Call for Proposal: Climate Resilience Consultant

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Social and Human Sciences

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : 12 February – 31 December 2024

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 31/01/2024

 

 

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

BACKGROUND

The MOST Project is seeking a consultant to lead the EU-funded “HABITABLE” Project and make technical contributions to the Climate Transition projects, funded by La Caixa Foundation.

HABITABLE is a 4-year (2021-2024), EU-funded project, implemented by a diverse, experienced consortium of 22 partners from different disciplines and representing a number of regions of the world, including local partners from West Africa, East Africa, South Africa and Southeast Asia. HABITABLE is centred around the concept of habitability and it seeks to advance the understanding of how climate change does and will affect migration and displacement patterns. It does so through the mobilisation of innovative methods and filling of key research gaps. The project seeks to understand not only how climate change causes migration, but also how climate impacts, policies and perceptions interact with each other and influence migration patterns in a systems-based approach. UNESCO is a project partner and the lead of the work on stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue. These efforts are designed and are to be implemented in full synergy with the work of the UNESCO Management of Social Transformations Programme. The work should, therefore, establish and pursue programmatic and fundraising links between HABITABLE and MOST on climate transition, sustainability, migration (hereafter referred to as key topics). The project is aligned with the Comprehensive Strategy of MOST for 2022-2029.

PURPOSE

MOST has established a new partnership with La Caixa Foundation (a UNESCO Category 2 center) to innovative research on social and human sciences with the objective to impact global agendas and policy making. Research is a core area of this partnership. The research priorities have been defined as: inequality and exclusion; coordinated development of population; environmental change and society; governance of regional and global commons; and digital transformations and societal disruption. An Annual Publication on Inclusive and Resilience Societies was published in 2023 under this partnership. The theme for the 2024 Annual Publication is Climate Transition. Additionally, seminars/webinars/conferences are planned for. These are aiming at strengthening the mainstreaming of social protection and social inclusion into a public policy debate, facilitating stakeholders’ participation and “bottom-up” initiatives in the process, and calling to advance an agenda of inclusion. The Center, jointly with MOST, will bring together top academics, high-level public officials, and representatives from civil society to debate the most pressing global subjects and will pursue solutions to challenges. These will be in the form of thematic seminars at the Center, webinars for a global audience, a Social Davos event at the Center and the MOST Annual Forum which will be held in Paris.

ASSIGNMENT

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Sector (ADG/SHS), guidance of the Director for Social Policies and supervision of the MOST’s Chief of Section, the incumbent is responsible for providing comprehensive intellectual and implementation support to the EU-funded HABITABLE project and the La Caixa funded project and for nurturing the synergies of such with the MOST Programme. To this end, the incumbent shall:

 

• Coordinate work and undertake specific tasks work required under HABITABLE Work Package 9 (Stakeholder Engagement) of which UNESCO is the lead, including research, liaison with partners, drafting of deliverables and other technical documents, quality control, organization of events (e.g., stakeholder consultations, capacity building events etc.) and meetings, and reporting internally and externally.

 

• Implement all tasks contractually assigned to UNESCO under Work Packages of which UNESCO is not a lead but a contributor, including Work Package 1 (Socio-Ecological Systems, Climate Impacts and Tipping Points), Work Package 3 (Modeling Migration in the context of Climate Change), Work Package 6 (Legal and policy analysis and strategic policy recommendations), Work Package 10 (Communication, dissemination and exploitation of results), and Work Package 11 (Management and Coordination).

Long Description

• Participate in the meetings of the substantive meetings of the consortium and policy dialogues involving other stakeholders, as well as support the supervisor(s) in such meetings, including through drafting of input documents and minutes as required.

 

• Participate in the coordination meeting involving HABITABLE partners, tracking and following up on all UNESCO-related matters within the project.

 

• Seek and pursue relevant synergies with the key topics under MOST and the associated workstreams, feeding all into the relevant pillar and thematic priority of the MOST Comprehensive Strategy for 2022-2029.

• Report internally and externally on the project, including its links to and delivery under MOST Strategy, C/4, C/4 and the statutory workings of the Programme.

 

• Coordinate the Annual Publication on Climate Resilience including identifying a team of researchers/writers and ensuring the delivery of timely and high-quality analysis and case studies for the report.

 

• Contribute to the development of a high level event on Climate Transition where the report will also be launched.

 

• Contribute to the planning of intellectual events at the La Caixa Center in Spain.

 

• Undertake such other tasks as may rise in the course of project implementation and the need for its integration with the MOST Programme.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial) Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) Professionalism (C) - For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

 

EDUCATION

Graduate degree in social sciences, preferably in the areas of sustainability and climate change.

 

Professional Experience

 

• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in the area of social sciences, preferably in the field of just climate transitions, sustainability, migration and displacement.
• Experience in implementing and coordinating projects and activities related to capacity building and technical support.
• Good knowledge of concepts and development related to public-policy nexus, sustainability, stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with the UN system, especially with UNESCO, considered an advantage.
• Familiarity with EU-funded, especially H2020, projects considered an advantage.
• Team player, able to work respectfully and cooperatively with colleagues or different national and cultural backgrounds. Understanding and adherence to the UN principles.

Language

Fluency in both written and spoken English. Knowledge of French desirable.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The candidate is required to submit a cover letter, CV, financial proposal and technical proposal by 31 January 2024 to n.boateng@unesco.org with copy to most@unesco.org. 

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UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.