Result of Service

The Ministry of Economy and Finance and the General Secretariat for Public Financial Management Reform have a Green PFM framework for Cambodia. It was agreed through consultation with the Green PFM Technical Working Group and with the participants of the Green PFM Symposium, together with i) an action plan setting out how the framework is to be applied across the budget cycle and ii) a capacity development plan setting out how officials are to be equipped to apply it. The package is available in Khmer and English, so that it can be used directly by Cambodian institutions and can inform the sustainability of the public investment pipeline financed in the years ahead.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

Six months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme is the designated entity of the United Nations system for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Within UNEP, the Industry and Economy Division works to internalise environmental costs, promote the efficient use of natural resources, reduce pollution and support the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements. The Economics and Fiscal Policy Unit of that Division leads UNEP's work on sustainable public finance, supporting Ministries of Finance and Planning to align fiscal frameworks and national budgets with durable and inclusive growth, competitiveness, resilience and the simultaneous achievement of economic, social and environmental objectives. In Cambodia, the Unit delivers this work through the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, under which UNEP supports the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the General Secretariat for Public Financial Management Reform on the sustainability of public spending and public investment. It follows the guidance provided by Cambodia's Secretary of State, Ministry of Economy and Finance in May 2026 and the confirmation of scope and sequencing given by the Ministry on 16 July 2026. The work covers three components. The first is a capacity development programme for public investment and line ministry officials on screening and appraising investments for sustainability, which UNEP delivers with its partners. The second is the Green Public Financial Management (PFM) Symposium and the green public finance forum, held with the high-level event in December 2026 and hosted by the General Secretariat with UNEP and UNITAR. The third, which is the subject of this consultancy, is the development of the Green PFM framework itself, together with the technical content of the Symposium at which the draft framework is presented. The framework spans the whole budget cycle, gives particular attention to sustainable public investment and procurement, and is designed to work within the data constraints the Ministry faces. It builds on the Green PFM and Financing Roadmap vision document commissioned by the General Secretariat and on its accompanying assessment report, and it is developed under the guidance of the Green PFM Technical Working Group. Specific tasks and responsibilities Related to Output 1:

Prepare an inception note setting out the approach, method and evidence base for the Green PFM framework, drawing on the Green PFM and Financing Roadmap vision document commissioned by the General Secretariat and on its assessment report.
Prepare a workplan and an annotated outline of the framework, covering the whole budget cycle with particular attention to sustainable public investment and public procurement, and reflecting the data available to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Prepare the concept note and draft agenda for the Green PFM Symposium and the green public finance forum, including the taxonomy exchange, for review by the General Secretariat, UNEP and UNITAR.
Confirm the division of deliverables with the General Secretariat so that the work of this contract complements, and does not duplicate, the roadmap engagement. Related to Output 2:
Draft the Green PFM framework, setting out how sustainability considerations enter budget formulation, appraisal and selection of public investment, execution, procurement, and reporting, and identifying the institutional arrangements each step requires.
Lead the technical preparation of the December events, including the mobilisation of speakers and panellists, the preparation of background and briefing material and the substantive design of the sessions, with logistics and hosting arrangements handled by the General Secretariat, UNEP and UNITAR.
Present the draft framework for consultation at the Green PFM Symposium and record the comments received. Related to Output 3:
Prepare an action plan setting out the sequence of measures required to apply the framework, the institutions responsible for each measure, the indicative timing and the points at which the framework connects to the successor public investment management reform strategy and to programme budgeting.
Prepare a capacity development plan identifying the officials to be reached, the competencies required at each stage of the budget cycle and the delivery arrangements, drawing on the outcomes of the capacity development workshop.
Reflect the outcomes of the Symposium and the guidance of the Green PFM Technical Working Group in both documents, and submit them to the Working Group for review. Related to Output 4:
Revise the framework, the action plan and the capacity development plan in the light of comments received from the Green PFM Technical Working Group, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and UNEP.
Deliver the final package in Khmer and English, hand over all background material and analytical inputs, and close out all outstanding activities under this contract.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree, at the level of a Master's degree, in economics, public finance, public administration, public policy, development studies or a closely related field is required. A first level university degree in one of these fields, combined with two additional years of qualifying professional experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.

A minimum of five years of professional experience in public financial management, public investment management, budget policy or public finance reform, acquired in a ministry of finance or planning, an international organisation, a development partner or a comparable institution, is required.
Direct working experience of the Cambodian public financial management system, including the Public Financial Management Reform Program and the work of the General Secretariat for Public Financial Management Reform, is required.
Demonstrated knowledge of green, climate-responsive or environmentally informed public financial management, covering budget formulation, execution, public investment appraisal and public procurement, is required.
Proven experience drafting policy frameworks, action plans or reform strategies adopted or endorsed by a government counterpart is required.
Experience preparing and technically supporting high-level convenings, including concept notes, agendas, speaker outreach and background material, is desirable. Familiarity with the 2023 Public Finance System Law, programme budgeting in Cambodia, the successor public investment management reform strategy and the Digital Ecosystem Architecture Framework is an advantage.
Familiarity with green taxonomy work in the region, including that of the National Bank of Cambodia, the Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia and the relevant ASEAN processes, is an advantage.

Languages

Fluency in written and spoken Khmer and English is required, including the ability to draft policy documents to publication standard in both languages.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

National Consultant, Green Public Financial Management Framework, Cambodia