Result of Service
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide support to the implementation of the Business 4 Land engagement strategy, with a focus on the Southern Africa Great Green Wall Initiative and other relevant flagship initiatives of the Global Mechanism.
Work Location
Home-based
Expected duration
6 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Background: 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. The Global Mechanism (GM) assists countries in the mobilization of resources from the public and private sector for activities that prevent, control or reverse desertification, land degradation and drought. Business4Land (B4L) is the UNCCD's main initiative to engage the private sector in sustainable land and water management. It helps companies and financial institutions manage risks and seize opportunities tied to land degradation and drought. B4L aims to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, contributing to Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN), a global commitment to achieve net zero land degradation by 2030, as well as enhancing drought resilience. Currently, only 6% of identified LDN investments come from the private sector. To address this gap, the consultancy will play a pivotal role in supporting B4L to significantly increase private sector contributions to LDN. The consultancy will support B4L in scaling private sector contributions to Land Degradation Neutrality by aligning corporate sustainability frameworks with UNCCD goals, providing clear pathways to integrate land stewardship into core strategies. It will strengthen the policy environment by amplifying private sector voices in UNCCD processes and promoting incentives and financial mechanisms that unlock investment. On the ground, the consultancy will catalyze impactful public-private partnerships in flagship initiatives such as the Southern Africa Great Green Wall restoration efforts, leveraging private finance and innovation alongside public leadership. Finally, it will pilot joint target-setting and monitoring mechanisms ensuring alignment with the second phase of the LDN Target Setting Initiative, fostering collective accountability and scalable models for restoration and drought resilience. Duties and Responsibilities: The responsibilities of the consultancy are to:
• Support the execution of the private sector elements of the ZAMCOM project pipeline.
• Manage relationships and coordinate activities with the B4L Champions Council to lead business advocacy efforts on land and drought.
• Lead on the peer-review process of the UNCCD investor scorecard in collaboration with partners and the B4L Finance Expert Group.
• Undertake a situation analysis and stakeholder mapping for the Southern Africa GGW and support operationalisation of Business for Land in Southern Africa
• Support the planning and delivery of the Southern Africa GGW Investment Conference.
• Support the planning, preparation and delivery of the Rangeland Investment Conference at COP17.
• Support the planning and delivery of the Business4Land Forum at COP17.
• Prepare a guidance document to support the integration of targets and indicators monitored by the private sector in the revised LDN Targets of the initial 18 pilot countries
• Support the integration of targets and indicators monitored by the private sector in the revised LDN Targets of the initial 18 pilot countries
• Organize workshops, dialogues, and high-level events to facilitate partnerships between the private sector, governments, and financial institutions.
• Support broader resource-mobilization efforts of the GM.
Qualifications/special skills
* Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) from a recognized university in a relevant field of work (e.g. finance/economics, politics, international relations and/or any relevant field directly related to UNCCD – climate, disaster risk, environment or international development) is required. - At least one (1) year of relevant professional working experience in one or more of the following areas is required: sustainable development, public policy or project development communications, contribution management, resource mobilization, external relations, or other relevant areas is required.
Languages
Excellent command of English (written and spoken). Knowledge of other UN languages is desirable.
Additional Information
Additional Information: Only 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 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.