Senior Consultant – Development of an Adaptation Fund Proposal on Coastal Prediction and Ocean Observing

Company: UNESCO

Location: Remote/ Global, Zimbabwe

Contract: Individual Consultant, 5 months (100%)

Closing Date: 28 September 2026

UNESCO Senior Consultant – Adaptation Fund Proposal on Coastal Prediction and Ocean Observing

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO is inviting written proposals from qualified Individual Consultants for a consultancy to lead the development of a full proposal for submission to the Adaptation Fund.

Job Title: Senior Consultant – Development of an Adaptation Fund Proposal on Coastal Prediction and Ocean Observing

Job Location: Remote/ Global

Closing Date: 28 September 2026, 17:00 Paris Time

Work Format: Full-time, remote

Contract: Individual Consultant, 5 months (100%)

The assignment will support efforts to strengthen climate resilience through enhanced coastal prediction systems, ocean observing infrastructure, and ocean and coastal information services across the Caribbean and Western Pacific.

About the Assignment

The consultant will work with IOC-UNESCO, its Subcommissions and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), CoastPredict, government agencies, scientific institutions and other technical and international partners.

The consultancy will contribute to climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable coastal management while strengthening institutional capacity for future climate finance proposals.

The main objectives are to:

Develop a high-quality, submission-ready Adaptation Fund proposal focused on coastal prediction and ocean observing for climate adaptation in the Caribbean and Western Pacific.
Prepare accompanying internal and external budget documents.
Facilitate an inclusive and technically robust proposal development process involving national and international stakeholders.
Produce a legacy package documenting the proposal development methodology, lessons learned and recommendations for future climate finance proposal preparation.

Key Responsibilities

Proposal Development

The Senior Consultant will:

Review existing documentation, progress and previous similar UNESCO proposals.
Prepare documentation required for the full Adaptation Fund proposal and an initial draft for internal review.
Coordinate internal and external liaison between UNESCO, IOC-UNESCO, GOOS, CoastPredict, Member State contacts and relevant organisations.
Develop a viable implementation and budget framework covering the respective roles and responsibilities of UNESCO as Implementing Entity and Executing Entity.
Ensure budgets meet donor, IOC and UNESCO requirements.
Undertake capacity assessments and prepare sample International Partner Agreements for national project partners.
Ensure the proposal supports IOC Subcommissions and GOOS and delivers coastal resilience for IOC Member States.
Participate in CoastPredict Executive, Board and ad-hoc project or management meetings as required.
Ensure alignment with GOOS frameworks and components covering data, metadata, networks and related areas.
Brief and report regularly to the GOOS Director and IOC Executive Secretary.

Legacy Documentation and Institutional Learning

The consultant will also prepare a comprehensive legacy package comprising:

Proposal Development Guide: Methodology, workflow and timeline, institutional roles and responsibilities, required technical studies, stakeholder consultation processes, quality assurance procedures and recommended review and approval processes.
Lessons Learned Report: Key successes and challenges, enabling factors, bottlenecks, coordination recommendations and opportunities to strengthen future climate finance proposals.
Knowledge Transfer: At least one knowledge-sharing workshop presenting the completed proposal and budget, proposal development methodology, lessons learned and recommendations for future Adaptation Fund and other climate finance proposals.

Expected Deliverables

The consultancy will run over five months, with deliverables scheduled as follows:

Month 1 – Deliverable 1
- Inception report.
- Methodology and detailed work plan.
- Stakeholder engagement plan.
- Draft project framework and climate rationale.
- Technical design and budget.
- Stakeholder consultations and capacity assessments.
- Sample International Partner Agreements.
- Regular progress reporting.
Month 2 – Deliverable 2
- First complete draft of the Adaptation Fund proposal for review.
- Continued reporting on progress.
Month 3 – Deliverable 3
- Revised proposal incorporating review comments.
- Continued engagement with CoastPredict and alignment with GOOS frameworks.
- Regular progress reporting.
Month 4 – Deliverable 4
- Final submission-ready Adaptation Fund proposal and supporting annexes.
- The final proposal is expected to meet a January 2027 submission deadline.
Month 5 – Deliverable 5
- Proposal Development Guide.
- Lessons Learned and Legacy Report.
- Knowledge-transfer workshop and presentation materials.
- Final progress report.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should meet the following requirements:

Academic Qualifications

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in oceanography, marine science, Earth system science, marine technology, environmental science or a related discipline.

Professional Experience

At least 10 years of professional experience in climate adaptation, coastal resilience, ocean observing or climate services.

Technical Experience

Candidates should demonstrate:

Experience preparing successful proposals for the Adaptation Fund, Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF) or similar climate finance mechanisms.
Experience preparing proposals for United Nations organisations.
Experience leading multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder proposal development processes.
Strong understanding of climate risk assessment, adaptation planning, results-based management, environmental and social safeguards, and gender integration.

Competencies

Excellent technical writing and analytical skills.
Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
Proven project management and coordination experience.
Ability to synthesise complex scientific information into investment-ready proposals.
Excellent written and spoken English.

The proposed methodology will also be assessed based on its clarity, relevance and feasibility.

Duty Station and Working Arrangements

The position is remote and requires full-time engagement for five months. The expected start date is as soon as possible.

The consultant may be required to travel. Where travel is required, travel costs will be covered in accordance with UNESCO policies.

UNESCO will provide access to required working files, its network, knowledge-management systems, institutional email and Microsoft Teams.

The consultant will be responsible for providing their own laptop, software, phone and specialised tools, as well as a reliable workspace and internet connection.

Payment

The consultant will be paid in five instalments, subject to submission and approval of the required deliverables:

Month 1: 20% of total contract amount
Month 2: 20%
Month 3: 20%
Month 4: 20%
Month 5: 20%

The financial proposal must be quoted in US dollars or euros only.

Selection Process

UNESCO will use a combined scoring method:

Technical competence: 70% – 700 points
Financial proposal: 30% – 300 points
Total: 1,000 points

Technical assessment will consider academic qualifications, years of experience, technical experience, competencies and the proposed methodology.

An interview may form part of the selection process.

How to Apply

Interested candidates must submit a technical proposal and a financial proposal.

The technical proposal should include:

An up-to-date personal curriculum vitae.
A motivation letter explaining how the candidate’s qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment.
The proposed approach and methodology.
A workplan.
Brief comments on the Terms of Reference, if any.

The financial proposal should state the amount to be charged for the assignment in US dollars or euros.

All proposals and supporting documents must be submitted in English or French.

Each technical and financial proposal should be provided in PDF or Word format. Documents must be attached directly to the email; submissions through Google Drive, WeTransfer or other cloud-storage links will not be accepted.

The email submission should not exceed 5MB.

Application email: o.titorchuk@unesco.org

Reference: IOC/OOS/IC/090/26

Deadline: 28 September 2026 at 17:00

How to Apply:

Email: o.titorchuk@unesco.org

Closing Date: 28 September 2026