Consultant for UNESCO Social and Human Sciences

The Consultant will provide expert advice and collaboration on AI ethics and social transformation programmes in Asia-Pacific, supporting national institutions in Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam. The role includes facilitating interdisciplinary scientific programmes on climate adaptation and contributing to sustainable and cultural tourism initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Advise and collaborate with national institutions in Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam in implementing recommendations from the UNESCO country reports on AI Ethics Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM).
• Support the government of Lao PDR in designing and implementing its first-ever National AI Strategy and co-lead the UNCT Task Force on Digital Transformation.
• Provide technical support in Thailand for the AI Ethics and Start-ups initiative and the AI and Environmental and Ecosystem Assessment programme applying UNESCO principles with a gender-transformative approach.
• Support the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, Vietnam, in implementing the AI Ethics and Start-ups initiative with national institutions and private sector.
• Facilitate the development of a scientific interdisciplinary programme on Promoting the Science-Society Interface for Climate Adaptation in Asia-Pacific, leveraging UNESCO scientific programmes.
• Supervise the production of a research paper documenting interdisciplinary scientific work in natural resources management, climate adaptation vulnerabilities, and sustainable tourism.
• Lead and organise consultation meetings with stakeholders and research institutions for situation analysis.
• Coordinate technical dialogues with UNESCO Field Offices in Asia-Pacific contributing to situation analysis and regional initiative design.
• Lead the design and organisation of a regional UNESCO Conference on Science-Society Interface for Climate Adaptation in Asia-Pacific.
• Formulate and facilitate the Sciences Unit’s technical expertise and contribution to intersectoral programme design on sustainable and cultural tourism focusing on youth intercultural dialogue and cultural heritage promotion.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Social Sciences and Humanities, including philosophy, sociology, history, political science, or related field.
• At least 10 years of incremental professional experience in the areas of international cooperation, policy advice, development programme design and coordination, or related areas.
• Continuous professional experience in working with national and international development actors in Asia-Pacific, with robust knowledge of the socioeconomic, technological, and cultural contexts of the countries in the region.
• Proven experience in partnership building, and support to multistakeholder dialogues in designing, fund-raising, and implementing UN programmes/projects.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Good knowledge of digital tools including AI.
• Good organizational and project design skills.
• Excellent (oral and written) communication skills, including the ability to draft and produce a variety of written material in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and to maintain good working relations within a multi-cultural environment.
• Experience in UNESCO’s Programmes and/or normative tools in the field of Sciences and social and human sciences (desirable).
• Experience with the United Nations System, multilateral settings/cooperation and development (desirable).
• Experience with inter-agency mechanisms of the United Nations System (desirable).
• Good knowledge of UNESCO’s work and mandate, especially in the fields of social and human sciences (desirable).
• Knowledge of the geopolitical context of the Asia-Pacific or ASEAN region (desirable).
• Knowledge of another official UNESCO language (French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, or Chinese) is an asset (desirable).

Skills

• International Cooperation
• Policy Advice
• Development Programme Design
• Programme Coordination
• Partnership Building
• Multistakeholder Dialogue Facilitation
• UN Programme
• Fundraising
• Analytical Skills
• Digital Tools Creation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Project Design
• Organizational Skills
• Written Communication
• Oral Communication
• Teamwork in Multi-cultural Environment
• Knowledge of Socioeconomic Contexts Asia-Pacific
• Knowledge of Technological Contexts Asia-Pacific
• Knowledge of Cultural Contexts Asia-Pacific

Languages

English