Dart Reporting Tool MEA Specialist at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

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. UNEP's Law Division is the lead Division charged with carrying out the functions of UNEP in the field of environmental law and environmental governance through law, national and international governance, and related policy issues, including those related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).
• UNEP’s Environmental Conventions and Policy Branch (ECPB) requires a consultant to further develop and roll-out the “Data Reporting Tool for Multilateral Environmental Agreements – DaRT” as well as to support related outreach activities. The work primarily entails the development and roll-out of DaRT in 20 additional countries through training workshops and webinars, a DaRT training of trainers’ program and to enhance interoperability with other tools relevant to MEAs and national reporting. Additionally, the consultant will support the Project Manager with the organization of DaRT side-events and helpdesks during MEAs governing body meetings. The consultant will also develop, in collaboration with UNEP-WCMC, documentation to promote DaRT during the Bern III Conference, building on the Bern Process that strengthens cooperation and synergies among the MEAs for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) as adopted by CBD COP 15. These activities directly contribute to the ECPB branch strategy, increasing “individual and institutional capacity at the international and national levels for the coherent and enhanced implementation of the MEAs” (ECPB expected outcome) and enhancing the “uptake of knowledge management tools and integrated approaches are improved for coherent implementation of the MEAs” (ECPB expected output). The consultant will be reporting to, and the outputs assessed by the Environmental Treaties Programme Management Officer, and DaRT Team Leader.

Work Assignments & Outputs

• Improve the functionalities of DaRT in collaboration with the website developer, based on feedback from users.
• Develop interoperability to enable import of information from various sources into national DaRT working spaces.
• Development of the DaRT Application Programming Interface (API) to allow sharing of DaRT contents with other platforms.
• Conduct outreach activities.
• Technical organization of workshops to train experts in using and promoting the DaRT.
• Institutional capacity building for the management and development of DaRT.
• Project management.

Qualifications/special skills

• An advanced university degree in biological sciences, environmental sciences, international development or other relevant social sciences areas or corresponding suitable experience in areas relevant to the biodiversity-related conventions especially information technology with at least 8 years of professional experience in the field of environmental governance is required.

Experience in biodiversity policy and intergovernmental processes as well as Multilateral Environmental Agreements is required

• Strong experience in national reporting to multiple biodiversity-related MEA is required
• Proven expertise in designing digital platforms and knowledge management tools for MEAs and their rollout to users is required.
• Excellent communication and capacity building skills and organizing intergovernmental events is desirable.
• Good level of analytical and drafting skills including drafting reports in English and French is required.
• Strong expertise with the operation of DaRT and proven experience developing national and regional information Portals and websites is desirable.
• Proven experience in training of DaRT national stakeholders is desirable.
• Strong demonstrated skills in teaching and learning applied methodologies, at tertiary level is desirable.
• Proven experience in teaching in on-line environments, at tertiary academic level is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English and French, including strong analytical and report drafting skills, is required.

Additional Information
Output 1: Improve the functionalities of DaRT in collaboration with the website developer, based on feedback from users.

Deliverables:

• Revamped DaRT website is available.
• The DaRT strategies section includes a new sub-section to integrate and map global action plans.
• 3 Action plans included in the new sub-section and mapped to the K-M GBF.
• Mapping among MEA strategies updated and shared with InforMEA.
• Compendia are up to date, technically and visually fully integrated in DaRT.
• Technical inputs provided to the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation.
• The K-M GBF indicators are, as far as available, displayed in the DaRT’s Strategies section.
• The online DaRT User guide includes, if technically feasible, films illustrating the use of DaRT.

Output 1.2 Develop interoperability to enable the import of information from various sources into national DaRT working spaces

Deliverables:

• The ORS API allowing the import of national reports contents into DaRT working spaces is successfully tested and implemented.
• List of relevant information sources made available.
• A prioritization of information to be imported in DaRT national working spaces is done.
• List of APIs to use for importing information.
• Datasets available through APIs are available in DaRT national working spaces.
• Overview of information available and/or requested by countries is up-to-date and processed.

Development of the DaRT Application Programming Interface (API) to allow sharing of DaRT contents with other platforms

Deliverables:

• Set of parameters needed to further develop the DaRT API v.1.1 is available.
• Decision on numbers of API to develop is taken.
• Updated DaRT API available.

Output 2: Outreach and roll-out the DaRT to parties

Deliverables:

• 2 DaRT helpdesks conducted in the margins of governing body meetings.
• 2 side events organized in collaboration with partners.
• An information document is prepared, either for CBD SBI-4 or CBD COP-16.

Output 2.2 Technical organization of workshops to train experts in using the DaRT

Deliverables:

• Concept note for regional DaRT WS.
• Agenda for regional DaRT Workshop.
• 3 regional DaRT workshops conducted in support of the GEF EAS project.
• Concept note for national DaRT WS.
• Agenda for national DaRT Workshop.
• 2 national DaRT workshops conducted.
• 20 new working spaces created.

Output 3. Capacity building for the management and development of DaRT

Deliverables:

• Training for UNEP staff conducted.
• SWOT analysis including recommendations for options on DaRT rollout available.
• Training of trainers model for DaRT available.
• One training for trainer conducted.

Output 4. Project management

Deliverables:

• Contributions to DaRT meetings reflected in the monthly narrative report.
• Provide technical inputs for the DaRT reports.
• Provide technical inputs to the Bern III conference.
• Project folder up to date.
• Narrative progress report submitted quarterly.

Posting Period:    15 September 2023 25 September 2023