Senior Urban Solid Waste Management Consultant

Result of Service

The consultant shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under this Terms of Reference, and will work in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s operational and technical teams.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

Ten (10) months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis in developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. UN-Habitat has initiated a project with the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro (GERJ) aimed at strengthening urban resilience in the State of Rio de Janeiro based on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the principles of the New Urban Agenda. The Inclusive and Sustainable Rio project supports the State in achieving urban prosperity while implementing global agendas for sustainable urban development. In particular, the proposal focuses on increasing urban resilience through the engagement of civil society to promote inclusion within the climate agenda of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The revision of the State Solid Waste Plan of Rio de Janeiro (PERS-RJ) is part of the scope of this project and constitutes a strategic instrument for strengthening the state policy on solid waste, in alignment with national guidelines and international sustainable development agendas. The process involves the preparation of an updated diagnosis, the development of scenarios, and the definition of strategies, actions, targets, and implementation instruments, considering the territorial, institutional, and socio-environmental diversity of the municipalities of Rio de Janeiro State. It adopts an integrated approach with the participation of state agencies, municipalities, public consortia, the productive sector, waste picker cooperatives, civil society organizations, and other relevant stakeholders. To properly implement the above-mentioned project, a Senior Urban Solid Waste Management Consultant is required to contribute to the review of the Rio de Janeiro State Solid Waste Plan (PERS-RJ), focusing on the analysis, systematization and qualification of municipal solid waste management systems and urban cleaning services. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Senior Solid Waste Management Consultant reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Senior Urban Solid Waste Management Consultant will support the implementation of the project and its activities with the following responsibilities: a) Develop and implement the Technical Work Plan for the consultancy, aligned with the overall project timeline. b) Contribute to the preparation of the Technical Diagnostic of the PERS-RJ, within the scope of urban solid waste, considering technical, territorial, institutional, and operational dimensions. c) Conduct diagnostic analyses of urban solid waste systems, including waste generation and characterization, flows, collection, transport, treatment and final disposal, as well as institutional arrangements and responsibilities. d) Identify and characterize environmental liabilities and critical situations associated with urban solid waste, including areas of irregular disposal, service coverage gaps, and relevant territorial constraints. e) Produce technical inputs related to the sustainability of urban cleaning services and solid waste management systems, considering operational, institutional, and territorial aspects. f) Provide technical support to social participation processes related to urban solid waste, contributing to the analysis and incorporation of relevant inputs within the scope of the consultancy. g) Work in an integrated manner with other project workstreams, respecting the division of thematic responsibilities defined by the coordination and ensuring methodological and territorial coherence, contributing to the development of an integrated diagnostic of solid waste management systems at the state level. h) Develop strategic diagnostic analyses related to the interface between urban solid waste and marine litter, as well as reverse logistics, within the scope of their interface with municipal solid waste systems. i) Participate, if required and in accordance with project planning, in selected in-person activities related to the diagnostic phase, including seminars, public hearings and regional workshops, providing technical input to their design and structuring within the scope of the consultancy. j) Liaise with teams responsible for data analysis and georeferencing to ensure the technical, territorial and methodological consistency of information and cartographic products related to urban solid waste. k) Ensure technical quality, methodological consistency, and alignment with UN-Habitat standards across all products. l) Maintain an organized system of files, data, and information produced within the scope of the consultancy. m) Present partial results, technical notes, spreadsheets, databases, and other intermediate inputs whenever requested by the Project Coordination. n) Participate in periodic technical meetings, preferably virtually and, if required, in person, as requested by the Project Coordination. o) Participate in project-related missions, if required. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Senior Urban Solid Waste Management Consultant shall assist the implementation of the project, according to the stated responsibilities and the delivery of the following products: Product 1 – Technical Work Plan Description: Product 1 shall include: (i) a methodological approach for developing the diagnostic of urban solid waste, including technical criteria, territorial scope, data sources and analytical limitations; (ii) the structure and scope of the technical products, including detailed analytical content related to municipal solid waste management systems (generation, collection, transport, treatment and final disposal); (iii) a work schedule for the implementation of activities, including delivery milestones and articulation with the overall project timeline; (iv) a strategy for technical coordination and collaboration with other project consultants, particularly those responsible for economic and financial analysis, geoprocessing, social