Technical Associate – Environmental (GIS and Coding) - Retainer

Job Highlight Under the supervision of the Senior Technical Manager the duties and responsibilities include: Assist with GIS data management and spatial analysis for the UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL), including processing, uploading, maintaining, and updating spatial datasets. Provide coding support for scripts, GitHub repositories, the elsaR package, and related data-processing and implementation pipelines. Support geospatial analysis for ELSA activities, including preparing data layers and spatial data stacks and assisting with country-specific ELSA tools. Assist with stakeholder engagement and training activities, including sessions with governments, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, and other partners. Provide technical and operational support to UNBL, including platform testing, user support, guidance materials, knowledge management, minor website updates, and related coordination. About About the Group UNOPS has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the project activities for the Global Programme on Nature for Development. UNDP’s Global Programme on Nature for Development brings together three different initiatives -- the Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature, and the National Biodiversity Initiative under one program in order to identify, foster, showcase and celebrate nature-based solutions that help achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at local, national, and international levels. The work of the Global Programme on Nature for Development contributes to UNDP's Strategic Plan 2026-2029 by charting sustainable development pathways through the conservation, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems; and by promoting inclusive and effective democratic governance in the area of natural resources. The Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. The Equator Initiative seeks to: Recognize the success of local and indigenous initiatives; Create opportunities and platforms to share knowledge and good practice; Inform policy to foster an enabling environment for local and indigenous community action; and Develop the capacity of indigenous peoples and local communities to scale-up their impact. The National Biodiversity Initiative supports countries to manage their ecosystems and biodiversity in order to improve national planning and governance of biodiversity, ecosystems, and development, and to promote resilience for sustainable development. The National Biodiversity Initiative works in three project areas: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) Support, National Reporting, and Capacity Building. The use of spatial data for spatial planning is a cross-cutting theme across these project areas, including work through our flagship platform UN Biodiversity Lab, created in partnership with the UN Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Knowledge Sharing is a main goal of the Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature and the National Biodiversity Initiative. The Equator Initiative has a large series of research papers, books, and other publications focusing on local approaches to poverty reduction and conservation, informed by community-based initiatives.180 case studies in over 30 languages have documented the Equator Prize winners’ innovative practices that deliver the win-win-win solutions that ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The National Biodiversity Initiative shares knowledge on the role of spatial data in biodiversity planning, policymaking, and reporting through blogs, case studies, and story maps. Learning for Nature is a capacity-building offer provided by the Global Programme on Nature for Development, cutting across the three areas of work. This program connects biodiversity policymakers, change-makers, and on-the-ground subject matter experts to facilitate the delivery of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Access to the global multi-stakeholder networks mobilized by the Equator Initiative, Learning for Nature, and the National Biodiversity Initiative allows Learning for Nature to circulate knowledge while promoting best practices. Building on our learnings on the ground, Learning for Nature seeks synergies, builds linkages, and engages thousands of course participants through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), webinars, self-paced e-learning modules, and private training courses. For further information please go to: www.equatorinitiative.org (http://www.equatorinitiative.org), www.nbsapforum.net (http://www.nbsapforum.net), www.learningfornature.org (http://www.learningfornature.org), www.unbiodiversitylab.org (http://www.unbiodiversitylab.org) This is a position to support a project which UNOPS is implementing for the United Nations Development Programme. The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility. Role Purpose The goal of the assignment is to provide GIS and coding support for the UN Biodiversity Lab (UNBL) and a variety of projects and initiatives that bring together the world’s governments, UN agencies, and leading scientists to develop and implement approaches around the globe to identify Essential Life Support Areas (ELSAs) where nature-based actions to protect, manage, or restore biodiversity and ecosystems can more effectively and efficiently meet national commitments and priorities for biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development. Functions / Key Results Expected