Project Associate

UNV Asia & the Pacific

New Delhi

On-site

INR 659,723 - 790,217

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance

Relocation costs

Health and life coverage

Exit allowance for completed assignments

Job summary

A global development organization is seeking a Project Associate to support the establishment of a Climate Change Knowledge Centre. This role includes research, stakeholder engagement, and contributing to reports and policy briefs. Ideal candidates have a master's degree and relevant experience in climate adaptation analysis. The position offers a voluntary living allowance and other benefits.

Qualifications

3+ years experience related to analysis of climate schemes in India.
Familiarity with national and international climate change adaptation efforts.
Ability to draft technical notes, reports, and knowledge materials clearly.

Responsibilities

Assist in research and analysis concerning climate adaptation needs.
Support organization of meetings and consultations.
Contribute to drafting of reports and knowledge products.

Skills

Analysis of climate schemes and programs

Stakeholder management

Research skills

Strong written communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Master's degree in Management, Economics, Statistics, Data Science, Public Policy, Environment Science or related fields

Job description

Deadline to apply is 26 September 2025

Context

Public sector funds will not be sufficient to meet the adaptation needs of the country and there is a need for an increase in private sector investment for climate adaptation. There remains a critical need to institutionalize mechanisms that enable continuous capacity building in climate science, modeling, financing and tracking of finance flows. Establishing formal structures for these activities ensures that adaptation planning is integrated into the decision-making processes of both national and sub-national governments, fostering long-term sustainability.

As an outcome of the recently concluded National Workshop on Sustainable Finance organized by the Department of Economic Affairs & UNDP with support from NITI Aayog, there was alignment on the need for a formal framework or guidance for states on SDG aligned budgeting. As climate change impacts intensify annually, the connection between climate change and economic growth is gaining greater recognition. More detailed country and state-specific analysis is urgently needed to understand the impacts of climate change on economic growth, and the costs of creating supportive policy environments, implementing concrete measures, and building long-term institutional and human capacities. While much of the current climate adaptation finance is directed towards physical adaptation measures, the costs of implementing soft measures like capacity building and vulnerability studies are not covered by external funding or domestic public budgets.

Barriers to private sector investments in climate adaptation include perceived financial risks of adaptation projects, lack of technical knowledge on adaptation benefits, and the absence of adequate policy incentives to encourage private sector investments. Therefore, there is a need to address these barriers by advocating for a comprehensive adaptation financing framework in India that promotes the integration of public, private, and international finance. Another challenge is the limited coherence between national and sub-national adaptation planning, as these measures are often implemented in silos leading to fragmented efforts and results. There is a need to build institutional capacity at both levels, fostering better alignment between national policies and regional implementation for a more integrated approach to adaptation.

This initiative on establishing and strengthening a Knowledge Centre on Climate Change Adaptation Modeling aims to address the gap between the need for adaptation and the availability of appropriate metrics and data to effectively plan and implement these strategies. By evaluating and prioritizing actions based on risk reduction potential, cost-effectiveness, feasibility and co-benefits, modeling helps plan for future climate conditions. Climate adaptation modeling can inform the development of financial mechanisms and investment needs, using cost-benefit analysis and financing models to ensure sustainable and effective implementation of adaptation measures. This supports adaptation planning (short, medium and long-term) by offering data-driven assessments of various strategies for informed decision-making.

UNDP is looking to onboard a Project Associate to support the establishment and operationalization of the Climate Change Knowledge Centre at NITI Aayog. The Project Associate will provide technical and coordination support to ensure effective implementation of project activities. The role will also contribute to capacity-building materials and the development of knowledge products for national and sub-national stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Assist in Research and Analysis: analyse trends and patterns related to climate impacts and adaptation needs.
Contribute to background studies and reports that inform planning and policy decisions.
Support organization of project meetings, workshops, and consultations with government departments, research institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
Coordinate with thematic experts, consultants, and partners for timely delivery of outputs.
Liaise with state- and district-level counterparts for data collection and follow-up on agreed actions.
Contribute to drafting sections of reports, briefs, and presentations with insights from data.
Assist in translating data into clear, simple summaries for wider audiences and generate insights for gender-responsive policy briefs.
Support development of white papers, best practice case studies, and visual knowledge products.
Maintain project databases, document repositories, and stakeholder contact lists.
Support the preparation of knowledge products, communication materials, and social media updates.
Document good practices, lessons learned, and case studies from the project.
Assist in procurement processes, including preparation of ToRs, requests for quotations, and vendor coordination.
Support budget tracking and prepare financial updates for project activities.

Languages

English, Working knowledge
Hindi, Working knowledge, Required

Required education level

Master's degree in Management, Economics, Statistics, Data Science, Public Policy, Environment Science or a related field, or any other subjects.

Skills and experience

At least 3 years’ experience related to analysis of climate schemes and programs in India.
Familiarity with national and international climate change adaptation efforts.
Experience with public and private stakeholder management for climate projects.
Research skills to gather relevant data, statistics, case studies, and best practices related to climate adaptation.
Strong written communication skills to draft technical notes, reports, official correspondence, and knowledge materials clearly and effectively.
Excellent interpersonal skills, capable of building trust and maintaining positive relationships with diverse stakeholders.

This Entitlements specific to this volunteering assignment is below:

Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance (VLA): INR 64,961.50
Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 400 (equivalent in INR)
Relocation costs: $200 at beginning and end of assignment if duty station is outside of commuting distance (as determined by UNV)
Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment): INR 5,413.46 for each month served
Comprehensive coverage for health and life

Seniority level