Consultant on social protection and climate change

Organizational Context

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), a regional commission of the UN Secretariat, focuses on sustainable socioeconomic transformation. This consultancy role operates within the Sustainable Socioeconomic Transformation Section, contributing to the CRISP initiative by developing knowledge products for Fiji to assess and strengthen climate-resilient social protection systems.

Job Purpose

This consultancy aims to deliver country-specific knowledge products for Fiji under the CRISP initiative, focusing on climate-resilient and inclusive social protection. The role will provide an evidence-based assessment of social protection system performance against climate-related risks and identify actionable pathways for improvement. The ultimate goal is to support national decision-making with analytically robust, policy-relevant outputs that highlight system gaps, reform options, and institutional roles. Additionally, the consultancy will contribute to regional knowledge by generating lessons and approaches applicable to other ESCAP member states, addressing the critical interlinkages between climate change, social inequality, and social protection mechanisms.

Responsibilities

The consultant will deliver country-specific knowledge products for Fiji under the CRISP initiative, guided by the Conceptual Framework on Climate Resilient and Inclusive Social Protection. This involves providing an evidence-based assessment of social protection system performance concerning climate-related risks to livelihoods and income security. Key duties include identifying actionable pathways for strengthening adaptive, climate-resilient, and inclusive social protection systems. The role requires supporting national decision-making through analytically robust, policy-relevant, and action-oriented outputs that pinpoint system-level gaps, practical reform options, and clear institutional roles. Furthermore, the consultant will contribute to regional knowledge by generating lessons and approaches that can inform similar efforts in other ESCAP member states, fostering policy integration and cross-sectoral coordination.

Work Experience

A minimum of 10 years of work experience in a development context is required, including authoring reports and publications relevant to social protection, employment, and shock-responsive social protection. Demonstrated expertise in research methodology is also necessary. Experience advising governments in Fiji on climate change and/or social protection, including work with international organizations, is desirable.

Skills

Climate change expertise, social protection knowledge, research methodology, policy analysis, report writing, advising governments, international organization collaboration, excellent English communication (speaking and drafting).

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