participation and cross-cutting themes, ensuring methodological coherence and integration of municipal solid waste systems, including alignment with analyses of other waste streams addressed under the Plan. The Work Plan may be adjusted throughout its implementation, subject to validation by the Project Coordination, without altering the contractual scope. Expected delivery date: 30 days after contract signature. Product 2 – Preliminary Technical Diagnostic Report on Urban Solid Waste in the State of Rio de Janeiro Description: Product 2 shall include: (i) characterization of the generation, composition and dynamics of urban solid waste in the State, considering different territorial scopes, intra-state disparities and regional generation patterns; (ii) preliminary diagnostic of urban cleaning and municipal solid waste management systems, including collection, transport, treatment and final disposal, as well as characterization of existing infrastructure, operational arrangements, public consortia, active contracts and involved operators; (iii) preliminary mapping of environmental liabilities associated with urban solid waste, including areas of irregular disposal, identified critical situations, service coverage gaps and relevant territorial constraints; (iv) systematization of technical information related to the operational, institutional and territorial sustainability of municipal solid waste systems, to be used as input for the economic and financial analysis of the Plan; (v) preliminary identification of technical, institutional and territorial bottlenecks affecting the performance of urban solid waste systems and requiring further analysis in subsequent stages of the PERS-RJ review process; (vi) strategic thematic diagnostic analyses related to the interface between urban solid waste and marine litter (focusing on land-based sources, potential flows and linkages with municipal systems), as well as its interface with reverse logistics instruments within the scope of municipal solid waste management; (vii) articulation with preliminary analyses of other waste streams developed under the project, ensuring consistency and complementarity within the overall diagnostic framework. This product shall present a preliminary diagnostic assessment of urban solid waste in the State of Rio de Janeiro, based on secondary data, institutional information, territorial analyses, and technical inputs produced within the scope of the project. Expected delivery date: 120 days after contract signature. Product 3 – In-Depth Technical Diagnostic Report on Urban Solid Waste in the State of Rio de Janeiro Description: Producrt 3 shall include: (i) in-depth analysis of the generation, composition and dynamics of urban solid waste at the state level, including trends, territorial patterns and preliminary projections; (ii) detailed analysis of urban solid waste management systems in the State, considering operational arrangements, available infrastructure, inter-municipal flows and regional articulations, with particular attention to metropolitan dynamics; (iii) critical analysis of environmental liabilities associated with urban solid waste, including the qualification of irregular disposal areas, environmental risks and structural limitations of the systems; (iv) technical assessment of the sustainability of urban solid waste management systems at the state level, considering operational, institutional and territorial aspects, identifying weaknesses and potentials; (v) systematization and analysis of the main structural, institutional and territorial bottlenecks affecting urban solid waste management in the State, to support the development of strategies within the PERS-RJ; (vi) in-depth strategic thematic analyses, including the interface between urban solid waste and marine litter, as well as articulation with regional planning instruments, with particular emphasis on the Metropolitan Solid Waste Plan of Rio de Janeiro; (vii) integration with diagnostic analyses of other waste streams, ensuring coherence, complementarity and alignment within the broader solid waste management framework of the State. This product shall present an in-depth technical analysis of urban solid waste in the State of Rio de Janeiro, building upon the consolidation of preliminary analyses, incorporating institutional and participatory contributions and ensuring integration with other project components. Expected delivery date: 210 days after contract signature. Product 4 – Consolidated Technical Report on Urban Solid Waste in the State of Rio de Janeiro Description: Product 4 shall include: (i) consolidation of technical and institutional analyses related to urban solid waste, including the systematization of key results, trends and patterns identified at the state level; (ii) integration of inputs produced throughout the project, including contributions from economic and financial, geospatial, participatory and institutional analyses, ensuring methodological and territorial coherence, as well as consistency with analyses of other waste streams developed under the project; (iii) consolidation of the main structural, operational, institutional and territorial bottlenecks related to urban solid waste management, organized to support strategic formulation; (iv) analytical synthesis of environmental liabilities associated with urban solid waste, including the qualification of critical areas and identified environmental risks; (v) systematization of interfaces with regional and state planning instruments, with particular emphasis on the Metropolitan Solid Waste Plan of Rio de Janeiro, ensuring coherence across planning scales; (vi) organization of technical content in a structured format compatible with its incorporation into subsequent stages of scenario development, strategic definition and action planning within the PERS-RJ. This product consists of the final and consolidated technical report of the diagnostic of urban solid waste in the State of Rio de Janeiro, incorporating methodological refinements, contributions from participatory processes, institutional validations and integration with other technical components of the PERS-RJ review. Expected delivery date: 270 days after contract signature.

