Result of Service To provide the Director with expert strategic advisory support that significantly strengthens the G20 Global Land Initiative's institutional capacity in partnership development, resource mobilisation, and digital innovation, thereby positioning the Initiative for sustained impact and growth beyond 2026. Work Location Home-based. Expected duration 6 months (part-time) to be started ASAP.
Duties and Responsibilities Background note: Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.
The Convention seeks to support countries to address Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD). (www.unccd.int). The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is the annual international forum for the governments of 19 industrialized countries, the European Union and the African Union. The G20 Leaders' Declaration, issued in November 2020, launched a "Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation and Enhancing Conservation of Terrestrial Habitats" (G20 Global Land Initiative or G20 GLI).
Building on existing initiatives and on a voluntary basis, the G20 countries share the ambition to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the amount of degraded land by 2040. The G20 GLI Coordination Office, with oversight from UNCCD, was established to focus on capacity building, engaging the private sector and civil society, and showcasing success. The G20 Global Land Initiative is a hub of innovation within UNCCD.
As the G20 GLI enters its next phase of growth, the Director requires high-level strategic advisory support to boost its impacts by unlocking full potential of AI and other digital tools. Additional support is also needed for establishing new strategic partnerships and raise additional resources. While the effort will focus on the G20, the approaches can be also be beneficial for the UNCCD Secretariat.
Duties & Responsibilities: Under the direct supervision of the Director, G20 Global Land Initiative, the consultant will: 1. Digital Transformation: Provide strategic advice on digital transformation. This includes reviewing the existing UN policies and best practices on the use of AI, developing a UNCCD/specific guidance document on digital transformation which meets with UN requirements and use best use of modern technologies such as AI. 2.
Strategic Partnerships: Provide high-level strategic advice ES of UNCCD on identifying, forging, and strengthening strategic partnerships with academic institutions. This includes preparing comprehensive Terms of Reference (TORs) and partnership frameworks/Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for such engagements. 3.
Fundraising and Resource Mobilisation: Provide strategic advice on an overall integrated resource mobilisation strategy including but not limited to G20 and lead the development of five (5) fully developed fundraising proposals targeting institutional donors, bilateral agencies, climate funds, and private investors, with a collective funding target of USD 20 million. 4.
Provide strategic support including applying the new theory of change and work plan with indicators to the G20 GLI in collaboration with G20 GLI Director and under the guidance of the ES. 5. Other Strategic Tasks: Undertake other strategic advisory tasks as may be required by the Executive Director UNCCD and Director G20 GLI to advance the Initiative's mandate and respond to emerging opportunities.
Qualifications/special skills - A PhD in a relevant field such as environment, development studies, public policy, international relations, or strategic management is required. - A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience at senior international levels, with demonstrated leadership in strategy, policy, or programme management, is required. - Proven experience working within or closely with the United Nations system or similar multilateral organisations is required. - Demonstrated experience in resource mobilisation and fundraising, including the development of successful, large-scale funding proposals (exceeding USD 5 million each) for institutional donors, is required. - Demonstrated experience in advising on strategic partnerships, including drafting partnership agreements, MOUs, and Terms of Reference with diverse stakeholders (governments, private sector, civil society), is required. - Experience in digital transformation initiatives, including advising on data platforms, stakeholder engagement technologies, or AI applications for development, is highly desirable. - Experience working on land restoration, environmental sustainability, or climate change issues is an advantage.
Languages Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Additional Information Only individuals who can act as independent, individual economical operators are qualified to apply. Individuals who can provide their services only on account of an institution or enterprise are not eligible under this procedure.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations Secretariat and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors.
Consultant and individual contractor is responsible for determining tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. For remote consultancies, the selected candidate will be required to have a laptop or desktop PC (with Windows 11 or newer) or Mac (with the latest MacOS update), as well as a reliable, high-speed internet connection.
An Office 365 license will be provided by the UNCCD to enable the candidate to access official emails, SharePoint, OneDrive and other office applications, such as Word and Excel. Further computer requirements: An antivirus application which receives regular updates; Browsers must be a newer version with regular updates enabled; Regular Windows 11 updates should be enabled with Windows laptop or PC.
In addition, a mobile phone will be required to enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) through SMS or the Authenticator App. 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.
