Industry Consultant for GHS in Africa

Job Posting Organization:
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. Established in 1972, UNEP has grown to encompass a diverse workforce of thousands of employees operating in over 100 countries. The organization focuses on various environmental issues, including climate change, sustainable development, and the management of chemicals and waste. UNEP's Chemicals and Health Branch leads the sub-programme on Chemicals, Waste, and Air Quality, providing assistance to countries and multilateral environmental agreement (MEA) secretariats on technical-scientific issues related to priority chemicals. The Knowledge and Risk Unit promotes scientific approaches for the sound management of chemicals, addressing issues highlighted by governments, such as the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling (GHS).

Job Overview:
The Industry Consultant for GHS in Africa will play a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling (GHS) in four African countries: Ghana, Kenya, Cote D’Ivoire, and Nigeria. This position involves engaging industry stakeholders through meetings and workshops, refining training materials for capacity building, and supporting country-specific implementation related to industry engagement. The consultant will coordinate industry participation and engagement for a pilot project aimed at overcoming barriers to GHS implementation. The role requires establishing effective collaboration platforms between industry and government, enhancing stakeholder capacity through tailored training, and ensuring ongoing engagement and feedback mechanisms to support the sustainable integration of GHS in the participating countries. The consultant will work closely with various project stakeholders, including the European Union, European Chemicals Agency, International Council of Chemical Associations, and UNITAR, to achieve these objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a range of duties, including:

• Conducting initial stakeholder engagement, establishing industry working groups, and organizing introductory webinars. This involves mapping key stakeholders, developing an engagement framework, and hosting inception workshops.
• Supporting the development and compilation of training materials by assessing existing resources, customizing materials based on country needs, and compiling user-friendly modules with UNITAR.
• Conducting technical training workshops and developing capacity-building resources, which includes preparing detailed agendas, distributing finalized training resources, and delivering workshops in project countries.
• Gathering feedback and monitoring progress, providing mentorship and technical support, organizing final reviews, and compiling comprehensive reports. Performance indicators will include timely and high-quality inputs for document production, initiating industry-regulator dialogues, and ensuring efficient communication with project partners.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry or a related field, along with at least 5 years of relevant work experience in chemicals management, hazard communication, and project management. Experience in a cross-cultural and multi-ethnic working environment is essential, as is knowledge of the chemical industry in one or more of the recipient countries. The consultant must possess strong writing and editing skills to produce accurate technical materials for non-technical audiences. Experience with industry associations and governmental bodies in regulatory advocacy work on hazard communication issues is desirable, as is experience in organizing and conducting training on chemicals management and related topics.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry or a related field. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of chemicals management and hazard communication, which are central to the role of the Industry Consultant for GHS in Africa.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in chemicals management, hazard communication, and project management. Candidates should have experience working in cross-cultural and multi-ethnic environments, as well as familiarity with the chemical industry in the recipient countries. Experience in regulatory advocacy and conducting training on chemicals management is preferred, highlighting the need for a well-rounded professional background.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is mandatory for this consultancy, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in oral and written French is desirable, given that French is also a working language of the UN, and the consultant will be engaging with stakeholders in French-speaking countries.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is home-based and allows for remote work, with an expected duration of 80 days (4 months) of work within a 7-month period. The position does not specify a fee for the recruitment process, as the United Nations does not charge applicants at any stage of recruitment. This emphasizes the organization's commitment to transparency and fairness in the hiring process.