Qualifications/special skills

Education Required: • Bachelor's degree in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering (with a focus on Sanitation), Geography, Environmental Management, Environmental Econom-ics, Urban and Regional Planning, or related fields is required. • Postgraduate degree (Lato Sensu or Stricto Sensu) in Sanitation, Solid Waste, Environmental Engineering, Territorial Planning, Public Policy, Circular Economy, or related fields is required, or additional five (5) years of relevant experience to the post, beyond the requirement. Work experience: • Minimum of eight (8) years of professional experience in the management of municipal solid waste, diagnosis of urban cleaning systems, sectoral planning, regulation/institutional arrangements, or related technical consultancies in Brazil is required. • Proven experience in the preparation/review of waste management plans (municipal/regional/state) or data-driven territorial diagnostics is required. • Experience in institutional coordination (governments, consortia, service providers, environmental/regulatory agencies) and technical support to participatory processes is required. Experience in the identification/evaluation of environmental liabilities related to municipal solid waste is desirable. • Technical and/or scientific academic publications in the field are desirable. • Previous experience in the preparation or review of solid waste management plans or public policies related to the sector in Rio de Janeiro state is desirable. • Experience working with international organizations, UN agencies, or international cooperation projects is desirable. Skills: • Strong analytical and technical writing skills are required. • Organization, time management, and ability to communicate with multidisciplinary teams is required. • Availability to participate remotely and, if required, in selected in-person technical activities in the State of Rio de Janeiro is required. • Ability to work with databases and territorial evidence, and familiarity with GIS/georeferenced inputs is desirable. Competencies • Professionalism: Experience working in an inter-institutional environment, project management, monitoring-evaluation; approaches and strategies regarding good ur-ban governance and local and regional development. • Planning and organization: Professional approach to work, strong sense of responsi-bility, operate with minimal supervision; proven organizational skills and ability to manage a workload efficiently and within set deadlines. • Communication: Ability to write clearly and effectively; listen to others, interpret mes-sages correctly and respond appropriately; show openness in information sharing and keep everyone informed; solid abstract reasoning skills together with a proven capac-ity to write documents for diverse audiences. • Teamwork: Ability to work with teams, demonstrate leadership, conflict management and consensus facilitation skills; ability to work in a multicultural and multi-ethnic envi-ronment, and to respect diversity; sensitivity to the main streaming of vulnerability; willingness and ability to work in difficult environments. Knowledge Management • The person must know the processes, procedures, and norms of UN-Habitat, to guar-antee an adequate quality of the activities described above, following the standards of the organization. • The person will propose formats and procedures that allow the efficient implementa-tion of the activities related to the project development. • The person must know the file of the Office, work with it, and ensure its proper maintenance, accessibility for all staff, and due updating. • The person will prepare databases related to the project running. • The person will make sure that all relevant technical information will be adequately shared with the correspondent staff. • The person will ensure that all produced material will be fit-for-purpose and delivered, in an organized way, for posterior consultation and use of the Agency. • The person will only share the information produced with the team agency, assuring the privacy of the content.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office. • For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required. Working knowledge of Eng-lish and Spanish is desirable.

Additional Information

Travel details: The consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration LICA 5 (part time 55%) – BRL: 80.000,00 (Total net amount) UNOPS Salary Scale The consultant will receive a total amount of BRL: 80.000,00, according to the following schedule: • Payment 1 [10%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 1 (BRL: 8.000,00) • Payment 2 [20%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 2 (BRL: 16.000,00) • Payment 3 [30%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 3 (BRL: 24.000,00) • Payment 4 [40%]: Upon delivery and approval of Product 4 (BRL: 32.000,00) Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply. The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic. It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Educational Background (incl. dates) • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/ voluntary work, etc.)* * Please note that Internships, part-time and voluntary work count as 50%. In addition to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered. All applications should be submitted to: Inspira UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org.

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.