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Result of Service To provide the Director with expert strategic advisory support that significantly strengthens the G20 Global Land Initiative's institutional capacity in partnership development, resource mobilisation, and digital innovation, thereby positioning the Initiative for sustained impact and growth beyond 2026. Work Location Home-based. Expected duration 6 months (part-time) to be started ASAP. Duties and Responsibilities Background note: Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention seeks to support countries to address Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD). (www.unccd.int). The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is the annual international forum for the governments of 19 industrialized countries, the European Union and the African Union. The G20 Leaders' Declaration, issued in November 2020, launched a "Global Initiative on Reducing Land Degradation and Enhancing Conservation of Terrestrial Habitats" (G20 Global Land Initiative or G20 GLI). Building on existing initiatives and on a voluntary basis, the G20 countries share the ambition to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the amount of degraded land by 2040. The G20 GLI Coordination Office, with oversight from UNCCD, was established to focus on capacity building, engaging the private sector and civil society, and showcasing success. The G20 Global Land Initiative is a hub of innovation within UNCCD. As the G20 GLI enters its next phase of growth, the Director requires high-level strategic advisory support to boost its impacts by unlocking full potential of AI and other digital tools. Additional support is also needed for establishing new strategic partnerships and raise additional resources. While the effort will focus on the G20, the approaches can be also be beneficial for the UNCCD Secretariat. Duties & Responsibilities: Under the direct supervision of the Director, G20 Global Land Initiative, the consultant will: 1. Digital Transformation: Provide strategic advice on digital transformation. This includes reviewing the existing UN policies and best practices on the use of AI, developing a UNCCD/ specific guidance document on digital transformation which meets with UN requirements and use best use of modern technologies such as AI. 2. Strategic Partnerships: Provide high-level strategic advice ES of UNCCD on identifying, forging, and strengthening strategic partnerships with academic institutions. This includes preparing comprehensive Terms of Reference (TORs) and partnership frameworks/Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for such engagements. 3. Fundraising and Resource Mobilisation: Provide strategic advice on an overall integrated resource mobilisation strategy including but not limited to G20 and lead the development of five (5) fully developed fundraising proposals targeting institutional donors, bilateral agencies, climate funds, and private investors, with a collective funding target of USD 20 million. 4. Provide strategic support including applying the new theory of change and work plan with indicators to the G20 GLI in collaboration with G20 GLI Director and under the guidance of the ES. 5. Other Strategic Tasks: Undertake other strategic advisory tasks as may be required by the Executive Director UNCCD and Director G20 GLI to advance the Initiative's mandate and respond to emerging opportunities. Qualifications/special skills - A PhD in a relevant field such as environment, development studies, public policy, international relations, or strategic management is required. - A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience at senior international levels, with demonstrated leadership in strategy, policy, or programme management, is required. - Proven experience working within or closely with the United Nations system or similar multilateral organisations is required. - Demonstrated experience in resource mobilisation and fundraising, including the development of successful, large-scale funding proposals (exceeding USD 5 million each) for institutional donors, is required. - Demonstrated experience in advising on strategic partnerships, including drafting partnership agreements, MOUs, and Terms of Reference with diverse stakeholders (governments, private sector, civil society), is required. - Experience in digital transformation initiatives, including advising on data platforms, stakeholder engagement technologies, or AI applications for development, is highly desirable. - Experience working on land restoration, environmental sustainability, or climate change issues is an advantage. Languages Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Additional Information Only individuals who can act as independent, individual economical operators are qualified to apply. Individuals who can provide their services only on account of an institution or enterprise are not eligible under this procedure. Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations Secretariat and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultant and individual contractor is responsible for determining tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. For remote consultancies, the selected candidate will be required to have a laptop or desktop PC (with Windows 11 or newer) or Mac (with the latest MacOS update), as well as a reliable, high-speed internet connection. An Office 365 license will be provided by the UNCCD to enable the candidate to access official emails, SharePoint, OneDrive and other office applications, such as Word and Excel. Further computer requirements: An antivirus application which receives regular updates; Browsers must be a newer version with regular updates enabled; Regular Windows 11 updates should be enabled with Windows laptop or PC. In addition, a mobile phone will be required to enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) through SMS or the Authenticator App. 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.