National Coordination Expert - Consultant at UNODC - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Duties and Responsibilities

• UNODC is the guardian of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants. UNODC is mandated to support Member States in strengthening their capacity to prevent, investigate and prosecute migrant smuggling, uphold the rights of smuggled migrants, foster international criminal cooperation under UNTOC, and improve coordination among relevant stakeholders—both domestically and internationally—in investigating smuggling cases while ensuring due support to affected migrants.
• With financial support from the European Union, UNODC is implementing the PACTS project (Promoting Action and Cooperation against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants), part of the overall Global Programme against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants.
• The project has a global scope, with implementation countries including Nigeria, Cameroon and Mauritania. Its three objectives are: (1) enhancing effective investigation and prosecution of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants; (2) enhancing protection and assistance for victims of trafficking and the human rights of smuggled migrants; and (3) increasing engagement of Global South countries in policy debates and facilitating the sharing of best practices. Under the overall guidance of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer (Team Leader, Technical Cooperation, HTMSS), direct supervision of the designated HTMSS Regional Advisor (Ethiopia), and in coordination with the Regional Coordinator (Head of TIPSOM ROSEN) and a Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer (ROSEN), the consultant will:
•  Prepare, design and develop substantive content of two bilateral meetings (Nigeria-Ghana and Nigeria-Senegal) - including agendas, lists of speakers, exercises or case studies, draft bilateral cooperation frameworks, presentations, and speaker invitations - ensuring validation by UNODC HQ prior to meetings.
• Support coordination and delivery of two bilateral meetings in Abuja, facilitating structured discussions among competent authorities from Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal to: review current trends, patterns and operational challenges on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants; take stock of existing national legal, institutional and operational frameworks for bilateral cooperation; identify priority areas for immediate cooperation; discuss possible scope of a future bilateral framework agreement; clarify roles and mandates of relevant technical, coordination and justice-sector entities; determine appropriate institutional and signatory level for any future bilateral instrument; and agree on focal points, technical drafting process and next steps.
• Support preparation of Bilateral Meeting Reports, including description of activities and content delivered, lessons learned, and next steps towards a bilateral cooperation framework.
• The consultant will maintain regular communication with UNODC HQ and field staff, ensure technical quality and timeliness of all deliverables, and work independently and collaboratively as required.

Qualifications/special skills

Education -

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, or related field is required.
• A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of relevant professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Working experience

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in the fields of criminal justice, criminal law, human rights, and/or rule of law is required;
• Experience in delivering trainings, including developing training materials on combatting trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants or other serious crime is required;
• Experience in drafting bilateral or multilateral cooperation frameworks or agreements between States is required
• Very strong knowledge of human trafficking and migrant smuggling issues and developments is required.
• Excellent drafting and presentation skills and the ability to draft clear and well- organized texts in English are required;
• Proven ability to work independently and in a team, including ability to value input from others and to apply flexibility in accommodating different views is required;
• Experience in investigating or prosecuting trafficking in persons or smuggling of migrants is desirable;
• Strong knowledge of West Africa region and its political/crime context is required (not merely desirable)
• Experience within the United Nations system or similar international organizations is desirable;
• Do you have a minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience in the fields of criminal justice, criminal law, human rights, and/or rule of law? If yes, please provide brief examples.