OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Field Office

Duty Station: Brussels

Classification of duty station: [[filter12]]

Standard Duration of Assignement : [[filter13]]

Job Family: Natural Sciences

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 07/01/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Background

UNESCO operates at the interface between natural and social sciences, education, culture and communication, playing a vital role in building a global culture of resilience. UNESCO assists countries in capacity building for management of disaster and climate risk, particularly supporting the Member States on 1) early warning systems; 2) safe critical infrastructures; 3) UNESCO designated sites risk prevention; 4) using Science, Technology and Innovation such as Artificial Intelligence and big data; 5) built safe environment; 6) risk governance; 7) nature-based solutions, and 8) post disaster response.

The UNESCO Liaison Brussels Office together with UNESCO Disaster Risk Reduction Unit (UNESCO HQ, Paris) are leading capacity building and international cooperation actions in several Horizon Europe projects on disaster risk management and resilience, in particular:

NBSINFRA (City nature-based solutions integration to local urban infrastructure protection for a climate resilient society) supports the enhancement of the local urban critical infrastructures protection against natural and man-made hazards through the Nature-based solutions co-design and co-creation for a climate change resilient society. NBSINFRA is a three-year project that started on 1 September 2023.

Long Description

RESILIAGE (Advancing holistic understanding of community RESILIence and heritAGE drivers through community-based methodologies) enable a step-change in Disaster Risk Management and in the way research and practice deal with variation in aspects of society like culture, risk awareness, inclusion, socio-economic and geographical conditions by co-creating resilient communities through digital tools and soft solutions consolidated in a holistic and systemic approach. RESILIAGE is a three-year project that started on 1 September 2023.

SYNERGIES (Innovating Preparedness by Leveraging SYNERGIES and Enhancing Results of DRM Projects) intends to promote preparedness with the coherent and synergic involvement of the different actors of disaster management. These actors include first and second responders, citizens, communities, education systems, authorities and public administrations, business companies and practitioners. SYNERGIES is a three-year project that started on 1 December 2023.

Long Description

Duties/Tasks and Expected Output

Under the overall supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels and the direct supervision of the Project Officer of the above-mentioned projects, and in cooperation with the Disaster Risk Reduction Unit and other relevant services at headquarters and in the field, the Individual Specialist will support the implementation of UNESCO-led activities within the NBSINFRA, RESILIAGE and Synergies projects.

The Individual Specialist will provide technical, coordination, and strategic support to UNESCO-led activities in the final implementation phase of the Horizon Europe projects RESILIAGE, NBSINFRA, and SYNERGIES. The assignment will focus on the delivery of final work packages, capacity-building actions, high-level events, and dissemination of project results, ensuring coherence with UNESCO’s mandate and visibility at EU and international levels.

The main duties and responsibilities include:

• Support to Work Package (WP) coordination: The incumbent will support the Project Officer in the coordination and implementation of UNESCO-led WPs and tasks during the final phase of the projects. This includes liaising with project partners, monitoring progress against timelines, and contributing to the preparation of final deliverables.

• Development of work products and knowledge outputs: The incumbent will provide strategic and technical input to the co-design and finalization of key project products, such as training materials, policy briefs, toolkits, and knowledge products. This includes supporting local and international partners to ensure outputs are user-oriented, aligned with UNESCO priorities, and suitable for replication and upscaling beyond the project lifetime.

• Capacity building and advocacy: The incumbent will support the design and delivery of capacity-building and advocacy activities in Europe and selected regions beyond the EU. This includes workshops, webinars, training-of-trainers sessions, and high-level regional knowledge exchange events targeting decision-makers, practitioners, first responders, local authorities, and managers of UNESCO-designated sites.

• Final conferences: The incumbent will support the planning, organization, and coordination of final conferences convened in Brussels. Tasks include agenda development, identification of speakers and target audiences, coordination with partners, and preparation of background materials to showcase project results to EU institutions, Member States, and international stakeholders.

Duration of the consultancy

• From January to November 2026 – 11 months
• Part-time consultancy (3 days per week)

Deliverables

On a monthly basis, the Individual Specialist will submit progress reports to the supervisor, covering tasks performed, achievements and challenges.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Innovation (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Planning and organizing (C)

Results focus (C)

Teamwork (C)

Professionalism (C)

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For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Completed full-time advanced degree (Master”s degree or equivalent) at a university or equivalent institution in natural sciences, or a related field.

Work experience

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in implementation of EU research and innovation funded projects.
• Experience in policy analysis.
• Experience in developing stakeholder engagement strategies for capacity building actions.
• Experience in developing training materials.
• Experience in organizing knowledge sharing events, workshops, and webinars.
• Experience in drafting project reports, deliverables and technical briefs.

Skills and competencies

• Good analytical, organizational and project management skills.
• Sound technical expertise in DRR and Resilience
• Excellent coordination and interpersonal skill.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Proven ability to communicate and negotiate effectively and persuasively with different stakeholders at all levels, within and outside the organization.
• Capacity to build and maintain effective working relations with national and local authorities, relevant institutions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
• Ability to work effectively and maintain effective working relations within a multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to manage heavy workloads and to meet tight deadlines, paying close attention to details.
• Solid IT skills including knowledge of office software.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken).

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should complete the online application, download and complete the Employment History Form (Word File). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information:

• A brief technical proposal explaining the approach proposed for completing this consultancy (2 pages)
• A financial proposal indicating the monthly rate in EUR to be charged for the assignment.

Applications submitted without all the requested documents will not be considered.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview.

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.

UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.