Consultant for Restoration Investment Prospectus

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. UNEP was established in 1972 and has since been at the forefront of environmental governance, working 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 operates in over 150 countries and employs thousands of staff members, collaborating with various stakeholders to implement environmental policies and promote sustainable development initiatives. The organization’s mission is to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices and to inspire, inform, and enable nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

Job Overview:
The consultant will be responsible for producing a comprehensive and donor-oriented Restoration Investment Prospectus for the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL), which encompasses Uganda and Rwanda, with a focus on Volcanoes and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks. This role involves synthesizing key inputs and assessments to align restoration needs across the GVL with broader policy frameworks and existing data. The consultant will conduct consultations with key stakeholders, including UNEP, WWF, GVTC, RDB, UWA, and relevant community representatives, to validate proposed priority restoration sites and thematic areas. The consultant will also identify and prioritize investment opportunities for restoration interventions, estimate financial costs and co-benefits, and conduct a donor and financing landscape review to identify aligned funding windows and investment mechanisms. The final deliverable will be a well-structured Restoration Investment Prospectus that is donor-ready and includes outreach materials such as a summary brief and a donor-facing presentation.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will carry out the following duties and responsibilities: Conduct an inception phase including a review of project background documents and submit an Inception Report outlining the proposed methodology, work plan, and stakeholder engagement strategy. Synthesize key inputs and assessments to align restoration needs across the GVL with broader policy frameworks and existing data. Hold consultations with key stakeholders to validate proposed priority restoration sites and thematic areas. Identify and prioritize investment opportunities for restoration interventions across the GVL, including degraded corridors, buffer zones, and community-managed lands. Estimate financial costs and co-benefits of proposed interventions, including ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation value, and social/climate benefits. Conduct a donor and financing landscape review to identify aligned funding windows, donors, and investment mechanisms. Package the identified interventions into coherent investment bundles, including large-scale and small-scale restoration packages tailored for different funders. Draft the full Restoration Investment Prospectus, including executive summary, justification and background, investment opportunities and intervention profiles, financial needs and co-benefits, donor alignment and funding pathways. Present the draft prospectus to stakeholders through a validation process and document feedback and validation results. Revise and finalize the prospectus incorporating feedback, ensuring clarity, structure, and donor-readiness. Prepare outreach and communication materials, including a 2-page summary brief, a donor-facing presentation, and optionally, simple infographics or visual elements. Deliver a final technical note and handover presentation summarizing the process, key messages and recommendations, including next steps for resource mobilization.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics, Ecology, or related fields. A minimum of 7 years of work experience in conservation financing, ecosystem restoration planning and investment, environmental project design for multilateral or bilateral donors, and development of donor engagement strategies is required. Resource mobilization experience that encompasses past engagement with donors, development banks, or philanthropic foundations is also required. A demonstrated track record in preparing successful resource mobilization materials such as investment prospectuses, fundraising pitches, donor proposals, or funding applications is desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in relevant fields such as Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics, Ecology, or related disciplines. This educational background is essential to ensure that the consultant has the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively contribute to the development of the Restoration Investment Prospectus and engage with various stakeholders in the environmental sector.

Experience:
The consultant is expected to have a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience. This experience should include a focus on conservation financing, ecosystem restoration planning and investment, and environmental project design for multilateral or bilateral donors. Additionally, experience in developing donor engagement strategies and resource mobilization is crucial, as the consultant will need to identify and prioritize investment opportunities and engage with potential funders.

Languages:
Fluency in oral and written English is required for this position, as English is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Knowledge of the French language is considered an asset, as it may facilitate communication with stakeholders in the region and enhance the consultant's ability to engage with a broader audience.

Additional Notes:
The position is home-based and is expected to last for a duration of 6 months. The consultant will report to the Programme Management Officer responsible for the project and will work closely with the UN Decade Multi-Country Mountain Flagship Focal Point for the Virunga Region. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants should be cautious of any requests for payment.