Field Associate

UNDP Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, is implementing the project “Scale-up and Sustain Low-Carbon Municipal Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery in Sri Lanka.” The initiative addresses the growing challenges of municipal solid waste in urbanizing areas, where limited collection capacity, inadequate segregation and recycling infrastructure, and unsustainable disposal practices contribute to pollution, public health risks, and rising greenhouse gas emissions. Aligned with Sri Lanka’s NDC commitments, the project aims to strengthen local authorities’ capacity to adopt integrated, low-carbon MSWM solutions, with pilot initiatives in selected Local Authorities in the Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. The project will also support four Provincial Councils (Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and North-Western) in developing waste management master plans and initiating selected priority actions. The Project is seeking a Field Associate, who will play a critical role in maintaining continuous engagement with local authorities and key stakeholders, while supporting field-level implementation and project monitoring activities. Duties and Responsibilities Under the supervision and guidance of the Project Coordinator, UNDP and Climate & Environment team, the Field Associate is expected to undertake the following tasks, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government. The Field Associate will remain accountable for the duties and responsibilities defined as follows; 1. Support effective project planning and implementation by; Maintaining periodic engagement with local authorities, community groups, and project stakeholders to support overall project coordination and information flow. Supporting data collection, stakeholder consultations, and workshops contributing to provincial waste management plan preparation and capacity-building activities. Assisting with project’s field assessments, feasibility studies, and the establishment and monitoring of waste management pilot demonstration sites. 2. Provide support to the effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on progress of project implementation by; Providing field observations and inputs for project documentation, progress reports, and validation processes. 3. Support knowledge building, knowledge sharing and capacity building relevant to the assigned project including coordination of field logistics, missions, meetings, trainings, and maintaining records, inventories, and related administrative documentation. 4. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization. Institutional Arrangement The Field Associate will be under the direct supervision of and report to the Project Coordinator - Climate and Environment Team. Competencies Core: Achieve Results; Think Innovatively; Learn Continuously; Adapt with Agility; Act with Determination; Engage and Partner; Enable Diversity and Inclusion. Cross-Functional & Technical competencies include External Relations & Advocacy, Administration & Operations, and Business Management. Thematic Area details include External Relations & Advocacy (Event planning and execution), Administration & Operations (Events management), Business Management (Partnerships Management, Communication, Monitoring & Evaluation), and Gender in 2030 Agenda (Gender). Required Skills and Experience: Min. Education: Secondary Education (GCE A/L) required; a University degree in Agriculture, Climate Change, Water Management, Environment, or related area will be considered but not required. Min. years: 6 years with secondary education or 3 years with a bachelor’s degree. Experience with MS Office, data management, partnerships with government and private sector. Desirable: experience coordinating development projects; UN systems experience; environment/waste management projects. Required Language(s): English; Sinhala and/or Tamil desirable. Equal opportunity and AI-use guidance. Apply Now.