Result of Service

UNODC intends to hire the international consultant(s) specializing in supply chain security, strategy and stakeholder engagements, specifically regarding minerals crime, to support the delivery of the following results: a) Full process of implementing the UNODC Diagnostic Tool on minerals crime supported. b) Engagement with public and private stakeholders operating in the minerals sector in target countries strengthened, with a view to building a strong and well-connected network. c) Review, development and improvement of strategies and technical assistance to combat minerals crime supported.

Work Location

Home based with travel to Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan

Expected duration

September - December 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

UNODC supports regional and national institutions in promoting transparent and sustainable mineral supply chains by addressing risks and vulnerabilities along the entire minerals supply chain and promoting the rule of law. UNODC implements a Diagnostic Tool on minerals crime to assess a country's crime prevention and criminal justice response to minerals crime. The Tool examines concrete vulnerabilities to minerals crimes in accordance with the national and regional realities and is designed to offer tailored recommendations to strengthen national responses to minerals crime. The tool comprises two main parts: 1) It guides desk-based research, covering legislative and policy frameworks, recent minerals crime cases, regional risks and threats pertinent for the sector, as well as hotspots for potential illegalities; 2) It provides a framework for engagement with national authorities to verify desk-based research and to gain direct insights provided by relevant stakeholders from government, law enforcement, regulatory authorities, civil society, academia and international partners. Once desk-based research and in-country engagement with competent authorities is completed, the Diagnostic Tool report is developed, comprising a summary of findings as well as a set of tailor-made recommendations to address potential vulnerabilities in the sector through enhanced crime prevention and criminal justice responses. This report lays the groundwork for future UNODC engagement with Member States aimed at strengthening ESG standards in the minerals sector, as well as the prevention, investigation and prosecution of minerals crime. The assignments will be carried out under the overall guidance of the Minerals Crime Lead of the Global Programme on Crimes that Affect the Environment (GPCAE) in cooperation with the relevant UNODC experts and programmes. More specifically, the consultant(s) will perform the following tasks: a) Conduct in-depth background research on the geopolitical, social, economic and legal context of the target country, including all relevant aspects related to the national and regional mining industry, as a basis for the subsequent phases of work. b) Support the planning, organisation and coordination of the different phases of the UNODC Diagnostic Tool implementation process. c) Adapt the existing Diagnostic Tool to the regional and country-specific context, based on the background research conducted, and prepare the ground for its implementation, including by:

identifying the key stakeholders in the target country’s minerals sector who will participate in the implementation phase;
promoting partnerships and stakeholder engagement;
leading dialogue with institutions, civil society and private-sector representatives in the minerals sector to promote collaboration and engagement in the project. d) Lead the implementation phase of the Diagnostic Tool, including by:
supporting UNODC colleagues in the organisation and coordination of bilateral meetings, consultations and other relevant exchanges with national counterparts and stakeholders;
leading the structured collection, review and analysis of information and cases gathered through interviews and consultations with counterparts;
preparing minutes and records of meetings and consultations to ensure that information gathered is properly documented, organised and stored in the relevant SharePoint folders;
contributing to the development of a final situational analysis of governance-related issues in the target country’s minerals sector, based on the information collected, interviews conducted and a thorough review of the available literature. e) Provide substantive inputs to the UNODC Diagnostic Tool on minerals crime. f) Lead advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives with relevant partners, in line with the objectives of the project. g) Represent the minerals portfolio in dialogues with partners and donors, providing updates on progress achieved, challenges encountered and opportunities identified. h) Monitor and report on the implementation of key activities to ensure project alignment, effectiveness and coherence.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political sciences, international relations, security studies, social studies, economics or related field is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in research, analysis, analytics, programme support, project implementation or technical assistance in areas related to crime prevention, criminal justice, governance, natural resources, environmental crime or the minerals sector is required.
Out of those 7 years, a minimum of 3 years experience in implementing programmes, including the development of policy documents, guidelines, frameworks or technical tools, is required.
Previous field experience working with national institutions, public institutions, academia, civil society organisations and/or private-sector stakeholders is required.
A track record of experience in the minerals sector, with particular emphasis on governance is desirable.
Experience working with international organisations in a related area is desirable.
Publications or analytical work related to the extractive industry, illegal mining, minerals crime or sector governance is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

International Consultant on Minerals Crime and Security of minerals supply chains