The United Nations Environment Programme is recruiting a home-based consultant for a GEF-8 Uganda climate finance project, focusing on CEO endorsement document preparation, stakeholder engagement, and climate mitigation project design under UNEP’s Climate Change Division.
Introduction
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a leading global authority on environmental governance and sustainable development, has announced a consultancy opportunity under its Climate Change Division for 2026. The role focuses on supporting the preparation and submission of a Global Environment Facility (GEF-8) CEO Endorsement Request Package for a climate finance initiative in Uganda.
This consultancy reflects UNEP’s continued commitment to strengthening climate action frameworks in developing economies through structured project preparation, stakeholder engagement, and technical support for climate mitigation financing mechanisms. The position is classified under the Environmental Affairs job family and is designed as a home-based, part-time consultancy based out of the Nairobi duty station coordination framework.
The assignment is expected to run for approximately eight months, during which the consultant will play a central role in designing and finalising the full project documentation required for GEF approval.
About the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The United Nations Environment Programme is the environmental authority within the United Nations system, mandated to coordinate global environmental policy and promote sustainable development practices across member states. UNEP works across climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, pollution reduction, and green financing systems.
Within its Climate Change Division, UNEP manages a portfolio of Global Environment Facility-supported projects across Africa and other regions. These projects span multiple phases, including concept development, implementation, monitoring, and closure. UNEP’s role as an implementing agency includes ensuring compliance with GEF guidelines, maintaining project integrity, and supporting governments and partners in delivering measurable environmental outcomes.
Overview of the Consultancy Role
The consultancy, officially titled CF Uganda PPG Consultant (Job Opening ID: 277751), is embedded within UNEP’s Global Funds Mitigation and Transparency Section, specifically under the Mitigation Branch for Europe and Central Asia with coordination across African climate mitigation teams.
The primary outcome of the assignment is the successful completion of a GEF-8 CEO Endorsement Request Package for the Uganda Climate Finance (CF) project. This document is a critical requirement for securing funding approval from the Global Environment Facility, which finances environmental projects worldwide.
The consultant will operate under the supervision of the Task Manager for Africa and will collaborate closely with government counterparts and UNEP technical teams.
Core Responsibilities of the Consultant
The role is highly technical and involves leading the full Project Preparation Grant (PPG) process. The consultant will be responsible for designing, structuring, and delivering all components of the CEO Endorsement Package.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading the preparation of the full CEO Endorsement Document and supporting annexes
- Designing the project’s logical framework, results framework, and monitoring indicators
- Developing the baseline scenario, problem tree, and barrier analysis
- Structuring alternative project scenarios and intervention strategies
- Ensuring alignment with national climate policies and development frameworks
- Preparing detailed budgets, workplans, and institutional arrangements
The consultant is also expected to coordinate stakeholder engagement processes, including organizing in-country consultation missions in Uganda.
Stakeholder Engagement and Field Missions
A significant part of the consultancy involves facilitating stakeholder consultations and field missions in collaboration with national governments and UNEP teams.
The consultant will:
- Organize and lead an initial scoping mission in Uganda
- Conduct stakeholder workshops involving government institutions, NGOs, and development partners
- Collect baseline data, co-financing information, and institutional insights
- Facilitate discussions on project design, including theory of change and intervention logic
- Prepare mission reports documenting findings and stakeholder inputs
Following the first mission, the consultant will develop a “project skeleton document,” summarizing the proposed structure of the project, including components, outputs, budgets, indicators, and implementation logic.
Gender, Risk, and Results Framework Development
The consultancy places strong emphasis on inclusive and results-based project design. The consultant is required to integrate gender equality considerations and risk analysis into all stages of project development.
Key deliverables include:
- A comprehensive Gender Analysis and Gender Action Plan
- Stakeholder Engagement Plan with clearly defined roles and participation strategies
- Risk assessment and mitigation framework
- Monitoring and evaluation system aligned with GEF standards
These components ensure that the Uganda climate finance project meets international sustainability and inclusivity standards while delivering measurable environmental outcomes.
Documentation and Reporting Requirements
The consultant is expected to produce multiple high-level technical documents throughout the assignment lifecycle. These include:
- Draft and final CEO Endorsement Packages
- Workshop and stakeholder consultation reports
- Mission reports following field visits
- Co-financing validation documentation and commitment letters
- Internal UNEP presentation materials for project review
- Final submission package for GEF Secretariat approval
Each document must meet UNEP’s internal quality standards and align with comparable GEF-approved projects.
The consultant will also be responsible for responding to review comments from both UNEP’s internal Project Review Committee (PRC) and the GEF Secretariat until final approval is secured.
Required Qualifications and Expertise
The consultancy requires advanced technical and analytical expertise in environmental project development and climate finance.
Academic requirements include:
- An advanced university degree in environmental sciences, economics, business, management, or a related field
- A first-level degree with additional experience may be accepted in lieu of a postgraduate qualification
Professional experience requirements include:
- At least two years of experience in climate change mitigation, climate finance, or sustainable development projects
- Proven experience in drafting technical project documents
- Familiarity with GEF or UNEP project cycles is considered an advantage
- Experience working with multilateral or bilateral development funding institutions is highly desirable
Language requirement:
- Fluency in English (oral and written) is mandatory
- French is considered one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat
Strategic Importance of the Role
This consultancy plays a critical role in advancing climate finance mechanisms in Uganda through structured project preparation under the GEF-8 framework. By developing a robust CEO Endorsement Package, the consultant directly contributes to unlocking international funding for climate mitigation initiatives.
The assignment also strengthens institutional capacity for climate governance, particularly in developing countries where climate vulnerability is high and financial systems require external support for adaptation and mitigation efforts.
UNEP’s involvement ensures that the project aligns with global environmental standards and contributes to broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to climate action, sustainable cities, and responsible resource management.
Conclusion
The UNEP CF Uganda PPG Consultant role represents a high-impact opportunity within the international environmental development space. Through technical leadership in project design, stakeholder coordination, and climate finance structuring, the consultant will contribute to shaping a major GEF-8-funded initiative in Uganda.
This consultancy reflects the growing importance of climate finance expertise within global development institutions and highlights UNEP’s central role in driving environmental policy implementation across Africa and beyond.
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