Biodiversity and Health Expert

Under the supervision of the Head of the Nature and Health Unit, and in close coordination with the Nature Frameworks Support unit, the Biodiversity and Health Expert will work to integrate biodiversity and health considerations into national and global environmental agendas. The role involves high-level analysis of national strategies, development of scientific indicators, and capacity building to promote the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Policy Analysis: Conduct a review and analysis of the inclusion of Biodiversity and Health into submitted targets and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to identify what elements of the Global Action Plan (GAP) are being adopted by countries, encourage future uptake, and share experiences and lessons learned.
• Scientific Support: Support UNEP’s efforts, in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat, the Quadripartite and other partners, to contribute to the development and peer review of integrated science-based indicators, metrics and methodologies for assessing biodiversity and health considerations in national biodiversity planning and policy frameworks.
• Capacity Building: Strengthen national, regional, and global capacity to promote the uptake of the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health and facilitate expert participation in workshops to foster knowledge on the interconnectedness of biodiversity loss and poor health.
• Knowledge Management: Support material development and the dissemination of good practices and sharing of experiences on biodiversity and health, including the design and delivery of webinars and workshops across digital channels.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education: Advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in One Health, Conservation Biology, Environmental Science, Environment and Health, Environmental Governance or other fields directly relevant to the environmental dimensions of health is required.
• Experience: Minimum of 7 years of experience working in integrated, multi-disciplinary or intersectoral approaches to addressing complex challenges at the intersection of nature and health is required.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Experience in the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks is required.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated experience in facilitating workshops, developing presentations, including internal and external stakeholder engagement across digital channels is required.
• Project Management: Experience in project management and experience in implementing and overseeing cross-agency programs is required.

Desirable Skills and Knowledge

• Familiarity working with and conducting critical reviews of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
• Experience in capacity building, technical and scientific cooperation and facilitating dialogues across sectors (e.g., environment, health, agriculture).
• Familiarity with UN system operations, procedures, and mandates related to environment and health.
• Experience working in developing country contexts or support to countries implementing multi-sectoral approaches to complex problems.