SWIOP Inception Phase Consultant

Under the general supervision of the Head of the Nairobi Convention Secretariat, the SWIOP Inception Phase Consultant will be responsible for setting up the foundational structures of the SWIOP project. The role involves technical drafting of governance documents, recruitment frameworks, and strategic workplans to ensure the project's successful launch.

Key Responsibilities

• Recruitment Framework: Work with the Nairobi Convention Secretariat to prepare draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the recruitment of the SWIOP Project Coordination Unit (PCU), including positions for the Project Manager, Assistant Project Manager, Communications Consultant, and National Ocean Governance Consultant.
• Planning and Strategy: Prepare a comprehensive workplan for Year 1 of the SWIOP, including detailed descriptions of activities, timelines, and responsible parties.
• Partnership Agreements: Draft Small Scale Funding Agreements (SSFAs) for Implementing Partners (IPs) focused on Ocean Governance, Science to Policy support, Implementation support for ROGS Structures, MSP technical support, training, and Ocean Accounting.
• Technical Documentation: Draft Terms of Reference for various consultancies, including regional Policy and Legal assessment, Blue Finance, BBNJ Agreement implementation support, MSP related activity support, Ecosystem Indicator Monitoring Framework implementation, and Information Systems design and management.
• Representation: Attend and represent the Nairobi Convention in SWIOP coordination meetings.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Education: An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Marine Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resources Management, or related disciplines.
• Experience: A minimum of 7 years of professional experience working on regional marine and coastal-related projects at a technical level.
• Regional Knowledge: Excellent knowledge of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region and experience working with WIO regional governments is required.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Proven experience in stakeholder engagement for ocean governance and multidisciplinary environmental/developmental matters in the WIO region.
• Technical Writing: Demonstrated competency in excellent scientific/technical writing and consistency in critical writing and review of documents.
• Operational Skills: Ability to work within very short timelines and with minimum supervision.
• Strategic Engagement: Experience working with different stakeholders at both strategic and technical levels is highly desirable.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the United Nations careers portal by visiting the provided application link.