Marine Migratory Species Consultant

Organizational Context

This role is within the UN Environment Programme, part of the UN Secretariat, focusing on marine migratory species. It supports the preparatory phase of a regional programme in the ROPME Sea Area, aiming to establish a robust baseline and planning framework. The consultant will work under the CMS Dugong MOU Coordinator, collaborating with ROPME and national focal points from participating countries.

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of this role is to support the preparatory phase of a Regional Programme on Migratory Marine Species within the ROPME Sea Area. This involves developing a robust regional baseline and a comprehensive planning framework through detailed assessment, extensive stakeholder consultation, and regional validation. The consultant will contribute significantly by ensuring the timely delivery of all agreed outputs, maintaining high technical quality in deliverables, and providing clear analysis with actionable recommendations aligned with CMS frameworks. A key contribution will be effective stakeholder engagement, demonstrated through comprehensive consultations with ROPME Member States and the successful integration of feedback into final outputs. The role is crucial for establishing foundational knowledge and strategic direction for marine species conservation, identifying key data gaps, capacity needs, and priority intervention areas to inform future conservation efforts in the region.

Responsibilities

The consultant will undertake several key responsibilities to advance the regional programme. This includes conducting a comprehensive desk study to review existing global, regional, and national assessments related to migratory marine species and their habitats in the ROPME Sea Area. A core duty involves compiling and synthesizing available data on the status, distribution, key habitats, and threats affecting marine turtles, dugongs, sharks, and rays. The role requires supporting national consultations with ROPME Member States, including national focal points and relevant institutions, to assess data currency, identify gaps, and capture national priorities and ongoing initiatives, followed by preparing a summary of consultation outcomes. Furthermore, the consultant will develop a draft regional desk-top baseline report, detailing ecological status, threats, policy frameworks, and existing conservation measures, while also identifying key data gaps, capacity needs, and priority intervention areas. A critical responsibility is to revise and finalize this baseline report based on feedback from a regional workshop, ensuring it is technically sound, policy-relevant, and aligned with CMS frameworks. Finally, the consultant will develop a draft Regional Roadmap and Action Plan, outlining priority actions, indicative timelines, and clear roles and responsibilities for future implementation.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of professional experience is required, specifically in conducting regional assessments and stakeholder consultations. Candidates must also demonstrate experience with multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), United Nations processes, and government policy frameworks. Direct experience working with marine turtles, dugongs, sharks, and rays is essential. Experience within the ROPME region is considered a valuable asset.

Skills

Key skills include strong analytical and report-writing capabilities. The role requires effective stakeholder engagement, including the ability to design and moderate consultation workshops. Fluency in both oral and written English is mandatory.

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