Consultant for the Consumption and Production Unit

Overview

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the UN system’s designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate environmental policy consensus, keep the global environment under review, and bring emerging issues to governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s medium-term strategy (MTS) 2022 – 2025 identifies unsustainable patterns of production and consumption as the main underlying cause of climate change, nature loss, and pollution, requiring an integrated approach focused on climate, biodiversity, and pollution with shifts toward a more resource-efficient, circular economy.

The consultant will work for the Consumption and Production Unit in the Industry and Economy Division to support the implementation of the project “Greening Supply and demand: Advancing Eco-Labels and Sustainable Public Procurement for climate and biodiversity protection (Eco-Advance)”. The project aims to promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production through ecolabelling (led by UNEP) and sustainable public procurement (led by GIZ). It is financed by BMUV through the International Climate Initiative. The project supports the Environmental Alliance of the Americas (the Alliance) as a regional initiative of Latin American countries to develop a regional ecolabel (Sello Ambiental de América). The Alliance seeks to harmonize national type I standards, develop common criteria, and raise regional recognition of sustainable products and services.

In this context, the consultant will support the operationalization of the Environmental Alliance of America and provide tools to the Chair and Alliance members for agile decision-making. The consultant will also support partnership-building with political partners and stakeholders in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.

Responsibilities

1. Support implementation of the Alliance workplan, including:
   • Implement suggested changes to the governance structure
   • Legal formalization of the Alliance
   • Develop a medium and long-term financial model for the Alliance
   • Product prioritization and criteria development; development of mutual recognition agreements
2. Support the Chair of the Alliance to coordinate national organizations operationally
3. Support the Alliance secretariat by organizing coordination meetings with members and participating in Steering Committee meetings; prepare background materials, draft conclusions and action points, and manage knowledge throughout the process
4. Facilitate product selection and criteria development under the Environmental Alliance of America through participatory approaches
5. Under UNEP guidance, liaise with GIZ to connect with country processes under Output 1, 2 and 3 of the IKI EcoAdvance project (national level activities on SPP and Type-I ecolabelling)

The consultant will report to the UNEP Programme Management Officer of the Consumption and Production Unit in the Industry and Economy Division.

Qualifications / Skills

• Advanced University Degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field. A first-level university degree with at least 2 years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
• Minimum of 5 years of demonstrated professional competence in Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) tools, including ecolabelling.
• Working experience in Latin America and the Caribbean region is required.
• Knowledge of the United Nations System is desirable.
• Ability to work independently and facilitate multi-disciplinary working groups, with independent judgment to plan, prioritize, and organize a diverse workload in a fast-paced environment is desirable.
• Languages: Fluency in oral and written Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of other UN official languages is an advantage.

Location: Remote. Expected duration: 11 months.