Technical Expert - Support to the 5th National Report for the Cartagena Protocol at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Tasks and responsibilities

• Technical Guidance and Support: Provide expert technical advice and guidance to National Focal Points and relevant national authorities in participating countries on the interpretation of Article 33, relevant COP/MOP Decisions on National Reporting (including Decision CP-10/9), and the requirements of the official reporting format.
• Guide countries in understanding and addressing questions within the reporting format, ensuring comprehensive data collection.
• Offer help-desk support to address specific technical queries from countries during the report preparation process.
• Provide continuous desktop advisory support to the project and guidance to national project executing entities, including through in-person technical advice offered during the drafting workshops to ensure compliance with the reporting requirement of the protocol and adherence to UNEP safeguards issues.
• National Report Preparation Process: Guide countries in the systematic collection and analysis of national data, including gender and gender disaggregated data, in line with the CBD's Gender Plan of Action (2023-2030).
• Provide technical input and guidance for the preparation of draft national reports.
• Advise on the organization and facilitation of national consultative workshops (first and second) with government representatives (National Focal Points, ministries, policy makers), Indigenous and Local Communities, research community, business owners, non-governmental organizations, civil society, including the media, and other relevant stakeholders to gather inputs and validate reports.
• Guide countries on incorporating feedback received from national workshops and stakeholders into the draft reports..

Qualifications/special skills

• An Advanced degree in Natural sciences, Natural resources Management, Environmental Sciences, monitoring and evaluation, International Development or other relevant political or social sciences area is required.
• A minimum of 2 years of technical/evaluation experience, including project planning, management, monitoring and evaluation is required, preferably including evaluating large, regional or global programmes and using a Theory of Change approach is required.
• Experience in evaluation of GEF projects is highly desirable.
• Excellent writing skills, team leadership experience and, where possible, knowledge of the UN system, specifically of the work of UNEP and GEF programming is an asset. Experience in managing partnerships, knowledge management and communication is desirable for all evaluation consultants.