International Consultant: Development of Programmatic Guidance on Climate Change

Purpose of Assignment:

UNFPA is the United Nations lead agency that works with governments and partners to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

In 2019, UNFPA organized an International Symposium on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Gender and Climate Resilience, identifying opportunities to reduce the impacts of climate change on SRHR and build the resilience of communities in vulnerable settings. The symposium brought together a number of stakeholders, including youth climate activists, academia, civil society and development practitioners and produced the Future Africa Call to Action which was presented at the ICPD@25 Nairobi Summit in 2019. The outcome of the symposium also informed the first-ever UNFPA value proposition on climate change. 

Six years after, building on identified gaps at the intersection of the climate-gender-SRHR and GBV discourse within global development and international climate process, and the growing scope of UNFPA climate work at regional and country level,  UNFPA convened a second Global Symposium on Climate Justice and Impacted Populations: Rights in a Changing Climate: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender Equality from 28 - 31 July 2025 in Brasilia that produced the Brasilia Call to Action. The global SRHR, GBV and climate community took stock and made forward looking recommendations, including in the context of the upcoming COP30.

Informed by latest evidence and developments, UNFPA is updating its climate change value proposition 2.0, building on the developments and lessons learned since 2019. While UNFPA has increasingly positioned the ICPD PoA within climate discussions, there is a need for practical and field-focused programmatic guidance on climate change to strengthen the relevance and impact of UNFPA’s programmes and operations for women, girls and youth through integration of climate change adaptation and resilience including intersecting aspects of disaster risk reduction (preparedness and anticipatory action). [LB1]   [LB2] 

To this end, UNFPA seeks a consultant to develop a practical programmatic guidance document focused on climate change adaptation and resilience, also addresses mitigation co-benefits of both, for country offices to ensure the formulation and implementation of gender-responsive, climate adaptation and resilient interventions at the intersection SRHR, Gender, Youth, GBV, and harmful practices (HP) alongside the humanitarian-development-peace continuum. 

The consultant will report directly to the hiring managers in ESARO and the Programme Division of UNFPA. The consultant will also be available for virtual consultations, discussions and presentations to the UNFPA Interdivisional Technical Working Group on Climate Change (IDTWGCC) as required.

Scope of work:

1. Research, Scope and Outline Development for the Programmatic Guidance 

In close collaboration with the UNFPA IDTWGCC:  

1.1.  Review UNFPA publications and documents including the 2019 and 2025 Climate Change Value Propositions, 2025 Global Symposium report,  ICPD30 Thinkpiece on Climate Action, the UNFPA CPD guidance note, and other UN agencies/partner organisations’ guidance and publications including UNDRR-ISC Hazard Information Profiles (HIPs), Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework etc, for existing climate references, their significance, analysis of gaps that have emerged as well as new priorities over the past 6 years;
1.2.    Review UNFPA’s existing work (global, regional, country levels) on climate change at programmatic, policy, research levels, gathering information on UNFPA’s project interventions that integrate a climate adaptation and resilience angle, including in mixed contexts with climate change exacerbated hazards impacting on existing conflict situations;
1.3.    Review UNFPA corporate strategic plans 2022-2025, the new strategic plan 2026 - 2029, and accompanying global and regional programmes (GRP) to explain and put into evidence the extent of climate change integration within programming at HQ, regional and country levels;
1.4.    Draft an annotated outline of the programmatic guidance based on the reviews conducted above, to be reviewed by the IDTWGCC.
 

2.    Global Internal Consultation and Survey on Existing UNFPA’s Climate Change Programmes and Projects 
2.1.    Hold multiple joint and bilateral consultations with UNFPA HQ, Regional and Country Office colleagues on the outline and scope of the programmatic guidance;  
2.2.    Integrate feedback, as may be relevant, into a final agreed outline, with flexibility for relevant changes;  
2.3.    Ensure the programmatic guidance is simple to follow and can be easily implementable for UNFPA colleagues with limited climate knowledge; 
2.4.    Create and launch a Google form for a global  internal survey across UNFPA HQ, regional and country offices on existing climate change programmes  and projects; 
2.5.    Analyze global survey results  to further inform the final version of the programmatic guidance, with attention to regional contexts. 
 

