Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeCONS Local
Target Start Date2025-05-26
Deadline for ApplicationsMay 19, 2025
Terms of ReferenceTitle of project: Technical support to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change on initiatives aiming to include displaced populations and climate-driven displacement in the framework of the National Climate Plan and other relevant policies (2 positions)
Purpose of project (summary):
The consultants will contribute to UNHCR’s support to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) in the development and implementation of the National Climate Plan through the AdaptCities (AdaptaCidades) initiative, launched on February 12th, 2025. The initiative aims to assist states and municipalities in the development and strengthening of local and regional climate adaptation strategies and plans. In this context, the consultant will work closely with the MMA team to support subnational governments throughout the key stages of adaptation planning. This includes facilitating institutional engagement and stakeholder mobilization; conducting climate risk and vulnerability assessments that encompass exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity; identifying and prioritizing climate hazards and corresponding adaptation needs; formulating strategic objectives and tailored adaptation actions; defining appropriate monitoring indicators; and contributing to the design of governance structures and implementation mechanisms, including potential funding pathways. Special emphasis will be placed on strengthening multilevel coordination and conducting risk analyses related to climate-driven displacement and vulnerable displaced populations. The consultant will support the integration of displacement-related considerations into local adaptation plans, including the development of specific indicators, risk scenarios, and policy recommendations aligned with a rights-based approach. Additionally, the consultant will contribute to joint initiatives between MMA and UNHCR in preparation for COP30.
General Background of Project or Assignment, Operational Context:
Brazil has continental dimensions, great geographical and climatic diversity, a vast coastal area, six unique biomes, and varying levels of development throughout its territory. This set of elements adds complexity to the coordination of public policies across the national territory, especially those related to addressing climate change and its severe impact in all regions of the country, including new displacement dynamics and disproportionate impact in already displaced populations.
In this context, the AdaptaCidades Initiative was conceived by the MMA with the purpose of strengthening state and municipal actions in the climate change adaptation agenda by supporting the development of municipal or regional climate change adaptation plans. In particular, the AdaptaCidades will:
• Promote integration and coordination among municipal, state, and federal governments to strengthen climate adaptation and resilience policies;
• Develop institutional capacities in states to coordinate and support the development of climate change adaptation plans in their territories;
• Develop institutional capacities in municipalities for planning and implementing climate change adaptation actions;
• Train state and municipal governments in the use of information and tools for analyzing climate change risk at the municipal and regional levels;
• Contribute to monitoring the adaptation agenda at the three federative levels and to improving climate change adaptation policies; and
• Promote methodological standardization for the development of climate change adaptation plans, considering local specificities and capacities.
Following the Strategic Plan for Climate Action 2024-2030, UNHCR is collaborating with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Brazil to strengthen responses to climate crises, ensuring that the specific needs of refugees and forcibly displaced persons, among others, are met inclusively and effectively. Specifically, UNHCR is cooperating to ensure the National Climate Plan, including the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the AdaptaCidades as a key operational strategy under the NAP, address climate-driven displacement as a key concern and consider forcibly displaced populations among those disproportionally affected by climate change. The cooperation also aims at promoting solutions that increase the resilience of affected communities and contribute to a more sustainable future. In addition, UNHCR is aiming to cooperate with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in preparation for COP30, aiming to strengthen Brazil's leadership in addressing the climate crisis and developing innovative and effective solutions that are inclusive of displaced populations and of climate-driven displacement.
Purpose and Scope of Assignment:
The consultant will contribute to UNHCR’s support to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) on the development and implementation of the National Climate Plan through the initiative AdaptCities (AdaptaCidades), launched on February 12th, 2025, supporting states and municipalities in the development of local and regional climate adaptation strategies and plans. In particular, UNHCR’s consultant will work closely with the MMA team to support subnational governments throughout the key stages of adaptation planning. This includes facilitating institutional engagement and stakeholder mobilization; conducting climate risk and vulnerability assessments that encompass exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity; identifying and prioritizing climate hazards and corresponding adaptation needs; formulating strategic objectives and tailored adaptation actions; defining appropriate monitoring indicators; and contributing to the design of governance structures and implementation mechanisms, including potential funding pathways. Special emphasis will be placed on strengthening multilevel coordination and conducting risk analyses related to climate-driven displacement and vulnerable displaced populations. The consultant will support the integration of displacement-related considerations into local adaptation plans, including the development of specific indicators, risk scenarios, and policy recommendations aligned with a rights-based approach. The consultant will also support joint efforts and initiatives of the MMA with UNHCR in preparation for the COP30.
In particular, he/she will work under the technical supervision of the Director of the Adaptation Department of the National Secretariat for Climate Change, in collaboration with UNHCR, and will have the following responsibilities:
a) Provide technical support to the National Climate Plan/AdaptCities and COP30 processes;
b) Draft technical documents, meeting notes, concept notes and reports, and other supporting documents as requested by the MMA and UNHCR;
c) Support the MMA in the construction of relevant protocols;
d) Support in the organization of public consultations, meetings, workshops, side events, webinars and on-line/on-site seminars, among other events;
e) Support the drafting of regulations and other legal instruments, as requested by the MMA and UNHCR;
f) Support technical trainings for planning climate change adaptation;
g) Support provision of information on municipal or regional climate change risk;
h) Support provision of methodological guidelines for the development of municipal and regional climate change adaptation plans;
i) Support provision of mentoring and training for the development of municipal or regional climate change adaptation plans;
j) Support technical training to strengthen multilevel governance aimed at integrating, monitoring, and evaluating climate change adaptation plans;
k) Support guidance on access to investments and financing for local adaptation actions;
l) Carry on work-related travels as needed;
m) Perform other duties as may be assigned.
