Individual Consultant Contract (Natural Sciences)

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OVERVIEW

Parent Sector: Natural Sciences

Type of contract: Individual Consultant Contract (Natural Sciences)

Duration of Contract: Expected 11 months

Recruitment open to: External Candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 30 December 2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

In the framework of the 42 C/5 major programme and under the overall supervision of the Director of the Ecological and Earth Sciences Division (SC/EES) and the SC/EES/NBC Chief of Section and the direct supervision of the Programme Specialist in charge, the consultant will design, develop, document and optimize data and information of the Man and the Biosphere Programme and biosphere reserves to support the implementation and reporting of the Programme.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Document Youth Involvement in the Programme

a. Record and document youth involvement in Ibero-America and the Caribbeans in view of the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves for the information of the participants, specifically the implementation of the agreement reached during the last IberoMAB Youth Forum (November 2024). This will be expected for September 2025.

b. Identify and document existing initiatives, programmes, and activities involving youth in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Analyse the roles, contributions, and representation of youth in governance, management, and decision-making processes within biosphere reserves.

c. Conduct consultations with key stakeholders, including youth representatives, biosphere reserve managers, and MAB national committees.

d. Gather insights on the challenges and opportunities for youth participation in biosphere reserves.

e. Document successful case studies and best practices from biosphere reserves with high levels of youth engagement.

f. Identify gaps in youth participation, including barriers related to access, capacity, resources, and governance.

g. Extract information specifically on capacity building, mentorship, and peer-to-peer learning in view of creating strategies to increase youth involvement in the WNBR.

h. Extract information in view to create content for targeted communication materials to raise awareness about the importance of youth engagement in biosphere reserves.

i. Based on the above, identify the key topics of interest for the agenda of a side event on MAB Youth involvement in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves for the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves.

Long Description

1. Update biosphere reserves information/profiles

a. Prepare and update 1 page description/profiles of 16 biosphere reserves or candidates. The information will be extracted, cleaned and summarised to contribute to a general MAB database on biosphere reserve information. The profiles will include location, zonation, conservation issues, challenges, budget information, research and education, youth and sustainable development. The list of biosphere reserves and documents will be provided by UNESCO. This will be expected for February 2025.

2. Design and develop a database of sites for the 100 sites initiative.

a. Conduct an assessment of the existing data and reporting requirements for UNESCO-designated sites involved in the 100 Sites Initiative.

b. Identify key indicators aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

c. Develop a database framework that integrates biodiversity, cultural heritage, and socio-economic indicators, ensuring compatibility with global data repositories and UNESCO's open science recommendations.

d. Convene workshops or consultations with key stakeholders, including local site managers, Indigenous Peoples, researchers, and UNESCO representatives, to ensure the database meets user needs.

e. Develop and document protocols for data submission and quality assurance with stakeholder inputs.

f. Pilot the database with selected UNESCO-designated sites to test its functionality and usability. Incorporate feedback from pilot sites to improve the database design and functionality.

3. Assess and update a database on governance of biosphere reserves in Ibero-America and the Caribbeans. This will be expected for March 2025.

a. Assess the current database performance and identify missing gaps.

b. Document the database to fill missing gaps based on existing survey results.

c. Contact the biosphere reserves to obtain the eventual missing information.

d. Update the database.

4. Develop tools to assist reporting on key results. This will be expected for November 2025.

a. Assess the reporting needs of the team. Reporting involves several targets: qualitative and quantitative results achieved of the activities implemented, budget targets to achieve in percentage of a budget allocation and specific targets to achieve in the contexts of UNESCO priorities.

b. Develop a template to facilitate reporting on all types of activities.

c. Adapt according to feedback.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Masters degree or equivalent in a relevant field, such as engineering, communication, project management, international relations, political sciences.
• At least 2 years of professional experience in elaborating databases, extracting and summarizing information to feed databases.
• Experience in an international organisation is considered an asset.

Skill and competencies

• Excellent communication, analytical, report-writing skills and database packages.
• Comfortable with working in a multicultural workplace, ability to work in a team to achieve shared objectives.
• Familiarity with the UN system.

Language

• Excellent written and spoken English and Spanish. Proficiency in Portuguese and French would be desired.

APPLICATION PROCESS

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit their application online and attach under the "Employment History Form" section the following documents in one combined file, including:

• An up-to-date CV stating details of educational qualifications and work experience, including prior experience of similar work.
• An indication of the approach that you will adopt to carry out the assignment, including the proposed methodology, with recurrent deliverables detailing progress, and timeline.
• A financial proposal with a budget breakdown per deliverable as well as your preferred monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the responsibilities outlined in the above terms of reference. Any travel and subsistence requirements should be indicated separately. Please note that this will be a full-time position, and the consultant will operate from his/her own premises.

Applications should be done through Success Factor only. In case you are unable to attach the required documents in the system, you may send an email to quoting the reference ( 21828) in the subject line of your e-mail.

Note: Applications missing any of the requested application documents will not be considered.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include a competency-based interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted.