Background
UNDPโs Strategic Plan (2026โ2029) commits the organisation to advancing human development on a healthy planet through systemic transformation, integrated portfolios, and a culture of innovation and learning. Four strategic objectivesโprosperity for all, effective governance, crisis resilience, and a healthy planetโare powered by three accelerators: digital and AI transformation, gender equality, and sustainable finance.
Countries across the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (RBEC) are facing increasingly complex and interconnected challenges related to resource inefficiency, waste generation, environmental degradation, climate risks, and uneven progress in transitioning towards more sustainable and inclusive economic models. Circular economy (CE) approaches are emerging as a critical lever to address these challenges, contributing simultaneously to climate action, environmental protection, economic competitiveness, job creation, and social wellbeing.
In response, UNDP RBEC is strengthening its support to Country Offices (COs) in advancing circular economyโrelated policy, programming, and innovation, including through portfolio-based approaches, systems thinking, experimentation, and regional learning. This work spans multiple thematic areas, including sustainable resource and materials management and circular value chains, sustainable tourism, food systems, private sector development, decarbonisation, biodiversity, and green finance, and requires stronger integration, learning, and adaptive management across programmes.
At the country level, the UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Programme Document (CPD) 2026-2030 places strong emphasis on green transition, sustainable and inclusive growth, and institutional transformation, with innovation identified as a key enabler for delivering results. The CPD recognises the circular economy as a cross-cutting pathway to address structural challenges related to waste, resource use, environmental degradation, and livelihoods, while supporting climate, biodiversity, and social inclusion objectives. It further highlights the need for experimentation, learning, and adaptive approaches to respond to systemic risks and emerging opportunities.
Within this context, circular economy and innovation are not stand-alone thematic areas but are integral to both regional and national programming, requiring continuous learning, stronger portfolio design, and effective feedback loops between country-level implementation and regional knowledge generation. Lessons emerging from Bosnia and Herzegovinaโs portfolio-based programming provide valuable insights for the wider RBEC region, while regional analytical work and learning strengthen country-level programme integration and impact.
Against this backdrop, UNDP seeks to engage a Circular Economy and Programme Innovation Analyst operating under matrix supervision by UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub and UNDP CO Bosnia and Herzegovina. The role will serve as a connecting function between regional circular economy priorities and country-level portfolio design, learning, and programme integration, contributing to more coherent, adaptive, and impactful UNDP programming.
The purpose of this assignment is to strengthen UNDPโs capacity at both regional and country levels to design, implement, and adapt portfolios as a novel delivery mechanism, and strengthen circular economyโrelated programmes through innovation, learning, and systems-based approaches.
The Circular Economy and Programme Innovation Analyst will:
support RBEC in advancing regional circular economy analysis, innovation, and learning; while contributing to the development of concepts and proposals for partner engagement, as relevant (~60%, remote), and support UNDP CO Bosnia and Herzegovina in integrating circular economy and portfolio approaches across CPD implementation, strengthening coherence, learning, and adaptive management (~40%, office-based).Duties and Responsibilities
Under matrix supervision by UNDP RBEC and UNDP CO Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Analyst will perform the following functions:ย
Regional Circular Economy Analysis and Programme Support (RBEC Focus):
Conduct analytical work on circular economy trends, policies, and practices across the RBEC region, identifying leverage points for programme innovation and integration. Support RBEC in providing advisory support to Country Offices on integrating circular economy principles across thematic areas. Support the development of concept notes and project proposals for partner engagement, drawing on existing circular economy initiatives and partnerships (e.g. in Bosnia and Herzegovina) and integrating circular economy approaches where relevant. Contribute to regional guidance notes, analytical briefs, and programme support materials related to circular economy and green transition portfolios. Support alignment between country-level circular economy programming and RBEC regional priorities and frameworks.Portfolio Design, Learning, and Adaptation (Regional and Country Levels):
Support the design, evolution, and strengthening of portfolios at regional and country levels, including circular economyโfocused and cross-sectoral portfolios. Contribute to the development and refinement of portfolio intents, theories of change, results frameworks, and learning questions, ensuring alignment with CPD outcomes and regional priorities. Support portfolio learning, sensemaking, and adaptation processes, including reflection workshops, learning cycles, and synthesis of insights. Analyse portfolio performance and emerging evidence to inform adaptive programming and strategic decision-making.Programme Integration and CPD Support (CO Bosnia and Herzegovina Focus):
Support UNDP CO Bosnia and Herzegovina in integrating portfolio approaches across programme pillars, strengthening coherence between projects, initiatives, and innovation activities. Strengthen linkages between circular economy interventions and broader CPD priorities, including climate action, biodiversity, energy transition, livelihoods, and governance. Translate portfolio-level learning into actionable recommendations for programme adjustments, annual work planning, and future programme cycles. Support internal coordination, knowledge sharing, and learning across programme teams within the CO.Innovation, Experimentation, and Evidence Generation:
Support identification, analysis, and documentation of innovative circular economy solutions, pilots, and experiments across RBEC and within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Contribute to identifying circular value chain entry points and market-facing opportunities, linking policy and innovation work to scalable pipelines, private-sector engagement, and potential co-financing. Apply innovation methodologies, including systems mapping, solution scanning, and experimentation, to inform portfolio development and strengthening. Support innovation challenges, calls, or experimentation initiatives related to circular economy and green transition themes. Contribute to evidence generation on what works, under what conditions, and why, in advancing circular economy approaches.ยLearning, Knowledge Management, and Regional Partnerships:
Support the design and facilitation of regional learning exchanges, communities of practice, and peer-learning activities on circular economy, portfolio approaches, and programme innovation. Support mapping and engagement of key circular economy stakeholders and partners at regional level, including development partners, private sector actors, academia, and innovation ecosystems. Contribute to the development of portfolio intelligence products, learning briefs, and synthesis notes capturing insights from country-level implementation. Support dissemination of learning across RBEC and Country Offices through internal platforms, events, and knowledge products. Contribute to internal capacity strengthening on portfolio thinking, learning, and adaptive management. Contribute to regional coordination efforts and collaboration with other UN agencies and regional initiatives related to circular economy and green transition.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ยThe incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.
