Consultant – Ocean Governance Study for Republic of the Congo

About the role

The United Nations Office of Legal Affairs is seeking a consultant to lead an Ocean Governance Study for the Republic of the Congo. Working remotely, the consultant will collaborate with the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea and the Priority Sector Consultant to produce a high‑level overview of the country’s legal and institutional ocean framework.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct consultations with government officials, regional organisations and national stakeholders to gather relevant information.
• Develop a national institutional mapping and compile key laws, regulations and policy documents related to ocean governance.
• Design and administer surveys assessing compliance with UNCLOS and identifying capacity‑building needs.
• Prepare a work plan, a summary chart of legal components, an Ocean Governance Report covering blue‑economy and gender themes, and a prioritized inventory of urgent capacity‑building needs.
• Incorporate feedback from the Division, the beneficiary State and other stakeholders into final deliverables.

Required profile

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in international law, law of the sea, sustainable development, environment/ocean science or a related field; or a first‑level degree plus two years relevant experience.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible experience preparing analytical reports, conducting qualitative and quantitative research, and organising multi‑stakeholder meetings in ocean affairs.
• Fluency in French (required) and working knowledge of English; prior UN experience and experience in the Republic of the Congo are highly desirable.