Critical Minerals Lead

Organizational Context

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Energy Division focuses on sustainable extractive industries and critical minerals for the energy transition. This role supports regional cooperation, the application of UN frameworks like UNFC and UNRMS, and collaboration with partners such as ASEAN and UN system-wide mechanisms, contributing to sustainable resource management.

Job Purpose

This role serves to advance technical, analytical, and coordination work related to sustainable extractive industries and critical minerals for the energy transition within the ESCAP region. The purpose is to support member states in understanding and responding to the energy transition's impact on critical minerals and trade. Key contributions include enhancing awareness and application of UNFC and UNRMS, strengthening regional cooperation, improving UN system coherence on critical energy transition minerals, and delivering high-quality analytical products, consultations, and capacity-building activities to foster sustainable resource management and responsible supply chains.

Responsibilities

The role involves supporting the implementation of the APEF-3 Ministerial Declaration concerning sustainable resource management, critical minerals, and energy technology value chains. Key duties include disseminating and facilitating the application of UNFC and UNRMS in member states, strengthening cooperation with regional partners like ASEAN on mineral development action plans, and enhancing UN system coordination, particularly with the UN Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. The role also requires conducting analytical work on critical minerals governance, just transitions, and circularity, producing policy briefs, technical notes, and presentations, and organizing/facilitating workshops and policy dialogues to build capacity and foster collaboration.

Work Experience

A minimum of 10 years of experience is required in sustainable development within the energy sector, with a specific focus on extractive industry issues in the Asia and Pacific region.

Skills

Analytical skills, technical expertise, coordination, communication, capacity building, knowledge of UNFC and UNRMS, understanding of critical minerals and energy transition, experience with regional cooperation (e.g., ASEAN), policy analysis, report writing, workshop facilitation.

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