Senior Consultant to facilitate the Drought Engagement Process

Result of ServiceFirst Meeting (Panama – November 2025) • Develop a detailed facilitation plan and methodology aligned with the objectives of the Process, including proposed session designs (agendas, discussion formats, interactive tools, and trust-building exercises). • Provide guidance on meeting rules and confidentiality protocols, in line with the Chatham House principles. • Prepare background and briefing materials to ensure that all participants are well-informed and share a common understanding of the process objectives. • Conduct skilled facilitation of the first meeting in Panama. Second Meeting (Bonn – February/March 2026) • Prepare meeting summary or “non-paper” capturing the main themes and discussions under each agenda item of the first meeting. • Provide session facilitation and real-time outputs to effectively manage and document the meeting. • Deliver professional facilitation of the second meeting in Bonn, ensuring constructive dialogue and the capture of key discussion points. Third Meeting (Bonn – May/June 2026) • Prepare meeting summary or “non-paper” capturing the main themes and discussions under each agenda item of the second meeting. • Identify and summarize areas of convergence and divergence among participants. • Prepare a draft Synthesis Report of the Process. Work LocationHome-based Expected duration01 November 2025 to 31 July 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, and reverses desertification/land degradation and minimizes effects of drought (DLDD) in affected areas at all levels – and to achieve a Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) consistent with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), held in Riyadh in December 2024, Parties reaffirmed their commitment to addressing drought in a sustainable and long-term manner. Key achievements included the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, the World Drought Atlas, and the International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO), as well as stronger engagement of indigenous peoples, women, youth, and the private sector. Despite this progress, Parties could not finalize an agreement due to some outstanding issues requiring further clarification. To maintain momentum and foster consensus ahead of COP17 in Mongolia, the COP16 Presidency (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) has proposed the Drought engagement process, a voluntary, informal dialogue mechanism with the aim to reset and revive discussions, rebuild trust, and bridge differences in pursuit of a shared vision for global drought resilience. Through three in-person meetings and complementary virtual engagements, the engagement Process will convene 25country representatives and five independent drought experts to exchange perspectives, explore solutions, and identify possible outcomes for COP17. To ensure effective facilitation of this process, an experienced Senior Consultant with expertise in multilateral negotiations, climate diplomacy, and drought resilience will be engaged to serve as lead facilitator. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall guidance of the UNCCD COP16 Presidency and in close coordination with the UNCCD Secretariat, the Senior Consultant will perform the following activities: Facilitation Management • Co-design and facilitate the three planned in-person meetings of the Drought Engagement Process (Panama, November 2025; Bonn, February and May 2026), ensuring an inclusive, constructive, and trust-building atmosphere. • Guide discussions under Chatham House rules, ensuring open exchange of perspectives while fostering mutual respect and collaboration. • Support participants in identifying shared goals, mapping common and divergent views, and co-developing proposals for potential outcomes at COP17. • Introduce participatory tools and methodologies to stimulate dialogue, bridge positions, and encourage creative problem-solving. • Ensure a balance of technical, political, and social dimensions of drought resilience in the discussions. Strategic Engagement • Create a safe space for reflection on past challenges and opportunities, helping to reset relations and renew confidence among participants. • Build trust and confidence among Parties by encouraging candid exchanges and reinforcing shared objectives. • Facilitate the integration of diverse perspectives, including regional, gender, and stakeholder group considerations, into discussions. Documentation and Reporting • Work with the Secretariat to capture key messages, common views, proposals, and potential solutions emerging from the sessions. • Provide facilitation inputs to background papers, session agendas, and preparatory materials. • As needed, contribute to the preparation of a final consolidated report on the Process highlighting input for discussions at COP17. Coordination and Advisory Support • Liaise regularly with the COP16 Presidency, the Secretariat, and supporting partners to align facilitation with political priorities and process expectations. • Advise on complementary activities (e.g., informal dialogues, virtual sessions) that can enhance the impact of the Process. • Ensure the process remains voluntary, informal, and non-negotiation in character, while maximizing its political and technical relevance to COP17. Other activities as needed by UNCCD Secretariat and the COP 16 Presidency. Qualifications/special skills- An advanced university degree in environmental sciences, geography, climate policy, environmental policy, hydrology, development studies or any other related field relevant for the consultancy is required. - At least 10 years of professional experience in climate change adaptation, risk management, or environmental policy is required. - Proven expertise in climate adaptation policy and planning, including experience with transboundary climate risks and climate finance is required. - Substantial experience working with international organizations (e.g., UNFCCC, UNEP, UNDP, OECD, GEF, or development cooperation agencies) is required. - Excellent strategic and analytical skills, with the ability to translate science into actionable policy advice is desirable. - Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, including collaboration with governments, academia, and civil society is desirable. - Outstanding communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to convey complex issues to diverse audiences is desirable. LanguagesFor the services required, high proficiency in spoken and written English language is required; Excellent writing skills required. Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage. 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.