Job Description
Job Identification 30678 Posting Date 13/07/2026, 09:24 Apply Before 28/07/2026, 04:59 Job Schedule Full time Locations Nuku'Alofa, Tonga Agency UNDP GradeNPSA-10 Vacancy Type National Personnel Service Agreement Practice Area Nature, Climate and Energy Bureau Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific Contract Duration1 Year Education & Work Experience Master's Degree - 5 year(s) experience OR Bachelor's Degree - 7 year(s) experience Required Languages English and Tongan Vacancy Timeline2 Weeks Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below: Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates) Tier 2: Staff holding UNDP temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts and Expert and Specialist UNVs with host entity UNDP Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates Background The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. The Fiji multi-country office covers ten countries including Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu as well as provides support to regional initiatives. UNDP in the Pacific has developed its multi-country programme document (MCPD, 2023-2027) to guide its interventions in the next five years in full alignment and directly to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF, 2023–27). The Office covers 10 countries in the Pacific with an extensive portfolio which has grown over time. The UNSDCF and UNDP MCPD are designed in full alignment with the 2030 agenda, Samoa Pathway, and 2050 Blue Content Strategy, which is endorsed by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) among others. The UNDP Pacific Office next five-year plan strategic priorities are encapsulated under three outcome areas: (i) Planet, (ii) Prosperity, and (iii) Peace. Resilience is one of UNDP’s six signature solutions – alongside poverty and inequality, environment, energy, governance, and gender equality - to support countries towards three directions of change: structural transformation, leaving no one behind and resilience. As per UNDP’s new Strategic Plan 2022- 2025, and the new MCPD (2023-2027), UNDP Pacific office aims to supporting countries and communities in building resilience to diverse shocks and crises, including conflict, climate change, disasters and epidemics. Climate change is expected to bring Tonga serious impacts that include more heavy rainfall events, severe tropical cyclones and extreme sea level events, which will require adaptation for people, infrastructure, and coastal ecosystems. Tonga faces a potential long-term threat from permanent inundation and wave-driven flooding, with studies suggesting significant community displacement (World Bank, 2021a). The largest island, Tongatapu, which holds around 74% of the population (74,320), faces significant frequent flooding risks and potential permanent losses from sea level rise (SLR) without future adaptation measures. This population is expected to grow as Tongans relocate from outlying islands to Tongatapu. With most of Tongatapu’s populated areas only 1m above sea level, SLR could inundate many settlements without adequate adaptation strategies. Geographic isolation and economic vulnerabilities, including dependence on remittance and foreign aid, exacerbate the challenges faced by communities and decision-makers, compounding the risks associated with climate change. The project therefore seeks to address coastal inundation in critical areas through immediate coastal protection measures in the northeastern parts of Tongatapu, while fostering long term adaptation measures through the provision of critical climate risk information and planning tools supported through key training, knowledge sharing and capacity. The project also proposes a transformative adaptation approach through the establishment and support for multi-stakeholder decision making on critical adaptation needs and land use planning. Ongoing climate change threats, risk, and impacts to date have challenged Tonga and brought the issue of transformative adaptation to the forefront. Therefore, the overall objective for the project is to support the transformative adaptation agenda setting through a participatory process; supporting development and spatial planning (comm