The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP's Ecosystems Division engages with governments and other partners to develop and promote ecosystem-based solutions for sustainable development. This assignment is in the Nature and Health Unit of the Biodiversity and Land Branch, Ecosystems Division. The Nature and Health Unit (NAHU) in UNEP’s Ecosystem Division aims to advance the integration of the environment into the One Health approach at international, regional, and national levels. The unit focuses on mainstreaming ecosystem health as a vital determinant of global health and well-being, while also advocating for ecosystem health within its own right. Historically, One Health approaches have overlooked critical linkages between the environment, and human and animal health. NAHU addresses this gap by promoting a more holistic perspective that jointly promotes the health of people, animals, and our shared environment. This integrated approach delivers multifaceted benefits, spanning economic, social, and ecological dimensions, in addition to health and wellbeing, and ensuring that environmental considerations are effectively embedded within both public health and veterinary frameworks. NAHU aims to strengthen the integration of environmental considerations in One Health approaches via two main vehicles: UNEP’s role as member of the Quadripartite Collaboration on One Health, and through UNEP’s role as Secretariat of the Nature4Health initiative. These initiatives encompass global, regional, and national interventions, with the aim of stimulating systemic One Health approaches that fully incorporate environmental dimensions. Through these initiatives, NAHU contributes to the work of the Ecosystem Division by fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, enhancing UNEP’s capacity to reduce health risks emerging from ecosystem degradation. The knowledge needed for the advancement of OH requires collaboration and partnerships across sectors, from the whole of society, including knowledge producers such as academic institutions and knowledge brokers. As part of this effort, UNEP in 2025, together with the Quadripartite partners, jointly set up a new Community of Practice on One Health Governance under the One Health Knowledge Nexus (OHKN). The vision for the Community of Practice on One Health Governance is to create a space where people can learn from each other and collate, share, exchange, generate, access, critique, enhance, review and refine knowledge and evidence on One Health governance. Under the supervision of the Head of the Nature and Health Unit, the consultant will undertake the following assignments: 1. Provide technical expertise and environmental input on One Health governance to support Community of Practice (CoP) activities, including webinars and learning sessions tailored to members’ interests. 2. Facilitate and contribute to the CoP’s online discussion forums, ensuring they are supported with relevant content, expert insights, and informative documents from an environmental perspective. 3. Review and provide input on knowledge products developed by CoP members, including contributions to the peer review process to ensure environmental considerations are accurately reflected. 4. Engage with stakeholders and experts to strengthen cross sectoral collaboration, promoting ecosystem based approaches and broadening the environmental integration within One Health governance. 5. Contribute to documentation and reporting, including inputs to the interim progress report and final narrative report for projects under the CoP and the Nature and Health Unit. 6. Support advocacy and communication efforts by promoting ecosystem health as a core component of One Health through awareness raising activities, knowledge sharing, and dissemination of CoP outcomes.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree (Master’s or PhD) in One Health, Environmental Science, Environmental Governance, Ecosystem Health, or other fields directly relevant to One Health is required. A Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, including at least: 5 years in the One Health domain, specifically addressing cross-sectoral issues at the human–animal–environment interface is required Experience supporting governance frameworks or multisectoral coordination mechanisms for environment, One Health, or health topics, including facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes such as Communities of Practice, expert working groups, or policy dialogues—ideally in international, intergovernmental, or regional contexts is required. Proven experience providing technical advice or peer review of research, policy, or knowledge products related to ecosystem health, One Health, or governance is required. Familiarity with or previous work experience involving UNEP and the Quadripartite (FAO, WHO, WOAH), particularly within One Health or environmental governance is desirable. Experience working with developing countries, LMICs, or fragile contexts in implementing One Health approaches is desirable. Understanding of knowledge management principles, including learning systems, digital CoPs, and evidence-based policy support is desirable.

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