UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

The New York Portfolio Office (NYPO) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management. The Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners’ programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the project activities for the Global Programme on Nature for Development.

UNDP’s Global Programme on Nature for Development brings together three different initiatives — the Equator Initiative, the National Biodiversity Initiative, and the Global Forest Initiative (New York Declaration on Forests Global Platform) under one program in order to identify, foster, showcase and celebrate nature-based solutions that help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at local, national, and international levels. The work of the Global Programme on Nature for Development contributes to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2018-2021 by charting sustainable development pathways through the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems; and by promoting inclusive and effective democratic governance in the area of natural resources.

The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. The Equator Initiative seeks to:

• Recognize the success of local and indigenous initiatives;
• Create opportunities and platforms to share knowledge and good practice;
• Inform policy to foster an enabling environment for local and indigenous community action; and
• Develop the capacity of indigenous peoples and local communities to scale-up their impact.

The National Biodiversity Initiative supports countries to manage their ecosystems and biodiversity in order to improve national planning and governance of biodiversity, ecosystems, and development, and to promote resilience for sustainable development. The GEF Enabling Activities Project supports developing, middle income, and small island nations in their commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): early action on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), National Reporting. The use of spatial data for spatial planning is a cross-cutting theme across these project areas, including work through our flagship platform UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) and to map Essential Life Support Areas (ELSAs). The UNBL, created in partnership with UN Environment and the CBD Secretariat provides policymakers with access to 100 of the world’s best spatial datasets on nature, climate, and sustainable development for planning, monitoring, and reporting. Building on this base, our work to map ELSAs brings together the world’s best scientists and governments in 11 pilot countries to use spatial data to identify where nature-based actions to protect, manage, or restore ELSAs can deliver efficiently across national priorities for biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development. A nascent area of work is building the spatial literacy of Indigenous peoples and local communities and ensuring their participation in spatial planning.

Knowledge Sharing is a main goal of the Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature and the National Biodiversity Initiative. The Equator Initiative has a large series of research papers, books, and other publications focusing on local approaches to poverty reduction and conservation, informed by community-based initiatives.180 case studies in over 30 languages have documented the Equator Prize winners’ innovative practices that deliver the win-win-win solutions that ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The National Biodiversity Initiative share knowledge on the role of spatial data in biodiversity planning, policymaking, and reporting through blogs, case studies, and story maps.

Learning for Nature is a capacity-building offer provided by the Global Programme on Nature for Development, cutting across the three areas of work. This project connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject matter experts to facilitate the delivery of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Access to the global multi-stakeholder networks mobilized by the Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature, and the National Biodiversity Initiative allows Learning for Nature to circulate knowledge while promoting best practices. Building on our learnings on the ground, Learning for Nature seeks synergies, build linkages, and engage thousands of course participants through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), webinars, self-paced e-learning modules, and private training courses.

For further information please go to: www.equatorinitiative.org, www.nbsapforum.net, www.learningfornature.org, www.unbiodiversitylab.org

This is a position to support a project which UNOPS is implementing for the United Nations Development Programme. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

UNOPS is seeking the support of a Technical Senior Officer to support the GEF 8 ‘Umbrella Programme to Support NBSAP Update and the 7th National Reports’. The ‘Umbrella Programme to support NBSAP update and Seventh National Reports’ is a Party-led effort funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to continue the process of updating NBSAPs and undertake reporting on implementation of the GBF. This programme provides financial and technical support to 139 developing countries, small island developing states, and economies in transition in their work to update NBSAPs in alignment with the GBF and prepare and submit Seventh National Reports to the CBD. Joint implementation support is provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with the CBD Secretariat and the GEF Secretariat. It will build upon existing work through the GBF Early Action Support Project, as well as support countries to develop biodiversity finance plans, through the “Umbrella Programme to Support Development of Biodiversity Finance Plans”. The Project implementation units of all three initiatives will coordinate to ensure that resources from both projects are used effectively and efficiently towards the update or revision of the NBSAPs and the preparation of the 7th national report.

Responsibilities include supporting the Senior Programme Manager and team to:

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in anthropology, sociology, sustainable development, environmental management/sciences, international relations, conservation biology/ecology geography, natural resource management, or in another related field with five (5) years of relevant experience is required.; OR
• A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree) preferably in anthropology, sociology, sustainable development, environmental management/sciences, international relations, conservation biology/ecology geography, natural resource management, or in another related field with seven (7) years of relevant experience is desirable.

Work Experience

Relevant experience is defined as work or academic experience, preferably in any of the following topics at a conceptual or practical level: international environmental policy, natural resource management, biodiversity/climate change, human/civil/indigenous/women’s rights, social entrepreneurship/impact investing, local economic development, and/or civil society engagement and education.

Languages

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required.
• Fluency in a second official UN language is desired.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
Contract level: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA-2) or Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA-10)

Even though the level of the position is indicated as IICA-1, depending on the incumbent’s personal situation ( candidate with national ID or resident permit), a local fee scale (LICA-8) might be applied in determining the contractor’s fee.

*Contract duration: The contract for this position is set for a duration until 31 December 2025 (renewable subject to funds availability and satisfactory performance)

This is a home based position, the selected candidate will be working from home, it is required to follow the working hours in New York (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday).

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.