Data Assessment and Knowledge Management Consultant – Retainer(Technical Specialist, Knowledge Management)

Background Information – UNOPS Water, Environment and Climate (WEC)

The Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) portfolio, based in Vienna, and with offices based globally is part of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Office. The Portfolio has built strong partnerships and is effectively managing a portfolio of over 500 million USD over the last 15 years to support key initiatives with fund management, project implementation and administrative support.

WEC effectively operationalizes partners’ agendas with global approaches, as well as regional and country specific activities focused on climate action, protection and conservation of the environment. Partners profit from WEC’s ability to operationalize and/or scale up their important substantive agendas, including in support of key multilateral environmental and climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, the Cartagena Convention as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

The South China Sea region and the UNEP/GEF SCS-SAP Project

The South China Sea is a semi-enclosed sea, which supports a number of unique habitats and ecosystems that are amongst the most biologically diverse shallow water marine ecosystems globally. The richness and productivity of the South China Sea and associated environments are, however, seriously threatened by high population growth, pollution, overharvest and habitat modification, resulting in high rates of habitat loss and impairment of the regenerative capacities of living resources. The socio-economic impacts of environmental deterioration are significant for the economies of this region.

Recognising that actions were urgently needed to halt degradation of the environment of this marine basin, the countries of the region sought the assistance of UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the project “Reversing Environmental Degradation Trends in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand” was implemented from 2003-2008. This included a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis of the issues and problems and their societal root causes as the basis for development of a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) which was inter-governmentally adopted in 2008. The SAP established a series of objectives and priority costed actions for coastal habitats, land-based pollution management, and the overexploitation of fish stocks in the South China Sea.

In May 2018, a US$ 15 million grant was released by the Global Environmental Facility to support the execution of the 5-year “SCS-SAP Project” (2018-2023). Due to various reasons, including the COVID19 pandemic, the project has been delayed and has been extended to June 2024 with a possibility of a further extension to 2026. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is the executing agency for the implementation of the SCS-SAP project.

An important element of the project is the development of a regional knowledge management system to support regional cooperation and sustainable management of the SCS coastal and marine environment. The knowledge management systems should build on existing national, regional and global databases and decision-making systems. Furthermore, it should be linked to, and/or embedded within, the emerging knowledge management framework under the Coordinating Body for the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), ensuring long-term sustainability beyond the life-time of the project.

Duty station:
Please be aware that this is a home-based position, with the duty station being your city of permanent residence.

This is a retainer (consultant) national vacancy/position and will be hired for 12 months for a maximum of 220 working days with possibility of extension depending on performance and on availability of funds.

Based on the above, the project needs to engage with a consultant on “data assessment and knowledge management” who is tasked with identifying options for a knowledge management system in a consultative manner. He/she will need to use his/her own laptop and software. This is a retainer (consultant) national vacancy/position and will be hired for 12 months for a maximum of 220 working days per year.

Specific activities will include:

• Assessment of data and information generated as part of the South China Sea -Strategic Action Programme SCS-SAP project.
• Assessment of existing available information on coastal habitats and ecosystems and land-based pollution from national sources as well as regional data from the SCS/Seas of East Asia region.
• Assessment of relevant available data from global databases and websites.
• Coordinate with Coordinating Body for the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) to align with the COBSEA knowledge management as a cross-cutting strategic issue, and explore opportunities to embed a long-term knowledge management system within the COPSEA Framework.
• Conduct national consultations to identify national priorities for knowledge management for improved science-policy interface.
• Conduct regional consultation on regional priorities for knowledge management system.
• Based on all currently available data and information as well as national priorities, write report on “Options for a Regional Knowledge Management System to Support Integrated Management of the Environment and Ecosystems of the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand”, including science-policy integration, and integration with COBSEA.

Education

• Master’s Degree, or equivalent, in a subject relevant to knowledge management as part of support systems for decision-making or a similar/related field(s) directly relevant to the project’s scope and objectives is required.
• First level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) with additional two years of experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced university degree.

• Complementary training/certification in project management, multi-stakeholder processes, communications and/or other topics of potential relevance for the assignment will be positively evaluate.

Experience

Required

• A minimum of 5 years of successful experience in with knowledge management, preferable in the context of regional cooperation around marine and coastal management.
• Expertise in data management and database development.
• Expertise in data management and database development.

• Practical experience supporting the activities of complex, multi-year, multi-country sustainable development projects, in particular within the context of the UN system/UNEP/UNOPS and/or the GEF International Waters Focal Area, or similar, will be considered important assets.
• Familiarity with the goals and regulations, rules, policies, procedures and practices of international organizations will be considered an asset.
• Experience of working with the UN system would be an asset.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Chinese Mandarin) is an asset.

1. Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
2. Contract level: ICSC 10/LICA 10
3. Contract duration: 12 months, max 220 days with possibility of extension depending on performance and on availability of funds

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. 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.

* This is a Homebased position, and therefore the incumbent will need to use his/her own laptop and software.