Consultor Técnico en Políticas Climáticas y Ambientales

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF, established in 1946, is a United Nations agency that works in over 190 countries and territories. Its mission is to reach the most disadvantaged children in the world to save their lives, defend their rights, and help them reach their potential. UNICEF Colombia focuses on ensuring that Colombian children, adolescents, and youth can live in a country where the state and society guarantee their rights, social inclusion, and non-violence. The organization operates in regions with the least opportunities for children, such as Chocó, Cauca, Nariño, Arauca, La Guajira, Norte de Santander, Vichada, and Guania, and emphasizes child protection, particularly against gender-based violence.

Job Overview:
The position involves providing technical support for the implementation and formulation of key climate and environmental policy instruments, including NDC v3.0, the Escazú Agreement, and the National Biodiversity Plan. The consultant will ensure the effective integration of children's rights and their meaningful participation in these processes. The role aims to strengthen intersectoral coordination, enhance the technical quality of sectoral implementation plans, and incorporate actions, goals, indicators, and financing mechanisms that address the differentiated impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and disaster risk on children and youth. The consultant will work closely with various ministries and institutions to ensure that the focus on children, adolescents, and youth is consistently integrated into relevant policies and plans.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strengthen technical coordination with key ministries and entities (MinAmbiente, MinEducación, MinSalud, MinVivienda, UNGRD, ICBF, etc.) to consistently incorporate the NNAJ focus into the NDC v3.0 and related plans.
• Design and implement an operational methodology for integrating the NNAJ focus and participation safeguards into sectoral implementation plans.
• Provide technical support for the development, review, and adjustment of drafts/guidelines for sectoral plans and associated documents, ensuring the explicit incorporation of child-sensitive actions, goals, indicators, institutional arrangements, and financing considerations.
• Develop and implement a participation strategy for NNAJ aligned with planning processes (NDC, Escazú, Biodiversity), including methodological guides, educational materials, and mechanisms for systematizing and returning results.
• Design a monitoring and evaluation system to measure the level of NNAJ integration in sectoral and territorial planning, including indicators, a monitoring matrix, and a dashboard.
• Propose an institutional strategy for UNICEF to support the implementation of child-sensitive NDCs, including public/private financing opportunities and partnerships, and consolidate a final report with lessons learned and recommendations.
• Support technical spaces directed at various ministries, ensuring technical support, training, and accompaniment to strengthen institutional capacities in climate change, environment, and NNAJ.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering, Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Biology, Environmental Management, Ecology, Forestry Engineering, or related fields.
• Master's degree in Sustainable Development, law" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Environmental Law, Climate Change, Environmental Management, Environmental Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Territorial Governance, or related areas.
• A minimum of 8 years of general professional experience post-graduation and/or issuance of professional license, with at least 5 years of specific experience related to environmental management, climate change, sustainable development, disaster risk management, or natural resource management.
• Experience in designing, implementing, and monitoring policies, programs, or projects in the aforementioned areas.
• Experience in formulating strategies, public policies, methodologies, and advocacy processes at the national level.
• Experience in WASH-CEED projects or in providing basic water and sanitation services, environment, energy, climate, and disaster risk management is an advantage.
• Desirable experience in the UN system, NGOs, public service providers, and public sector roles related to the consultancy.
• Knowledge of children's rights and experience working with the identified population is valued.
• Experience in public sector or government entities in the country is also valued.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree in one of the following areas: Environmental Engineering, Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Biology, Environmental Management, Ecology, Forestry Engineering, or related fields. Additionally, a Master's degree in Sustainable Development, Environmental Law, Climate Change, Environmental Management, Environmental Sciences, Disaster Risk Management, Territorial Governance, or related areas is required.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 8 years of general professional experience after graduation and/or issuance of the professional license, with at least 5 years of specific experience related to environmental management, climate change, sustainable development, disaster risk management, or natural resource management. Candidates should have experience in designing, implementing, and monitoring relevant policies, programs, or projects.

Languages:
Fluency in Spanish is mandatory. Proficiency in English is desirable, as it may enhance communication with international partners and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
The position is a consultancy role, and candidates are advised not to attach technical or economic proposals at the application stage. Only pre-selected candidates will be invited to submit such proposals. The economic proposal must include all necessary services for the consultancy's development, such as administrative expenses, travel costs, social security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, among others. Candidates should attach their CV in the designated spaces to facilitate the preliminary evaluation process. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages all candidates, regardless of disability status, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or ethnic origin, to participate in fulfilling the organization's mission.