The Consultant has dual reporting lines and is accountable to the MMA for programme delivery and policy-related issues, and to UNHCR’s Protection Unit for displacement-related aspects and administrative and financial issues.
Required qualifications, language(s) and work experience:
- Degree: Bachelor's degree
Field of expertise, competencies: Social Sciences, Law, Public Policy, International Relations, or a related field from an accredited academic institution.
- Minimum years of work experience:
• Minimum of five (05) years of professional experience in activities related to climate change and justice, adaptation policies, climate-driven displacement, migration, refugees, and/or other relevant programmes.
• Field of expertise includes climate risk assessment, territorial planning, and the design and implementation of local adaptation strategies in alignment with national frameworks. The candidate demonstrates strong competencies in coordinating multi-stakeholder processes, supporting subnational governments through the full cycle of adaptation planning. Experience with climate-related displacement, integration of social vulnerability into risk mapping, and knowledge of tools and platforms such as AdaptaBrasil, MapBiomas, and climate services portals further strengthen the candidate’s capacity to contribute to inclusive and evidence-based adaptation planning. Skilled in facilitating dialogue across sectors and levels of governance, the candidate is well-equipped to support multilevel coordination and cross-cutting initiatives on climate resilience and human mobility.
Desired qualifications:
• Experience in multilateral processes or in the Federal Government is an advantage.
• Previous working experience with an international organization or UN system would be an advantage.
• Experience as Individual Consultant for UN Agencies will be considered an asset.
• We encourage people with experience in drafting, implementing and monitoring public policies, and writing regulations to apply.
Language requirements:
- Required: English (C1/advanced level and above) and Portuguese (fluent).
- Desirable: Spanish (B1/intermediate level and above)
Required skills:
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent planning and prioritization skills.
• Excellent analytical and drafting skills.
• Excellent reporting skills.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Eligibility:
This position is advertised to internal and external applicants. Candidates must be legally present in Brazil at the time of application, recruitment and hire. Only Brazilian citizens or candidates legally present in Brazil will be considered eligible.
Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.
Remuneration:
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees).
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered depending on relevant experience as per the requirements of the job advertisement.
Contract duration: until 04th April 2026.
Applications:
All applications must be submitted online in Workday. Email applications will not be accepted. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates might be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview.
The evaluation of applicants will be conducted based on the information submitted during the application. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.
UNHCR is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector
General’s Office (IGO) at inspector@unhcr.org or through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80.
Other information
Inclusivity statement
UNHCR is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
In the selection process for this consultancy position, UNHCR aims to hire candidates from groups still underrepresented in its workforce in Brazil, namely black people, indigenous people, transgender persons and persons with disabilities. Refugees of all nationalities, regardless of race, sex, gender identity, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other status are highly encouraged to apply. Candidates will be treated equally regardless of their social status.
Standard Job Description
Required Languages Portuguese
,English
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Desired Languages Spanish
,
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Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Certifications
Work Experience
Other informationThe English version is considered original and authoritative, translation to other language(s) serve the purpose of advertisement of local positions where applicable but are not considered as official translationsTítulo do projeto: Apoio técnico ao Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudanças Climáticas em iniciativas que visam incluir populações deslocadas e deslocamentos causados pelo clima no âmbito do Plano Nacional do Clima e outras políticas relevantes (2 vagas)
Qualificações, idioma(s) e experiência profissional exigidos:
- Graduação: Bacharelado
Área de especialização e competências: Ciências Sociais, Direito, Políticas Públicas, Relações Internacionais ou área correlata, obtida em instituição acadêmica credenciada.
- Experiência profissional:
• Mínimo de cinco (05) anos de experiência profissional em atividades relacionadas a mudanças climáticas e justiça, políticas de adaptação, deslocamento motivado pelo clima, migração, refugiados e/ou outros programas relevantes.
• A área de especialização inclui avaliação de riscos climáticos, planejamento territorial e a concepção e implementação de estratégias locais de adaptação em alinhamento com as estruturas nacionais. O candidato demonstra sólidas competências na coordenação de processos multissetoriais, apoiando governos subnacionais em todo o ciclo de planejamento da adaptação. A experiência com deslocamento relacionado ao clima, a integração da vulnerabilidade social ao mapeamento de riscos e o conhecimento de ferramentas e plataformas como AdaptaBrasil, MapBiomas e portais de serviços climáticos fortalecem ainda mais a capacidade do candidato de contribuir para um planejamento de adaptação inclusivo e baseado em evidências. Com experiência em facilitar o diálogo entre setores e níveis de governança, o candidato está bem equipado para apoiar a coordenação multinível e iniciativas transversais sobre resiliência climática e mobilidade humana.
Qualificações desejadas:
• Experiência em processos multilaterais ou no Governo Federal será considerada uma vantagem.
• Experiência prévia de trabalho com uma organização internacional ou sistema da ONU será considerada uma vantagem.
• Experiência como Consultor Individual para Agências da ONU será considerada um diferencial.
• Incentivamos a candidatura de pessoas com experiência em elaboração, implementação e monitoramento de políticas públicas e redação de regulamentos.
Requisitos de idioma:
- Obrigatório: Inglês (C1/nível avançado e superior) e Português (fluente).
- Desejável: Espanhol (B1/nível intermediário e superior)This position doesn't require a functional clearance
RemoteNo