Expert on Circular Economy and Sustainable Consumption and Production at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

The consultant will have the following tasks: 

• Support the implementation of the GO4SDGs initiative in the West Asia region, by coordinating and providing technical inputs to the activities to ensure an efficient delivery in alignment with GO4SDGs work plan and UNEP’s Programme of Work (PoW).
• Identify and respond to related regional needs, strengthen strategic partnerships, and contribute to resource mobilization.
• Coordinating, scaling up and replicating best  practices of West Asia (Recipe of Change and Fashion Academy)  across -regions, ensuring a successful adaptation to different regional contexts and bringing in existing and relevant partners and initiatives. 
• Aligning the GO4SDGs implementation with UNEA resolutions, MEAs and ensuring visibility in strategic international fora, to increase the impact of GO4SDGs and UNEP’s work on SCP and circular economy.
• Ensure coordination of GO4SDGs delivery with the Finance and Economic Transformations Sub-Programme of UNEP, as well as identifying synergies and collaboration opportunities across other UNEP Sub-Programmes and with other UN agencies through the UNCT/RCO framework.
• Coordination and technical support of the GO4SDGs implementation  in the West Asia region, including the consolidation of the partnerships and a long-term strategy (jn particular for the initiatives on “Recipe of Change”, “Sustainable Fashion Academy” and Green Jobs for Youth for the MENA region.  
• Provide regional training and capacity building on SCP and circular economy, engaging reginal strategic partners (ESCAWA, Leage of Arab States, Golf University, etc.) and global initiatives (IRP, Green Jobs for Youth Pact, etc.).  
• Scale up and replicate the regional best practices of West Asia (Recipe of Change in hospitality industry and Fashion Academy)  across-regions, with support of the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on SCP (10YFP)/ One Planet Network and relevant teams at the  Resources and Market Branch and Industry and Economy Division.  
• Identify resource mobilization opportunities, and draft at least 3 full large scale regional and national project concept note based donors (GEF, EU and national EC) priorities as well as stewardship, leadership, and economic-finance mechanisms to ensure sustainable and long-lasting impact building on the GO4SDGs legacy.
• Position GO4SDGs as contributor to strategic international platforms, such as regional Forum of Ministers of Environment, UNEA, HLPF.

Qualifications/special skills

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in sustainable development, environmental management/engineer, or a related field.  A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of ten years work experience  of progressively responsible experience in sustainable development, green or circular economy; resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production, and demonstrated experience on sustainability in high impact sectors such as textiles/fashion, food systems, and/or buildings and construction is required.
• Work experience in the West Asia Region is required.
• Experience in project management, development of partnerships with government and private sector. Technical knowledge on circularity, sustainable consumption and production in high impact sectors (textile, food systems)  and proven analytical skills and demonstrated experience in these areas are required.
• Experience working with international organisation, and in the West Asia region is desirable.
• Two years or more of experience in data analytics or related areas is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable

Deadline : Jan 17, 2024