OVERVIEW
Parent Sector : Field Office
Duty Station: Brussels
Classification of duty station: [[filter12]]
Standard Duration of Assignement : [[filter13]]
Job Family: Natural Sciences
Type of contract : Non Staff
Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months
Recruitment open to : External candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 20/01/2026
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST
Background
UNESCO operates at the interface between natural and social sciences, education, culture and communication, playing a vital role in building a global culture of resilience. UNESCO assists countries in capacity building for management of disaster and climate risk, particularly supporting the Member States on 1) early warning systems; 2) safe critical infrastructures; 3) UNESCO designated sites risk prevention; 4) using Science, Technology and Innovation such as Artificial Intelligence and big data; 5) built safe environment; 6) risk governance; 7) nature-based solutions, and 8) post disaster response.
The UNESCO Liaison Brussels Office together with UNESCO Disaster Risk Reduction Unit (UNESCO HQ, Paris) are leading capacity building and international cooperation actions in several Horizon Europe projects on disaster risk management and resilience, in particular the RESILIAGE project:
RESILIAGE (Advancing holistic understanding of community RESILIence and heritAGE drivers through community-based methodologies) enable a step-change in Disaster Risk Management and in the way research and practice deal with variation in aspects of society like culture, risk awareness, inclusion, socio-economic and geographical conditions by co-creating resilient communities through digital tools and soft solutions consolidated in a holistic and systemic approach. RESILIAGE is a three-year project that started on 1 September 2023.
Long Description
Duties/Tasks and Expected Output
Under the overall supervision of the Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels and the direct supervision of the Project Officer of the above-mentioned projects, and in cooperation with the Disaster Risk Reduction Unit and other relevant services at headquarters and in the field, the Individual Specialist will support the implementation of UNESCO-led activities within the RESILIAGE project.
The Individual Specialist will provide technical, coordination, and strategic support to UNESCO-led activities in the final implementation phase of the Horizon Europe project RESILIAGE. The assignment will focus on the delivery of final work packages, capacity-building actions, high-level events, and dissemination of project results, ensuring coherence with UNESCO’s mandate and visibility at EU and international levels.
The main duties and responsibilities include:
1. Provide strategic inputs to and support the delivery of community-based approaches integrated into preparedness and resilience plans implemented in the project’s CORE Labs. Contribute to the preparation of project deliverables, including preparedness plans and policy briefs, drawing on RESILIAGE outcomes and lessons learned.
2. Support the development of concepts and the implementation of capacity-building actions, including training-of-trainers initiatives, academic learning pathways (e.g. Master programmes, summer schools), and online knowledge-sharing activities such as webinars.
3. Support the organization of the RESILIAGE Final Conference and actively contribute to dissemination, outreach, and visibility of project results through UNESCO channels and international networks.
Duration of the consultancy
4. From February to August 2026 - 7 months
5. Part-time consultancy (50%)
Deliverables
On a monthly basis, the Individual Specialist will submit progress reports to the supervisor, covering tasks performed, achievements and challenges.
COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)
Accountability (C)Communication (C)Innovation (C)Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)Planning and organizing (C)Results focus (C)Teamwork (C)Professionalism (C)
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For detailed information, please consult the .
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
6. Completed full-time advanced degree (Master's degree or equivalent) at a university or equivalent institution in natural sciences, or a related field.
Work experience
7. A minimum of 4 years of relevant professional experience in implementation of EU research and innovation funded projects.
8. Experience in policy analysis.
9. Experience in developing stakeholder engagement strategies for capacity building actions.
10. Experience in developing training materials.
11. Experience in organizing knowledge sharing events, workshops, and webinars.
12. Experience in drafting project reports, deliverables and technical briefs.
Skills and competencies
13. Good analytical, organizational and project management skills.
14. Sound technical expertise in DRR and Resilience
15. Excellent coordination and interpersonal skill.
16. Excellent written and oral communication skills.
17. Proven ability to communicate and negotiate effectively and persuasively with different stakeholders at all levels, within and outside the organization.
18. Capacity to build and maintain effective working relations with national and local authorities, relevant institutions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.
19. Ability to work effectively and maintain effective working relations within a multi-cultural environment.
20. Ability to manage heavy workloads and to meet tight deadlines, paying close attention to details.
21. Solid IT skills including knowledge of office software.
Languages
22. Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken).