Ocean biophysical datasets visualization consultant

Result of Service A visualization of priority biophysical and geomorphological themes in the coastal and marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean developed and related awareness products.

Work Location Home-Based

Expected duration The contract duration will be 4 months from the date of issue of contract.

Duties and Responsibilities Introduction 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's Ecosystem Division works with international and national partners, providing technical assistance and advisory services for the implementation of environmental policy, and strengthening the environmental management capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The Nairobi Convention for the protection, management, and development of the coastal and marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean is a partnership between governments, civil society, and the private sector, working towards a prosperous Western Indian Ocean region with healthy rivers, coasts, and oceans. It pursues this vision by providing a mechanism for regional cooperation, coordination, and collaborative actions; it enables the 10 Contracting Parties to harness resources and expertise from a wide range of stakeholders and interest groups; and in this way it helps solve inter-linked problems of the region's coastal and marine environment. This consultancy is located at UNEP, Nairobi duty station, under the general supervision of the head of the Nairobi Convention secretariat.

Background The WIO region is characterised by high biodiversity, both in terms of species and ecosystems, which places it as one of the most rich and interesting ocean regions of the world. The regional countries have in general low income, and as such a large fraction of the population is dependent on coastal and marine resources and ecosystem services. The biodiversity of these systems is thus under direct and indirect pressures through resource exploitation and anthropogenically-driven habitat degradation. The effects and impacts of global climate change add further pressures to local-acting sources of disturbance. The main ecosystems in the WIO region constitute the major support for biodiversity and living resources, such as nearshore habitats, mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass beds, coral reefs, rocky reefs, sediments, and pelagic and deep-sea environments. The Nairobi Convention seeks to undertake activities aimed at strengthening management effectiveness of the coastal and marine environment by developing data visualizations, regionwide awareness products and enhancing data and information sharing on the status of its coastal and marine ecosystems. The Nairobi Convention therefore requires a data visualization consultant to create visualization dashboards on the socioeconomic themes in the Western Indian Ocean.

Objective of the Consultancy The main role of the consultant is to collate, organize, design, analyse and visualize data and datasets on coastal and marine biophysical data, and socioeconomic and demographics in the Nairobi Convention area and present these in data dashboards. The dashboards will provide a centralized, interactive means of monitoring, measuring, analyzing, and extracting a wealth of insights from relevant datasets in several key areas while displaying aggregated information in a way that is both intuitive and visual. This will facilitate data-driven decision making leading to promotion of responsible ocean governance and enable policy makers make timely, sound decisions. The consultant is expected to develop interactive dashboards and visualisations and attempt at quality assurance of the collated data to identify and understand trends, outliers, and patterns in data. The dashboard should represent key data insights visually in a meaningful way using leading data visualisation tools in the market e.g., Tableau, Microsoft Power BI etc. The consultant is also expected to translate complex data analysis concepts and visuals into clear and useable messages for different audiences.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Nairobi Convention Secretariat and direct supervision of the Programme Officer of the ACP MEAs 3 programme, the consultant will be responsible for the following:

1. Create data visualization dashboards and awareness products on: a. Oceanographic data showing ocean near surface monthly and annual climatology, surface salinity, water turbidity, surface currents, upwelling, tidal range, coastal hydrodynamics and offshore current systems, pH, threats to the ocean environment (oil spill, land based pollution, sedimentation, acidification) b. Biological data e.g. marine habitats with special reference to coral reefs at national level, mangroves, seagrass beds, salt marshes, kelp, biodiversity on areas beyond national jurisdiction, ecoregions and related transboundary marine conservation areas, Ecologically and biologically significant areas (EBSA), vulnerable marine ecosystems (VME), fisheries c. Coastal and marine and geomorphological features of importance in influencing the marine environment e.g. freshwater resources and drainage (rivers, groundwater, springs, estuaries, deltas and coastal lakes), seamounts, knolls, seamounts, banks and shelves, ocean depths, mineral nodules, coastal zone, continental shelf, 2. Identify trends and provide feedback regarding the thematic data in (1) above. 3. Refine the data model and processes to improve the underlying data and processes that impact data analysis, dashboard creation and reporting. 4. Employ strong analytical and database skills for analysis, identify data gaps, and develop awareness products.

Qualifications/special skills Min. Academic Education Master’s degree in Computer Science, Geoinformatics or related fields is required;

Min. years of relevant Work experience ¿ A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in information and knowledge management, data analysis, collection and visualisation systems, results and online reporting or related area is required. ¿ Proven skills in designing and developing effective data visualizations (preferably in marine and coastal areas) using data visualization platforms such as advanced Excel visualizations, Tableau, PowerBI, and other business intelligence tools such as Geonetwork. ¿ Experience in information and knowledge management within the UN common system or another comparable international organization is desirable. Language Fluent written and spoken English (required)

Additional Information Competences - Professionalism: Knowledge of information management and data analysis tools and techniques, including those related to spatial and operational data management. Ability to awareness products with management and policy orientations based on trend analysis of data and information provided. - Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.