Graphic Designer and Content Producer

Result of ServiceThe UNCCD secretariat seeks an experienced and highly motivated graphic designer and content producer to develop online, print and audio-visual materials in support of the above-mentioned areas of work. Work LocationHome based Expected duration100 days, between June 2025 and February 2026 Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground: 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 mandate of the Convention and its 197 Parties is to support “a future that avoids, minimizes, and reverses desertification/land degradation and mitigates the effects of drought in affected areas at all levels – and to achieve a land degradation-neutral world consistent with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” The UNCCD recognizes that addressing and reversing land degradation is one of the key sustainable development priorities for most of its 168 affected countries Parties. Land degradation is a significant trigger of migration, although its impact is indirect. Land degradation combined with increasing anthropogenic pressure due to population growth and density leads to a decrease in the availability of productive land and water resources, a drop in crop yields and livestock productivity. In response, the UNCCD secretariat and its partners identified the need to create a strategic communications publication and platform, entitled the Global Land Outlook (GLO), to facilitate insight debate and discourse on a new and transformative vision for land management policy, planning and practice at global and national scales. The aim of the GLO is to communicate evidence-based, policy-relevant information on the drivers and impacts of desertification, land degradation and drought as well as the opportunities to mitigate them through sustainable land and water management in an accessible way to a variety of stakeholders, including national governments formulating their responses to commitments to better manage and restore land resources, including the SDGs and associated targets, such as Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). To assist the Conference of Parties in regularly reviewing the implementation of the Convention, the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention (CRIC) was established in 2001. The next 24th meeting of CRIC, as a subsidiary body to UNCCD, will take place from in December 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. CRIC is also an integral part of the Performance Review and Assessment of Implementation System (PRAIS). Droughts are among the greatest threats to sustainable development, especially in developing countries, but increasingly so in developed nations too. The number and duration of droughts has increased by 29 percent since 2000, as compared to the two previous decades. When more than 2.3 billion people already face water stress, this is a huge problem. More and more of us will be living in areas with extreme water shortages, including an estimated one in four children by 2040. No country is immune to drought. The overwhelming evidence points to the need to shift from crises management to drought preparedness and adaptation measures that significantly reduce vulnerability and exposure at all levels. World leaders recognize the need for a global collaborative platform, with political engagement at the highest level and a network of implementing partners to support countries and communities considering their different circumstances. Responding to these needs, the International Drought Resilience Alliance was first announced by Spain at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2022 to be officially launched at the UNFCCC COP27 in November 2022. The purpose of this consultancy is to lead on the production of various information and communications materials related to land degradation, desertification and drought, migration and climate change. The consultant will oversee designing and producing a wide range of materials in support of the above-mentioned priority areas. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Global Policy Advocacy and Regional Cooperation (GPARC) unit and in consultation with the substantive officers in the UNCCD secretariat, the consultant will design various information, communications and training materials in support of the UNCCD Gender, Migration, Drought, Youth, Tenure, SDS. Specific areas of focus should include, but not limited to the following: Design information, training and communications materials for the UNCCD, including but not limited to policy briefs, information materials, studies, invitations for events, etc. Support branding during events and high-level activities. Design materials for the CRIC23 to be held in December 2025 in Panama. Design information and communications materials for the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA) and relevant working documents related to drought portfolio of the Secretariat. Create infographics, graphs, video clips, audio visual materials and SNS assets. Design exhibitions and other awareness raising, outreach activities (production of banners, posters, etc.). Support UNCCD communications on social media platforms if required. The consultant must be in possession of all the equipment and software necessary to conduct this work. The UNCCD will not purchase any equipment. Candidates are kindly requested to specify in their applications the software and equipment that will be used to carry out this assignment. Qualifications/special skillsDegree in graphic design, publishing, communications or other fields relevant for the consultancy is required. A minimum of 7 years of work experience in the field of media, graphic design, and/or publishing is required; Proven experience in communications, campaigns, media working with international organizations is required; Experience on publishing working with relevant software is desirable; Experience working in developing countries producing documentaries, campaigns, etc. is desirable. Expertise in videography/photography is an asset. LanguagesFor the consultancy, proficiency to communicate effectively in English with demonstrated writing skills is required. Knowledge of other UN languages would be an asset. Additional InformationOnly 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 10 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 10 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 FeeTHE 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.