Freshwater & Urban Resilience Expert

• Continued and coherent delivery of national- and global-level activities, including support to countries in integrating water-related elements into national planning instruments (NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs, NAPAs/NDPs) through targeted technical assistance and gender-responsive webinars, workshops and technical sessions. • Three joint project concepts developed with UN-Water partners, including UN entities and other UNEP Divisions/Regional Offices, to scale UNEP's contribution to the Collaborative Implementation Plan (CIP) and support implementation of UNEA6 Resolution 6/13. • Ad hoc, demand-driven south-south and triangular exchanges conducted, documenting best practices and integrated approaches on IWRM, drought resilience and urban-rural linkages to including water-related traditional, local, gender-responsive and Indigenous knowledge. • Inclusive stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization support provided for the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action and joint proposal development with UN Water partners, in support of its continuation from COP-to-COP. • Effective technical inputs and event-preparation support delivered for the UN 2026 Water Conference and other major global water and climate governance processes, including background notes, session concepts and logistics inputs to inform related communication and outreach products. • Two gender-responsive guidance documents developed and published, together with related webinars and events in the margins of major COPs (UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD) and other policy or agenda-setting fora, showcasing best practices in freshwater ecosystem management.

Nairobi

12 months

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP's Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This consultancy is located within the UNEP Ecosystems Division, Marine and Freshwater Branch, Freshwater Ecosystems and Wetlands Unit (FEU), under the direct supervision of the Associate Programme Officer in Freshwater Ecosystems and Wetlands Unit and overall supervision of the Head a.i. of Marine and Freshwater Branch. The incumbent of the post will have to fulfill the following duties and responsibilities: The consultancy is required to support the implementation of national- and global-level activities under the EC-funded project "Implementation and reinforcement of global water resolutions, preparation and follow-up to UNEA-7 and the UN Water Conferences 2026 & 2028". The consultant will provide continued technical support across stakeholder engagement, national-level technical assistance, organization of gender-responsive webinars and technical sessions, development of joint project concepts with UN-Water partners, ad hoc south-south and triangular exchanges, and development of technical guidance products. During the consultancy period, the project will focus on the operationalization of the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action and the preparation for several key global fora on water and climate, such as the 16th meeting of the Water Convention's Task Force on Water and Climate, UNFCCC COP31, the UN 2026 Water Conference, the World Water Forum, the June 2027 UNFCCC climate meetings, World Water Week and others. The consultant will support these processes by ensuring inclusive stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization support, including integration of urban resilience elements and joint proposal development within UNEP Divisions, Regional Offices and other UN entities, and by providing technical inputs (background notes, session concepts and logistics inputs) that inform communication and outreach products for key global fora and related global water governance processes. Specific tasks and responsibilities • Contribute to UNEP’s Ecosystems Division work on freshwater and urban ecosystem resilience by providing technical expertise to enhance implementation of the EC-funded Global Water Resolutions project (PCA4). • Support national-level engagement in project focus countries, including support to integration of water-related elements into NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs and NAPAs/NDPs, through targeted technical assistance, gender-responsive webinars, workshops or dedicated technical sessions held alongside COPs and through the Baku Dialogue, linked to the 16th meeting of the Water Convention’s Task Force on Water and Climate, UNFCCC COP31 (November 2026), the UN 2026 Water Conference (December 2026), the World Water Forum (March 2027), the June 2027 UNFCCC climate meetings (Bonn), and World Water Week (Stockholm, 2027). • Develop 3 joint project concepts with UN-Water partners, including with UNEP Divisions/Regional Offices to integrate urban resilience elements, to scale UNEP’s contribution to the delivery of the Collaborative Implementation Plan (CIP) and support implementation of UNEA6 Resolution 6/13 operational paragraphs 1(a) on integrated and ecosystem-based water governance, 1(b) on policy coherence and integration into national planning instruments, and 1(d) on international cooperation and capacity building. • Develop and publish 2 gender-responsive guidance documents and related webinars and events in the margins of major COPs (UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD) and other policy or agenda-setting fora (G20, WEF, World Water Week, World Water Forum, Ramsar Convention), including events related to the Freshwater Challenge and the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action. • Conduct ad hoc south-south and triangular exchanges based on demand and case-by-case analysis, documenting best practices and integrated approaches on IWRM, including water-related traditional, local, gender-responsive and Indigenous knowledge, without creating fixed regional structures. • Organize inclusive stakeholder sessions to strengthen participation, inclusion and diversity in the Baku Dialogue Initiative, with a focus on youth, Indigenous groups and gender equity, at the Steering Committee session and at the events listed above. • Provide resource mobilization support, including the preparation of concept notes and funding proposals, integrating urban resilience elements and joint proposal development with UNEP Divisions/Regional Offices to support the