Specialist in Sargassum Seaweed Blooms

The ultimate result of the service is a finalized, evidence-based Global Report on Sargassum that fulfils UNEP's mandate under operative paragraph 4(b) of resolution UNEP/EA.7/Res.4, supports strengthened international cooperation on the sargassum response, and provides the substantive basis for the high-level meeting envisaged under paragraph 4(c) and for reporting to UNEA at its eighth session under paragraph 4(d).

Remote

4.5 months

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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. 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. UNEP’s Source-to-Sea Pollution Unit plays a crucial role in identifying and acting on the challenge of land-based pollution. The Unit focuses on issues including but not limited to wastewater and nutrient management, plastic pollution and marine litter, and physical alteration and destruction of habitat and its activities serve to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically SDG 6 and 14. It also contributes to UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy 2026-2029. The work of the Unit also contributes to the implementation of numerous United Nations Environment Assembly’s (UNEA) resolutions. UNEA-7 resolution UNEP/EA.7/Res.4, adopted in December 2025, recognizes the massive influx of sargassum seaweed blooms as a severe and escalating socioeconomic and environmental issue in the wider Caribbean region and West Africa, with potential impacts in other regions, and acknowledges the coordination gaps among existing national, regional and international initiatives. Under operative paragraph 4, the resolution requests the Executive Director of UNEP, subject to the availability of resources, to: (a) encourage cooperation among scientific, technical and policy initiatives on early warning, monitoring, prevention, collection and management of sargassum; (b) prepare a report on existing activities, technical and financial resources, initiatives and actions by regional and international organizations and relevant stakeholders addressing sargassum blooms, including but not limited to their causes, monitoring, prevention, collection and management; (c) initiate a high-level meeting on these elements with the participation of Member States, relevant United Nations system bodies, secretariats of relevant multilateral environmental agreements and other stakeholders; and (d) report to UNEA at its eighth session on progress achieved. This assignment supports delivery of the report under operative paragraph 4(b), which will also provide the evidentiary basis for the high-level meeting envisaged under paragraph 4(c) and for reporting to UNEA-8 under paragraph 4(d). In this regard, UNEP Source-to-Sea Pollution Unit seeks to: Consolidate a comprehensive, evidence-based mapping of existing activities, technical and financial resources, initiatives and actions relevant to sargassum monitoring, prevention, collection and management, and identify associated information gaps; Facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons learned among Member States, regional organizations and technical institutions engaged in the sargassum response; Support Member States, in particular affected developing countries, by consolidating accessible, decision-relevant information to inform national and regional action planning, international cooperation and resource mobilization. The consultant responsible for this assignment will work under the strategic guidance of the UNEP Source-to-Sea Pollution Unit and will be supervised on a regular basis by the designated SSPU Programme Management Officer regarding the status of deliverables outlined in these Terms of Reference. The consultant will work in close coordination with the Cartagena Convention Secretariat and Abidjan Convention Secretariat, the UNEP Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (GPNM), regional offices and other relevant partners contributing to the preparation of the report. The Technical Consultant will undertake the following duties and responsibilities: Review existing documentation relevant to the report, including the UNEP Sargassum White Paper and relevant scientific, technical and policy literature. Review the technical content of the UNEP LMS training material on sargassum, to verify factual accuracy and consistency with the findings of the Global Report and share consolidated comments with the SSPU team. Engage with UNEP headquarters, regional offices, and the secretariats of the Cartagena and Abidjan Conventions under a fixed review protocol to collect inputs and comments on the activity. Engage universities and academic institutions with recognized expertise on sargassum to strengthen collaboration among them and support the possible facilitation of a dedicated technical network. Collect, organize and integrate inputs received from regional offices and responses to the survey addressed to National Focal Points. Conduct targeted desk research to address residual information gaps, with particular attention to regions with more limited data coverage, including but not limited to West Africa, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Draft the full Global Report on Sargassum in accordance with the agreed structure and detailed guidance, covering the sargassum phenomenon and its drivers, governance and policy frameworks, monitoring and early warning systems, operational response, valorization and the blue economy, and technical and financial resources, with the level of detail and depth of each chapter reflecting the extent of the evidence base available at each stage of the assignment. Coordinate targeted bilateral consultations with key regional organizations, including, to document regional governance frameworks and best practices not captured through desk review. Coordinate the intermediate technical review of the draft report by the designated peer review panel and consolidate the resulting comments. Integrate feedback from regional offices, UNEP headquarters and the peer review panel into successive drafts, up to finalization of the report. Finalize the editing, formatting and layout of the report, and contribute to a short synthesis of key findings to support possible future high-level engagement under operative paragraph 4(c) of the resolution.

Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Marine Science, Oceanography, Environmental Management or a closely related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. At least 5 years of professional experience in marine and coastal environmental issues, ideally including exposure to harmful algal blooms, marine pollution or coastal ecosystem management, is required. Excellent writing and communication skills and an in-depth understanding of marine pollution and coastal ecosystem management issues are required Demonstrated experience in research, technical report writing and stakeholder coordination is required. Experience working with governments, intergovernmental organizations, regional seas programmes or UN agencies is desirable. Proven experience in coordinating multi-lateral projects and familiarity with the wider Caribbean and/or West Africa regional context is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in written and oral English is required. Working knowledge of Spanish and/or French is desirable, given the geographic focus of the assignment (Wider Caribbean and West Africa).

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.