Lead Videographer (Director of Photography) – Silk Road Journey 2026

Result of Service

To produce a comprehensive visual archive of the Silk Road Journey that will serve as the foundation for a 90-minute feature documentary, a 7 to 10-minute short documentary for the opening of COP17, and daily social media assets. The visual assets will drive global awareness of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists and UNCCD.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

150 days between April and September 2026.

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 Communications, External Relations and Partnerships (CERP) Unit supports the mandate of UNCCD by providing an overall strategic direction on communications, external relations and partnerships, underpinned by innovation and the use of effective tools. It leads and coordinates UNCCD’s engagement with key stakeholders and builds partnerships to mobilize corporate resources and raise the visibility of land issues on the political and public agendas. Furthermore, it acts as the UNCCD brand guardian, leading global strategic communication at corporate and programmatic levels, nurturing creativity and ambition to reach new audiences with world-class, science-based communication and advocacy. The UNCCD and partners are organizing a "Silk Road Journey" to mark the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in 2026 and in the lead up to the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention. This symbolic and physical 6,000 km caravan journey travels from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (host of UNCCD COP16) to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (host of UNCCD COP17). The project aims to highlight rangeland ecosystems and pastoralists and create high-visibility media assets. Duties & Responsibilities: Under the direct supervision of the Chief of CERP and working in close collaboration with the CERP Unit. The consultant will contribute to the "Silk Road Journey 2026" Outreach and Advocacy Campaign. Specific tasks/key deliverables the consultant will contribute to: - Collaboration with Production Partners: Work closely with the external production company to ensure all footage meets the narrative structure, technical specifications, and stylistic guidelines required for a 90-minute feature documentary. - Cinematography & Visual Lead: Serve as the Director of Photography (DoP) for the journey, capturing cinematic 4K+ footage of landscapes, interviews, and caravan movements across three main legs (Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia). - Documentary Filming: Film high-quality interviews with government officials, pastoralists, and scientists. Capture footage of rangelands and pastoralists, campaign events, and travel according to the agreed schedule. - Drone Operation: Execute aerial filming of rangelands and other ecosystems in compliance with local regulations. - Social Media Content: Deliver daily high-quality "rushes" or short clips suitable for immediate use on UNCCD social media channels (Reels/TikTok/YouTube). - Technical Management: Manage all camera equipment, data offloading, and backups (3-2-1 rule) in challenging field conditions.

Qualifications/special skills

- A first-level university degree in film production, media studies, journalism, or related area is needed. Technical certification in cinematography or drone operation may be accepted in lieu of a degree with two additional years of experience. - Minimum 7 years of professional experience as a videographer, of which three must with a major television channel and/or an international agency is required. - A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in documentary filmmaking, photojournalism, or broadcast media is needed. Experience filming in remote, outdoor environments is required. Valid drone pilot certification may be required. - Excellent videography skills and ability to deliver images that tell a story are required. - Experience filming rural communities is required. - Ability to work in a multicultural environment and a multidisciplinary team required. - Willingness to travel to remote sites in the location of the project is required. - Observe the highest ethical standards of journalism and photography, ensure the dignity of subjects, including children, is protected and subjects agree to the use of their images for publication on such media is required.

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.