Baku Dialogue’s continuation beyond the project’s life. • Provide technical inputs for the events listed above, including background notes, session concepts and logistics inputs, to support preparation of background/briefing materials for the UNEP-assigned co-chairs and related communication and outreach products. • Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external partners (including UNECE, WMO, UN-Water, the UNEP Cities Unit and UNEP Regional Offices) to advance project objectives. • Prepare background documents and technical inputs (e.g. briefs, presentations, event summaries) to inform communication and visibility products for project activities and major international fora. • Contribute to project reporting and results monitoring, including maintaining and updating the project’s Indicator Tracking Table and analysis of alignment between partner deliverables and project indicators. • Contribute to other water-related projects and programmes within the Freshwater Ecosystems and Wetlands Unit portfolio, as needed or directed by the Unit. Objectives, output expectations and performance indicators Objectives include: The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical freshwater-related expertise to the global and national implementation of the EC Global Water Resolutions Project and Baku Dialogue operational delivery phase, ensuring continuity of technical and coordination support to the project's ongoing activities. Specific objectives include: 1. Support focus-country technical assistance and the integration of water-related elements into national planning instruments (NDCs, NAPs, NBSAPs, NAPAs/NDPs). This will be achieved through targeted technical assistance, gender-responsive webinars, workshops, or dedicated technical sessions held alongside COPs and through the Baku Dialogue, linked to the 16th meeting of the Water Convention’s Task Force on Water and Climate, UNFCCC COP31, the UN 2026 Water Conference, the World Water Forum, the June 2027 UNFCCC climate meetings, and World Water Week. 2. Develop 3 joint project concepts with UN-Water partners, including with the UNEP Divsions to integrate urban resilience elements, to scale UNEP’s contribution to the delivery of the Collaborative Implementation Plan (CIP) and support implementation of UNEA6 Resolution 6/13 operational paragraphs 1(a) on integrated and ecosystem-based water governance, 1(b) on policy coherence and integration into national planning instruments, and 1(d) on international cooperation and capacity building. 3. Develop and publish 2 gender-responsive guidance documents and related webinars and events in the margins of major COPs (UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD) and other policy or agenda-setting fora (G20, WEF, World Water Week, World Water Forum, Ramsar Convention), including events related to the Freshwater Challenge and the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action. 4. Conduct ad hoc south-south and triangular exchanges based on demand and case-by-case analysis, documenting best practices and integrated approaches on IWRM, including water-related traditional, local, gender-responsive and Indigenous knowledge, noting that no fixed regional structures will be created. 5. Organize inclusive stakeholder sessions to strengthen participation, inclusion and diversity in the Baku Dialogue Initiative, with a focus on youth, Indigenous groups and gender equity, at the events listed above, and provide resource mobilization support, including integration of urban resilience elements and joint proposal development with UNEP Divisions/Regional Offices, for the Dialogue’s continuation beyond the project’s life. 6. Provide technical inputs (background notes, session concepts and logistics inputs) for events such as the ones listed above, to support preparation of background/briefing materials for the UNEP-assigned co-chairs and related communication and outreach products. 7. Contribute to project reporting and results monitoring, including maintaining and updating indicator-tracking tools and providing technical inputs to support overall project reporting. All deliverables shall be submitted electronically in editable Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and/or Excel formats, as appropriate, together with final PDF versions where required. UNEP Medium-Term Strategy; UNEA Resolution 6/13 on Water (UNEP/EA.6/Res.13); the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG 6); the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration; the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience; and outcomes of the UN 2023 and 2026 Water Conferences. Freshwater and Urban Resilience Expert Consultancy – EC-funded project "Implementation and reinforcement of global water resolutions, preparation and follow-up to UNEA-7 and the UN Water Conferences 2026 & 2028" (4th EC-UNEP Project Cooperation Agreement)

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in environmental science, water resources management, urban planning, ecology or a closely related field is required. A first-level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in the above fields, in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. Minimum of two (2) years of professional work experience at the national and/or international level in freshwater/water resources management, urban ecosystem conservation, and/or drought and climate resilience is required. Experience in stakeholder engagement, coordination of multi-country or multi-partner project activities, and support to intergovernmental or policy processes (e.g. UNEA, UN-Water, UNFCCC processes) is required. Experience preparing technical knowledge products such as technical briefs, guidance materials and event/meeting materials, which may inform related communication or outreach products, • Experience working with multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, including national and international technical experts. Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and email/internet, is required; familiarity with database or indicator-tracking tools is desirable. • Ability to work with minimum supervision and to meet tight deadlines

For this position Fluency in both oral and written English is required. Basic or intermediate knowledge of Spanish is an advantage

Not available.

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.