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Consultant (CTC5)

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Job description

About UN University (UNU)

The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization within the United Nations System. UNU engages in policy-relevant research, capacity development, and knowledge dissemination in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The work of UNU contributes to solving pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.

For the past five decades, UNU has been a source of impartial research on sustainability, human security, and economic development. With hundreds of researchers working at institutes in 12 countries, UNU's expertise spans the full breadth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU collaborates closely with other UN entities and leading research institutions across the globe. For more information, please visit http://unu.edu

About Office/Institute

United Nations University, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) is one of 13 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system. UNU-IAS is a UNU institute based at UNU Headquarters in Tokyo. The mission of UNU-IAS is to serve the international community through policy-relevant research and capacity development focused on sustainability, including its social, economic and environmental dimensions. Through its postgraduate education programmes UNU-IAS developes future international leaders with interdisciplinary understanding and skills needed to advance creative solutions to problems of sustainability. UNU-IAS builds on a strong tradition of UNU research and capacity development in Japan, undertaken in collaboration with a global network of professionals and scholars, particularly in Africa and Asia. For more information, please visit http://ias.unu.edu

The Global Environment Outreach Centre (GEOC) promotes outreach of the institutes and supports partnership development among diverse stakeholders to address local sustainability challenges by acting as the hub and intermediary. As the project will mark the 30th anniversary in 2026 since its establishment, the project will conduct a comparative study of intermediary organizations that facilities community-led initiatives through multi-stakeholder collaborations. The research will be conducted through online interviews and the key findings will be used to enhance the function and operation of the GEOC.

Responsibilities

Under the general supervision of the Programme Manager and the direct supervision of Programme Coordinator of the GEOC, the consultant shall:

1. Implement interviews and summerise key findings

Arrange and conduct online interviews with approximately 5 selected organizations;
Develop interview reports in Japanese and English;
Summarize each organization’s operating model, including its governance, financial scheme, organization scale, target sectors, and its key activities in Japanese;
Analyze key elements contributing to the effectiveness of the organizations;

2. Contribute to the reporting process

Develop progress reports and a final report in Japanese;
Develop presentation slides for the Project Advisory Board meetings;
Attend in-person Project Advisory Board meetings in Tokyo which will be held approximately 3 times during the contract period and present the updates;
Participate in online coordination meetings with the project team and donors;
Revise deliverables based on feedback;

3. Contribute to the coordination with project stakeholders project progress

Ensure detailed interview arrangements and project progress through day-to-day email communication with relevant stakeholders;
Arrange meetings and interviews, and coordinate schedules with relevant parties;

4. Perform other duties requested by the supervisor.

Key performance indicators

Completion of interviews with 5 organizations
Production of interview reports
Delivery of the presentation at the Project Advisory Board Meetings
Creation of the presentation materials, meeting memos, progress reports
Attendance of the all in-person Project Advisory Board Meetings and online coordination meetings with the project team and donors
Timely response to project-related communications, including scheduling

Competencies

Values:

Inclusion - Take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity.

Integrity - Act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behaviour, or any other breach of UN standards.

Humility - Demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others.

Humanity - Act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet.

Behaviours:

Connect and Collaborate - Build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN

Analyse and Plan - Seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand problems, inform decision-making, propose evidence-based solutions and plan action

Deliver Results with Positive Impact - Hold oneself and others accountable for delivering results and making a positive difference to the people and causes that the United Nations serves

Learn and Develop - Pursue own learning and development and contribute to the learning and development of others

Adapt and Innovate - Demonstrate flexibility, agility and the ability to think and act in novel ways

Qualifications and requirements

1) Education and certification

Master’s degree in social sciences, public policy, international development, sustainable development, environmental studies, or other related disciplines.

2) Experience

At least five years of professional experience in the NGO, civil society, government, or related sectors.
Experience analyzing organizational governance, operating models, funding mechanisms, muti-stakeholder partnerships, and institutional arrangements.
Knowledge of NGO structures, intermediary organizations, and partnership-building approaches in environmental and social fields;
Excellent written and oral communication skills in Japanese and English;
Good team player with strong interpersonal skills with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
ICT literacy and proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Language Requirements

Fluency in both English and Japanese is required.
Working knowledge of other UN official languages is an advantage.

Other

Attendance to the in-person to the Research Advisory Board Meetings for the project held in Tokyo is required. (Travel costs are included in the contract)
Availability for meetings during weekday office hours is required.

Duration

1 October 2026 – 26 March 2027

Remuneration

Total amount (maximum): JPY 1,134,000

Daily Fee: JPY 27,000

The Consultant shall work 7 days per month on average (a maximum of 42 days during the contract period).

Payment schedule and conditions:

Payment, inclusive of all fees, will be made based on the daily rate and the number of worked days at the beginning of the following month upon submission of a time sheet and a brief activity report.

UNU-IAS shall reserve the right to withhold, in full or in part, the final payment if in its opinion the deliverables are not satisfactory.

You are reminded that UNU is not liable for any taxes that may be levied on the remuneration you receive under this contract. Payment of any such taxes remains your sole responsibility.

The consultant must have the necessary work permits.

The successful candidate will not hold international civil servant status nor be a “staff member” as defined in the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations.

Expected start date

October 2026

How to Apply

To apply to UNU, you will not need an account. Instead, we ask that you:

Apply via the apply link;
fill out the UNU P11 Form (please avoid using similar forms provided by other United Nations organisations);
provide a motivation statement (in the P11 form); and
answer a few questions that are tailored to the position.

You may wish to refer to the UN Values and Behaviours Framework for more information.

Application Deadline

11 September 2026 (23:59 JST)

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a desk review and/or a competency-based interview, background checks and references.

Special notice

UNU does not sponsor a working visa for this position.

Consultants do not hold international civil servant status nor are they considered a “staff member” as defined in the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations.

UNU is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply. Applications from developing countries, and from women are strongly encouraged.

UNU has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNU, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

If you have supervisory function you need to have awareness on gender related issues.

Information about UNU rosters

UNU reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNU.

Scam warning

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