Job Description

Result of Service

1. Technical documents to inform TEEBAgriFood results dissemination and policy mainstreaming activities.
2. Effective TEEBAgriFood social media campaign and nationally tailored results dissemination
3. Effective implementation of meetings and workshops with partners and stakeholders, following set timelines and obtaining expected results, integrating inputs and feedback from the UNEP TEEBAgriFood initiative team.

Work Location

Mexico City

Expected duration

The duration of the contract should be for 6 months.

Duties and Responsibilities

Background

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP Ecosystems Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and capacity development for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) is a global initiative within UNEP focused on "making visible the values of nature". Its objective is to recognize, demonstrate and integrate the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services, in monetary and non-monetary terms, and to promote the integration of such values in the decision making of the key actors of the public and private sectors at all levels. TEEB provides evidence on the costs of a "Business-as-Usual" from: (i) an economic perspective, that is to say for the economy including the generation of jobs; (ii) a social perspective, to include wellbeing and human health; and (iii) an environmental approach, to ensure healthy ecosystems and their long-term benefits.

Ecosystems, biodiversity and natural resources are the basis of agriculture. The agricultural sector provides important benefits such as food for humans and animals, fiber for industrial and artisanal production, materials for fuel, employment and cultural cohesion. However, it is the main driver of the degradation of ecosystems, the loss of biodiversity, health externalities and greenhouse gas emissions, among others. Many of these impacts, both positive and negative, are economically invisible and do not figure in public and private decision- making. TEEBAgriFood is designed to demonstrate that the economic environment in which agricultural producers operate is subject to negative and positive externalities that cause a lack of understanding of their dependence on natural capital. The initiative seeks to demonstrate that the entire agricultural value chain (production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste) not only has an impact on the environment, but also on socio-economic well-being, particularly of small producers, on public health and food security.

The consultant will work for the Economics of Nature Unit in the Ecosystems Division to execute various work packages of the TEEB project, “Promoting biodiversity and sustainability in the agriculture and food sector through economic valuation” funded by the European Commission (henceforth ‘TEEBAgriFood project’). The objective of this assignment is to support the social media campaign and policy mainstreaming of the TEEBAgriFood project in Mexico. The assignment also supports the planning and implementation of activities aimed at mainstreaming policy recommendations into decision making.

The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the TEEB Coordinator and Head of the Economics of Nature Unit.


Duties and Responsibilities:

The consultant will be home-based and will work for six (6) months, starting on 31 January and ending on 31 July 2022, with the responsibilities described below.

Responsibilities of the consultant will include, but are not limited to:

1. Conduct research and analysis of academic literature, government reports, and news media related to TEEBAgriFood globally and TEEBAgriFood Mexico, such as: sustainable agriculture, environmental governance, sustainable development and biodiversity conservation policy.
2. In collaboration with the TEEBAgriFood Communications Consultant, produce summaries and synopses (articles, videos, infographics, tweets, etc.) of own research and TEEBAgriFood consortia research to assist in both policy mainstreaming and general communication of TEEBAgriFood project outputs and outcomes for publication on various social networking platforms and the TEEB Mexico webpage.
3. Plan, lead, and supervise four (4) national workshops to disseminate Mexico TEEBAgriFood messages and recommendations to Mexican stakeholders. Prepare meeting invitations and meeting reports.
4. Contribute to the preparation for and then participate in steering committee and technical committee meetings and activities related to the TEEBAgriFood initiative in Mexico. Prepare meeting invitations, notes, briefings, and internal minutes as required.
5. Provide planning and reporting support for the implementation of the TEEBAgriFood initiative in Mexico, working closely with UNEP offices in Mexico, Nairobi and Geneva. Review agreements and track progress for the projects’ effective and timely implementation; Assist and advise programme/project managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for project budget submissions and revisions, based on funds availability.
6. Support other activities relevant to TEEBAgriFood globally, and to the UNEP Economics of Nature Unit.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, International Relations, Public Administration, Political Affairs, Economics or Public Affairs, Earth Science or any Environmental or Political Science related areas is required. Master's degree will be an advantage.
Experience: At least 2 years of professional experience including marketing, communication, projects´ implementation, events´ coordination, research on environmental topics and/or planning and implementation of eco-agri-food systems related projects is required. Knowledge and experience on communications, as well as on TEEBAgriFood, sustainable agriculture and/or related subjects is an asset.
Language: English and Spanish are working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, Fluency in English and Spanish is required.

No Fee

THE 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.

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