Project Management and Report Writing at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Duties and Responsibilities

The world is facing a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The global food system stands as a significant driver of this crisis contributing to over 1/3 of greenhouse gas emissions, up to 80 per cent of deforestation and associated biodiversity loss and accounting to 70% of global freshwater withdrawals. Food systems are also a major source of air pollution and of nutrient overloading in waterways. Current models of food production and consumption have led to severe environmental, human, and animal health issues, posing a hindrance to achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and threatening governments' capacity to provide healthy and affordable diets to an additional 1.9 billion people by 2050. Climate change has already slowed global agricultural productivity growth, and future climate variability and extreme events are expected to further disrupt crop yields and quality.

UNEP has laid out a bold and ambitious plan to address these interconnected crises through an integrated systems approach and identified critical pathways to deliver on this ambition. One of these pathways is to support the transformation of food and agriculture systems for a sustainable future. The UNEP sustainable food systems strategy advocates for a proactive shift towards net-positive and resilient agriculture, circular food systems, and sustainable lifestyles and health. This systems approach seeks sustainable food production at all scales, optimizing environmental resource use while minimizing waste, pollution, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions. Against this backdrop, UNEP seeks to hire a consultant to support the development of project document and financing proposal for a multi-year sustainable food systems project to enable UNEP to deliver on this ambition.

Responsibilities

In consultation with the head of the Nature Transformation & Mainstreaming Unit, and under direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer responsible for food systems, the consultant will undertake the following assignments

• Develop a project framework document. To this end, the consultant will:
• Facilitate consultations with the Biodiversity and Land Branch, other branches and divisions in UNEP, and external stakeholders as appropriate for the development of a theory of change and results framework to form the basis of the logical framework for UNEP's sustainable food system strategy moving forward.
• Based on the above elements, prepare a project concept note for review by UNEP’s Project Review Committee (PRC).
• Taking feedback from the PRC into account and develop a full project document according to the specifications in the UNEP Programme Manual.
• Develop a Project document and financing proposal, based on the theory of change developed in the aforementioned project framework document. To this end, the consultant will:
• Hold consultations with the Biodiversity and Land Branch, other branches and divisions in UNEP, Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and external stakeholders (as appropriate) for the adaptation of the theory of change and identification of appropriate intervention points and develop results and logical frameworks to form the basis of a global sustainable food systems project.
• Based on the above elements, prepare a project concept note for review by UNEP’s Project Review Committee (PRC).
• Taking feedback from the PRC into account, develop a full project document in collaboration with the responsible Programme Manager, according to the specifications in the UNEP Programme Manual.
• Review, fact check and finalise the project document to ensure that all UN Environment project development guidelines are met and that the proposed project addresses priority needs and is both cost effective and implementable.
• Lead the identification of and liaison with suitable donors and funding opportunities for the project and prepare a financing proposal in the format specified by the identified donor(s).

Qualifications/special Skills

• An advanced university degree in environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, ecology, project management, natural resource management or economics, or a related subject is required.
• A first degree together with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• Work experience: A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in the development of project proposals, management, and sustainable use of biodiversity or related areas of work is required.
• Environmental Management, Natural resources management and resource economics, agriculture, and food systems.
• Skills in results-based management using the Theory of Change approach.
• Knowledge of International Organisation Programme and project frameworks is an advantage.
• Excellent resource mobilization and background in writing skills.
• Good knowledge of different international donor processes and mechanisms;
• Excellent networking and communication skills, and experience engaging with multiple parties and stakeholders using participatory techniques.
• Project document and proposal writing experience.

Languages

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage