Regional Specialist, Environment and Sustainable Food Systems for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

Result of Service The process for producing requested outputs and deliverables will entail the following steps and sub-products:

Assignment 1: Provide technical inputs and implementation of activities in support to UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office priorities in the integration of the biodiversity and environmental sustainability into food systems in the region.

• Analyze the National Food Systems Pathways of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), with the objective to produce recommendations on how to strengthen or better integrate the environmental dimension in these pathways. Those recommendations should contribute to the process of updating the pathways in up to 16 countries in the region (based on the priorities define by the United Nations Sustainable Food Systems Task Force in LAC.

• Analyze the inclusion of food systems strategies and priorities in National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans (NBSAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 33 countries in LAC. Use this analysis to identify priority actions to be integrated in the food systems pathways.

• Lead under the guidance of the Biodiversity and Ecosystems regional Subprogramme coordinator the drafting of a technical brief and recommendation to integrate an environmental dimension with a particular focus on Nature Positive, Carbon Neutral and Pollution Free Food Systems that will serve to follow up on the Iberoamerican Summit.

• Formulate under the guidance of the Biodiversity and Ecosystems regional Subprogramme coordinator a policy brief to Identify entry points and policy options to integrate the Sustainable Food Systems in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework objectives and targets in LAC.

Assignment 2: Policy and technical strategic support that leverages the UN System capacities to assist countries streaming the environmental dimension in a food system transformation.

Output: - Produce an analysis on the inclusion of food systems strategies and priorities in NBSAPs and NDCs (up to 33 countries) to identify priority actions to be integrated in the food systems pathways.

• As a contribution to the regional Food Systems Summit stocktaking moment, support the preparation of a technical brief and recommendations to integrate an environmental dimension with a particular focus on Nature Positive, Carbon Neutral and Pollution Free Food Systems.

Product No.1: Report summarizing the methodology to be applied for analyzing the inclusion of SFS in the environmental dimension of NBSAPs and NDCs in the 33 LAC countries.

Product No.2: Report including the review and technical inputs to the technical brief and recommendations.

Output: - Produce an analysis on the inclusion of food systems strategies and priorities in NBSAPs and NDCs (up to 33 countries) to identify priority actions to be integrated in the food systems pathways.

Product No.3: Report analyzing the inclusion of SFS in NBSAPs and NDS in the 33 LAC countries, including priority actions and recommendation to ensure further inclusion of SFS. An analysis for 16 countries should be presented.

Output: - Support the process of updating National Food Systems pathways in the identified priority countries by the UN SFS Technical Task Force (TTF), UNEP leadership in Chile, with focus on integration of the environmental dimension.

Product No.4: Report on specific recommendations, strategies, and actions to update National Food Systems pathways for 17 countries on integration of the environmental dimension. This is to be prepared following previous report presented for the first 16 countries.

Output: Based on key finds of Assignment 1, identify opportunities for regional action in making food systems more sustainable to be included in the UN SFS Technical Task Force (TTF) workplan and strategy.

Product No.5: Power Point for the UN SFS TTF to present opportunities for regional actions in making SFS more sustainable.

Work Location Home-based.

Expected duration Five (5) months.

Duties and Responsibilities 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.

The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LAC Office), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). Spearheaded by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the UN Food Systems Summit took place on September 2021. The UN Food Systems Summit served as a historic opportunity to empower all people to leverage the power of food systems to drive our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and get us back on track to achieve all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. UNEP is working on the sustainable food systems transformation through a multi-agency approach imprinting the environmental dimension.

Under the leadership of the World Food Programme, UNEP is participating in a regional task team that is coordinating UN System wide efforts to support the follow up to the Food Summit in the region working with national governments and UN Country Teams. Additionally, in the framework of the Iberoamerican Summit (March 2023) UNEP has been supporting the preparation of an analysis on food systems and climate change for the Iberoamerican region that will lead to proposals for further cooperation and technical exchange in the region.

In this context, UNEP LAC Office is looking for a home-based consultant to act as the Regional Specialist in Environment and Sustainable Food Systems to facilitate the implementation of activities to advance the interphase between environment and sustainable food systems in the region.

The Regional Specialist in Environment and Sustainable Food Systems will be supervised by the UNEP’s Biodiversity and Ecosystems Regional Subprogramme Coordinator for LAC.

Qualifications/special skills Qualifications: - Bachelor´s degree in conservation, ecology, environmental sciences, natural resource management, international development, management, or related area is required. - An advanced University degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in conservation, ecology, environmental sciences, natural resource management, international development, management, or related area is required. - A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in environmental policy and program, agriculture, biodiversity or related fields is required. - Excellent technical knowledge and understanding of food systems and their link to environmental issues in Latin America and the Caribbean is desirable. - Experience in conducting research and policy analysis is desirable. - Experience in multi-stakeholder engagement (government, academia, civil society, and private sector) in LAC is desirable. - Demonstrated capacity to conduct meetings with high level officers involving countries of LAC is desirable. - Previous experience working with the United Nations and in interagency coordination processes is desirable.

Special Knowledge and Skills: - Strong analytical, writing and communication skills. - Demonstrated ability to prepare reports, concept notes and proposals. - Highly motivated with the ability to work and deliver under short deadlines. - Able to work independently with little or no supervision. - Familiarity engaging Latin American governments strongly desired. - Standard computer software application literacy is expected.

Languages- Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of Portuguese would be an advantage.

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.