Result of ServiceDevelopment of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the creation of a Local Communities Caucus for the UNCCD that has emanated from consultations with Local Communities networks, Parties to the UNCCD, and the Secretariat to the Convention. The ToR should take into consideration an approach that guarantees that local communities representatives are chosen in accordance with their own procedures, and that the unique perspectives and priorities of local communities, are aligned with the principles of the Convention. The ToR would include the views of the Parties to the UNCCD and input from the Secretariat and be presented at COP17. Work LocationHome-based Expected durationNovember 2025 to March 2026. Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground: The objective of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification around the world, particularly in Africa, through effective action at all levels, supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements, with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development in affected areas. Parties to the UNCCD agreed in decision 5/COP16 to request the secretariat to: (a) Facilitate consultations among Parties, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification institutions and bodies, United Nations entities, and civil society, in particular Indigenous Peoples as well as local communities, on strengthening participation of Indigenous Peoples as well as local communities in the UNCCD. (b) Support, as appropriate, the development of relevant terms of reference for the creation of a Caucus for Indigenous Peoples and a Caucus for Local Communities, ensuring an approach that guarantees its representativeness and the unique perspectives and priorities of Indigenous Peoples as well as of local communities, and in alignment with the principles of the Convention. The UNCCD secretariat seeks an experienced Local Communities expert to undertake a consultancy to support in the organization of the consultations and the development of the Local Communities Caucus. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Chief of Communications, External Relations and Partnership (CERP) unit and direct supervision of the External Relations Officer, the Local Communities experts undertaking the consultancy will have the following duties and responsibilities: - Undertake a desk review analyzing the following main components: 1) the increasing engagement of local communities in multilateral environmental agreements, as well as in mechanisms of the United Nations; 2) a comparative assessment of the engagement of local communities with the UNCCD summarizing UNCCD’s variety of relevant dialogues and collaborative efforts related to local communities, 3) actionable recommendations on how the UNCCD can build synergies and engage activities carried out by local communities at the local level, with relevance to the UNCCD, 4) identification through consultations with relevant stakeholders ways and means to strengthen the participation of local communities in the UNCCD meetings and processes and, 5) a strategy and timeline for consultations foreseeing the development of a local communities caucus at the UNCCD. - Develop practical guidance and templates for GM staff to engage local communities throughout the project cycle (design, implementation, monitoring). - Produce a report on the potential engagement of local communities to carry out activities aimed at the implementation of the UNCCD and avenues for their meaningful participation in the activities. - Organize consultative events as well as social media engagement to obtain inputs into the development of the Terms of Reference for the Local Communities. - Consult with and involve the local communities representatives. - Develop a draft Terms of reference of the Local Communities Caucus, ensuring an approach that guarantees their representativeness. - Present the Terms of Reference to the Secretariat for an internal consultative workshop and revise the document based on inputs. - Organize consultations with the Parties to the convention and revise the document based on inputs and comments. Qualifications/special skills- University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field of work (e.g. law, geography, sustainability, politics or international relations) is required. - At least five (5) year of relevant professional working experience related to sustainable development, knowledge of local communities issues is required. - Advanced experience working with local community organizations and groups in their engagement with multilateral environmental agreements is required. - Experience developing practical tools and guidance for project teams is required. - Experience in multistakeholder consultations and intergovernmental processes is also required LanguagesFluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Working knowledge of any other UN languages is 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.