Institutional Arrangement
The Circular Economy and Programme Innovation Analyst will work under the supervision of Regional Technical Specialist (circular economy, chemicals and waste) at UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, and the UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina Resident Representative, and with relevant regional and country-level teams, including programme and innovation functions.ย The role may help coordinate, as appropriate, with global technical teams such as the BPPS Planet Hub to support alignment, knowledge exchange, and coherence between regional and country-level circular economy portfolios and UNDPโs broader technical work.
Competencies
Core Competencies:
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies:
Business Direction & Strategyย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Systems Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgment to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact impact on other parts of the system.Business Managementย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritise and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity.ย Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment.ย Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.Digitalย
Solutions Mapping: Ability to engage and build rapport with vulnerable communities and get consent, facilitate participatory processes and navigate intricate power relations and cultural dynamics. Having the sensitivity and ability to identify grassroots solutions, capacities, assets, coping strategies that impacted communities have developed or used to address (emerging) development challenges.ย Being able to understand these solutions from a people's perspective and learn about the conditions that enable or prevent communities from developing such grassroots solutions or coping mechanisms.ย Understand how solutions and needs are paired, and how grassroots solutions can be used as an entry point to identify unaddressed or unmet development challenges and how to use these insights to inform policy design.ย Ability to reverse engineer solutions, understanding what aspects (artefactual, principles, conditions, configuration) can be scaled and how, being able to assess their potential to be transferred to other domains, regions or contexts and build a case for that.ย Ability to appreciate and integrate various sources of knowledge (academic, experiential, observational, traditional, indigenous) in problem solving processes. Set up structures and processes to collect ideas, solutions and facilitate matchmaking between supply and demand of solutions. Design Thinking: Solving problems by putting people at the centre, visualising ideas and making them tangible in order to improve them through and iterative process of developing and testing. Strong empathy skills, being able to put yourself \"\"in someone else's shoes\"\", understand needs, abilities, preferences, motivations, (everyday) experiences from different perspectives as well as their cultural, social, economical and political contexts.ย Ability to identify and challenge assumptions, (cognitive and social) biases and dominant mental models by generating new perspectives and frames that help redefine the problem, solution and opportunity space.ย Being able to work with incomplete information, ambiguity and opposing views, needs and constraints and synthesise them into solutions that are viable, technically feasible and useful. Story Telling: Ability to empathise with people's perceptions, motivations, feelings and mental models and craft narratives to build an emotive argument for change accordingly. Ability to present data, insights or information in compelling ways to mobilise resources, talent or action.ย Ability to choose media and channels that is fit for purpose to reach specific target audiences.2030 Agenda: Planetย
Climate: Circular economy and green economyPartnershipsย ย
Relationship Management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Environmental Management, Development studies, or other relevant fields is required; or A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in the areas mentioned above with an additional two years of qualifying experience may beย accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.Experience:
Minimum 2 years (with Master's degree) or 4 years (with Bachelor's degree) of relevant professional experience in circular economy, sustainability, environmental policy, programme design, or innovation.Languages:
Fluency in BHS (Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian) ย and English is required.Experience, Knowledge, andย skills:
Demonstrated experience in analytical work and programme support related to circular economy or resource efficiency. Proven experience facilitating multi-stakeholder design processes, co-creation and learning for adaptive management. Proficiency in MS Office applications and web-based management systems; up-to-date knowledge of different AI technologies and tools.Desirable Criteria:
Proven experience managing collaborative initiatives and/or coordinating with public institutions and civil society. Demonstrated experience and ability to work with partners to help surface unarticulated needs. Experience supporting multi-country or regional initiatives. Prior experience within the UN system or in international development organizations. Familiarity with innovation methodologies, portfolio approaches, or systems thinking.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.ย
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.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย 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.
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