Russian/English-speaking Graphic Designer

Result of Service

Design of production of communications materials in line with UNCCD requirements.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

July to September 2026

Duties and Responsibilities

Background note: Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), together with climate change and biodiversity loss, were identified as among the greatest challenges to sustainable development at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only legally binding international agreement addressing DLDD. The Convention supports its Parties in combating desertification, restoring degraded land, and achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 15.3. To communicate evidence-based knowledge and promote informed policy dialogue on sustainable land management and land restoration, the UNCCD Secretariat developed the Global Land Outlook (GLO), its flagship strategic publication series. The GLO provides global and regional assessments of the status of land resources, the drivers and impacts of DLDD, and practical pathways towards sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, and the achievement of LDN. While DLDD affects all regions of the world, Central Asia is among the most vulnerable due to its arid and semi-arid landscapes, increasing climate pressures, and intensive land use. Recognizing the need for stronger regional cooperation, the Interregional Group "Central Asia–Russia" (IRG) was established under the UNCCD in 2019 by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The IRG facilitates knowledge exchange and capacity building, promotes regional cooperation, and supports implementation of the UNCCD Strategic Framework 2018–2030. With technical support from the UNCCD Secretariat, the IRG has developed a series of regional knowledge products to strengthen the evidence base for sustainable land management and LDN implementation. These include the Global Land Outlook Regional Report for Central Asia, the Handbook on Land Degradation Neutrality Assessment in Central Asia, report on Carbon Farming in Greater Central Asia among other analytical publications. In preparation for the seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNCCD (COP17), to be held in Mongolia, the UNCCD Secretariat seeks the services of a graphic designer to produce professional layouts and print-ready designs for these publications in the Russian and English languages. The consultancy will ensure that the publications meet UNCCD branding and publishing standards and are ready for dissemination to Parties and stakeholders during COP17. Duties & Responsibilities: Under the direct supervision of the Programme Officer (CEE & CA), Global Policy Advocacy and Regional Cooperation (GPARC) unit, and in consultation with Programme Officer Scientific Affairs (STI) and other substantive officers in the UNCCD secretariat, the consultant will design various information, communications and training materials in support of the publications done in the framework of the Interregional group ‘Central Asia-Russia’ in line with UNCCD publication requirements: - Design of the GLO Central Asia. - Design of the Handbook on LDN Assessment in Central Asia - Design of the report on Carbon Farming in Greater Central Asia - Communications materials for promotion of the abovementioned publications, including infographics, graphs, video clips, audio visual materials. - Support UNCCD communications on social media platforms if required.

Qualifications/special skills

- A first-level university degree in graphic design, publishing, communications or other fields relevant for the consultancy is required. - A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in media, graphic design, and/or publishing, or related areas is required.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written Russian and English is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.

Additional Information

Only individuals who can act as independent, individual economical operators are qualified to apply. Individuals who can provide their services only on account of an institution or enterprise are not eligible under this procedure. Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations Secretariat and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultant and individual contractor is responsible for determining tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. For remote consultancies, the selected candidate will be required to have a laptop or desktop PC (with Windows 11 or newer) or Mac (with the latest MacOS update), as well as a reliable, high-speed internet connection. An Office 365 license will be provided by the UNCCD to enable the candidate to access official emails, SharePoint, OneDrive and other office applications, such as Word and Excel. Further computer requirements: An antivirus application which receives regular updates; Browsers must be a newer version with regular updates enabled; Regular Windows 11 updates should be enabled with Windows laptop or PC. In addition, a mobile phone will be required to enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) through SMS or the Authenticator App.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.