, private sector, or civil society organizations in a multi-cultural setting.
- At least 3 years of experience in building partnerships across the public and private sector.
Desired additional skills and competencies:
- At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in resource mobilization, partnership development, or investment facilitation for environmental, circular economy, or sustainable development initiatives, including engagement with development partners and/or the private sector.
- Demonstrated experience leading or contributing to policy development, strategic roadmaps, or national/local action plans, preferably related to circular economy, environmental governance, or sustainable development.
- At least 2 years of project/programme management experience with an international organization, such as the UN system, or similar multilateral institutions.
Required Language(s) (at working level)
- Fluency in English and Filipino is required.
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
Scam alert
UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.
Duties and Responsibilities