3.    Programmatic Guidance Development and Finalization (in English for publication to be submitted as Word document)
3.1.    Develop a comprehensive, practical and concise draft version of the programmatic guidance. This draft should include: 
3.1.1.    Key practical entry points and suggested climate change adaptation /resilience programmatic interventions related to GBV, SRHR, HP, Population Dynamics / Data and Youth, grounded in local realities and based on needs identified by country offices in consultation with affected populations;  
3.1.2.    Clear and concise unique key pillars of UNFPA existing and proposed  engagement in climate action, aligned with the 2026-2029 SP, and its integrated results and resources framework;
3.1.3.    Define climate change adaptation and resilience, in the context of ICPD PoA / UNFPA mandate areas; 
3.1.4.    Key advocacy points for the nexus of climate change and UNFPA mandate areas;
3.1.5.    Specific examples of climate change adaptation and resilience interventions for SRHR, Gender, GBV/HP, demographic resilience (based on contextual entry points e.g. stable development settings / fragile / protracted humanitarian contexts), including hazard-specific adaptation examples, potential partnerships for climate financing with food and water security impacts, climate programming on conflict sensitivity/analysis, peacebuilding, and climate security, and shock-responsive MPAs/APAs,  'what works' and 'what does not work'; 
3.2.    Finalize the programmatic guidance based on IDTWG CC feedback and broad consultations (including with external stakeholders as maybe relevant);   
3.3.    Ensure that the programmatic guidance speaks distinctively to UNFPA’s niche of work on climate change, drawing on UNFPA’s mandate and comparative advantage, while being future-oriented, based on reliable climate projections and predicted impact on the populations and countries UNFPA serves  
 

4.    Capacity Building Plan
4.1.    Suggest a 3-pager on capacity development plan for field staff and  IPs on how (i) CC impacts delivery on programmes that aim to accelerate progress towards the transformative results, and (ii) CC integration into programme development and implementation, based on the programmatic guidance; 
4.2.    Prepare a presentation for country offices on how to use the programmatic guidance .
 

Duration and working schedule:

The assignment starts on 8 September and needs to be completed by 30 January 2026

Place where services are to be delivered:

The concluded work is to be submitted electronically to the hiring manager at UNFPA HQ. 

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered: 

The selected consultant will be expected to deliver all work electronically by 30 January 2026. Below person days / per deliverable are estimates that may vary while the overall total number of person days cannot exceed 40 days and the deadlines for submission of respective deliverables cannot be modified.

Deliverable

Person days

Deadline

Desk review of existing UNFPA and other partner documents  

9 days

19 September 

Develop an Annotated Outline and Scope of Programming Guidance

 2 days

23 September 

Launch internal consultations 

 ½ days

23 September 

30 September 

 11 September 

7 October 

14th November 

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:   

The selected consultant will be required to provide regular updates via email and calls to monitor adherence to tight production schedules.

Supervisory arrangements:     

The selected consultant will work under the supervision of the hiring managers, Chiagozie Programme Specialist Climate Adaptation and Innovation, UNFPA ESARO  and the Deputy Director, UNFPA Programme Division  

Expected travel:    The consultant is not expected to travel; the deliverables will be done virtually. 

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:   

 The selected consultant must meet the following minimum criteria: 
    
Experience and Education
Essential Education:
●    An advanced degree or equivalent level in one of the following fields: Public health, Law, Medical Demography, Development Studies, Health Economics, Environmental Studies, Climate Change, Social Policy, or other related relevant expertise;
●    Proven expertise in climate change adaptation or disaster risk reduction concepts, trends and related practice.
●    Experience of a minimum of 10 years working in the development and humanitarian sector, with a specific focus on climate change, is required and past experience in           working with the UN, in particular at inter-agency cooperation level, is an added advantage;
●    Demonstrated experience of successfully working on SRHR, gender equality, gender-based violence, women empowerment and health system assessment
●    Demonstrated previous experience in assessing the impact of climate change on gender-based violence, harmful practices and SRHR/ health systems management.
●    Verifiable  experience in  production of quality programming guidance, study reports or similar programming tools;
●    Proven experience in formulation of operational research papers around ICPD PoA and climate change adaptation and resilience;
●    Experience working in humanitarian or development contexts in hazard prone countries;
●    Strong analytical, report writing, communication, and computer skills.
●    Examples of previous articles and papers should accompany applications
●    Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Desirable:
●    Knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights programming, particularly for adolescent girls and young women.
●    Knowledge of climate, SRHR, gender and ICPD PoA intersections. 
●    Well versed with the climate programming processes, including with regard to climate financing. 
●    Experience of writing and/or editing UNFPA publications and/or communication materials preferred.

Skills:
Essential:
●    Excellent writing and editing skills, and attention to detail.
●    Excellent coordination and planning skills 
●    Proven ability to work effectively and tactfully in an interdisciplinary, multicultural, and multilingual environment. 
●    Ability to work under pressure and respect deadlines.
●    Excellent administrative skills, proven ability to use Microsoft Office applications, and to conduct Internet searches.

Desirable:
●    Some degree of specialization in one or more of the fields of activity of UNFPA related to our key mandate areas.

Languages required
Essential: Expert knowledge of English, knowledge of any additional official UN language is an asset.
 

Inputs/services to be provided by UNFPA, if applicable:    

UNFPA will provide all relevant background documents to help inform the writing process, as well as guidance for clarification purposes.

Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:    

First payment on meeting 50 percent of the deliverable; second payment on submission of draft programming guidance and final payment on submission & acceptance of the final proofread version of the programming guidance.
 

Required Competencies: 

Values:

Core Competencies: 

How to apply: Your application attachments must include:  a brief motivation letter, detailed CV, concise methodology on how the consultancy will be carried out, and a draft outline (table of contents) of the Vital Statistics training curriculum/manual.

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. 

Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.