Junior Consultant ( multiple positions)

Result of ServiceSupporingt the preparation and coordination of the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17), including activities related to the Action Agenda and other priority initiatives. Work LocationBonn office(in-person) Expected duration12 months between February 2026 to February 2027. Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground note: Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. 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 Convention seeks to support countries to address Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD). (www.unccd.int) 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. 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. Every two years, the Parties meet in the Conference of the Parties (COP), which it is the convention’s supreme decision-making body of the UNCCD, to review progress in combating desertification, land degradation, and drought. At the COP, governments negotiate and adopt decisions, set priorities, and guide the global implementation of the convention and related initiatives. The purpose of this consultancy is to support the Executive Office in the preparation of the UNCCD COP17, that will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17th to 28th August 2026. The consultants will also provide support to UNCCD secretariat on International Drought Resilience (IDRA) and drought related activities to follow the implementation of IDRA’s roadmap. The International Drought Resilience, launched on 7th November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, at the margins of the UNFCCC COP17 in a high-level event convened by Senegal and Spain. IDRA is a collaborative platform that supports countries, cities and communities to combat drought proactively. The alliance will promote effective and efficient preparedness and adaptation measures that go beyond disaster response to reduce vulnerability to drought, in support of the drought-related international cooperation that already exists under the umbrella of the UNCCD. This consultancy offers a unique opportunity for a young professional (age 25-30) with the right skill set to be involved in all key day to day operational aspects of the UNCCD. UNCCD seeks 4 candidates who are interested in expanding their knowledge and skill set in events management as well as land-drought sector initiatives within the context of a UN agency. Duties & Responsibilities: Under the direct supervision of the Advisor to the Deputy Executive Secretary, the incumbents will support the preparation and coordination of the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17), including activities related to the Action Agenda and other priority initiatives. Specific areas of focus should include, but not limited to the following: - COP17 Strategic support: assist the overarching development and organization of the UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia; - Action Agenda coordination: Support the development of the COP17 Action Agenda and track inter-unit activities to ensure process alignment; - IDRA’s workplan implementation: Provide support to implement IDRA related activities and support the different teams working on IDRA related tools and outputs; - Stakeholder liaison: Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, maintaining regular communication, and responding to inquiries related to the UNCCD COP17; - Event planning: Assist in the end-to-end delivery of high-level meetings, including the preparation of briefing materials and background documentations (concept note, invitation, run-of-show, logistical note, etc.) as well as assist in correspondence follow-up; - Administrative and financial monitoring: support basic financial reporting and administrative workflows. Qualifications/special skills- First-level university degree in Administration, International Relations, Communications, Public Relations, Public Affairs, Social Sciences, political sciences or any other related field. - One year of professional experience, including volunteering or internships in political science, international relations, international law. - Capacity to work under pressure, tight timeline is requested, as well as capacity to understand political sensitivity while dealing with Parties and partners. - Project management skills and ability to work under pressure is desirable. - Previous experience working with international organizations, in international cooperation or within the UN system and UN decision-making bodies is considered as an asset. Languages- Fluency in English language (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of Spanish language would be desirable. A working knowledge of any of the other UN Official languages in addition 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. 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.