Result of Service

The services of the consultant will result in the delivery of the following:

Implemented capacity-development workshops and trainings, incl. the preparation of agendas, lists of participants, conclusions/minutes and evaluations
Development and submission of projects proposals on strengthening industrial/mine tailings safety in countries with economies in transition
Provision of inputs for the meetings of the Bureau (Oct 2023) and WGI (Jan 2024) and support to drafting documents, follow-up and the organization of sessions
Risk assessment publication prepared
Draft agenda with confirmed speakers and invitations sent for the 2024 JEG workshop, incl. organized teleconference and liaison with the JEG members
Liaison and follow-up with speakers, office-holders and participants, promotional materials and webpage content, calls organized and background materials prepared

Work Location

Home country

Expected duration

The expected duration of the contract is from 15.9.2023 to 15.3.2024

Duties and Responsibilities

The Conference of the Parties to the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents adopted a long-term strategy at its tenth meeting, which sets out the vision to significantly increase industrial safety and reduce the risks of technological disasters by ensuring its full implementation, its wide recognition as a legal instrument for risk reduction under the Sendai Framework and its contribution to achievement of the SDGs. Progressing towards this vision, the Convention’s workplan for 2023-2024 stipulates the following items, among others:

Support for countries’ implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its Goals, and of the Sendai Framework with a focus on industrial accident prevention and preparedness
Building capacity in countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, among others, through National Policy Dialogues for Industrial Safety
Fostering implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Approach
Preventing accidental water pollution
Servicing of intergovernmental and expert bodies.

For this assignment, UNECE is looking for an individual contractor with appropriate qualifications/experience who will perform the following tasks:

Task a – Support ongoing capacity development projects under the Assistance and Cooperation Programme

The individual contractor is requested to support the following:

a. Organization, preparation and follow-up to planned assistance activities, such as a technical mission to Georgia and an on-site training in Uzbekistan

b. Enhanced implementation of the Convention by the beneficiary countries of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme, especially the Convention’s newest Parties, such as Ukraine

c. Implementation of activities under the National Policy Dialogues (NPDs) on Industrial Safety in Serbia following the Stakeholder Consultation in September 2023

d. Establishment of an inter-institutional working group on tailings safety and the prevention of accidental pollution in Uzbekistan as well as the organization, preparation and follow-up of a related national meeting

e. Implementation of a project on strengthening the protection of water resources from accidental pollution from mine tailings in Uzbekistan

f. Accession efforts by non-Parties (e.g. Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)

g. Project management for the implementation of assistance activities and projects, including substantive and financial reporting

h. Other activities under the Assistance and Cooperation Programme, based on available funding, and the development of project proposals for fundraising

i. Communication efforts by drafting PRs, web-entries, social media posts etc. related to planned and/or implemented capacity-building activities

j. Secretariat’s participation in and information-sharing at partner events by preparing draft statements and presentations

k. Provision of inputs to relevant reports

Task b – Provide inputs for and support the servicing of intergovernmental meetings

The individual contractor is requested to support the following:

a. Preparation of presentations and reports on the Assistance and Cooperation Programme for meetings of the Convention’s Working Group on Implementation (WGI) and Bureau, and other UNECE reporting processes

b. Provision of inputs for the WGI’s monitoring of the implementation of the Assistance and Cooperation Programme, through liaison with beneficiary countries, scheduling of teleconferences, follow-up etc.

c. Preparation of the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties

d. Review and support the finalization of the risk assessment publication

e. Review and support the finalization of content for online databases developed under the Convention, as needed

Task c – Support the work of the Joint Expert Group (JEG) on Water and Industrial Accidents

The individual contractor is requested to support the following:

a. Advancing the preparation and follow-up of a workshop to prevent, prepare for and respond to accidental water pollution from tailings facilities in spring 2024

b. Organizing calls, preparing background information, drafting the workshop agenda and inviting speakers and participants

c. In cooperation with lead Parties, supporting the preparations of an on-site visit and a JEG meeting, back-to-back with the JEG workshop in 2024

The assignment will last 6 months, starting on 15 September 2023 and ending on 15 March 2024.

Qualifications/special skills

First degree in environmental policy or science, industrial or chemical engineering, political science or international relations, economics, administration or a related area is required.

Two years of experience in the area of environmental governance is required.

Experience in one or more of the following areas is considered an asset: capacity-development in countries with economies in transition, industrial/mine tailings safety, accidental water pollution prevention.

Languages

Fluency in English is required, knowledge or Russian is a strong asset.

Additional Information

Travel might be required in the UNECE region.

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.