Senior - Level Consultant (Open Solutions - Open Access, Open Data)

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Communication and Information Sector (CI)

Duty Station: Paris

Job Family: Communication and Information

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 27-JUL-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

As a standard setter and laboratory of ideas, UNESCO leads global efforts on open solutions—initiatives that foster inclusive knowledge sharing and innovation. This includes key normative instruments such as the 2019 Recommendation on Open Educational Resources (OER) and the 2021 Recommendation on Open Science, as well as pilot projects that promote Open Access to Scientific Information, Open Data, and Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS).

UNESCO defines open solutions as digital public goods that are created and shared under open copyright licenses. These solutions respect the intellectual property rights of the original creators while enabling users to engage in one or more of the following actions: re-use, re-purpose, adaptation, and/or redistribution.

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, the Director of the Division for Digital Inclusion and Policies and Digital Transformation (CI/DPT), and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Specialist responsible for Open Solutions and digital competencies, the individual specialist will specifically undertake the following tasks in line with 42C/5 Output 8.C14:

Long Description

1.    Implement the inception phase of the UNESCO-KISTI Collaboration on Advancing Open Science and Software Heritage for Sustainable Development. This phase will produce a refined Theory of Change, Results Framework, Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, and Implementation Strategy for advancing Open Science and Software Heritage in support of sustainable development.

2.    Support the Development and implementation of policy frameworks and build capacities for Open Data and Diamond Open Access. 
a.    Prepare a strategy document for the establishment of benchmarks to assess national and institutional open data strategies in alignment with the UNESCO Open Data Guidelines.   
b.    Prepare a preliminary draft of a toolkit for open data platforms, based on the DataON platform, incorporating the step-by-step approach outlined in the UNESCO Open Data Guidelines.

3.    Elaborate and strengthen strategies to enhance Diamond Open Access in Asia and Africa
a.    Conduct a pilot analysis of Diamond Open Access in one country to be identified in consultation with UNESCO. The pilot analysis methodology should be replicable for use in other countries.  
b.    Prepare draft guidelines for Diamond Open Access, including replicable workflows. 

4.    Enhance awareness of the importance of preserving and providing access to source code in the framework of software management systems.
a.    Facilitate the exchange of good practices related to the preservation and accessibility of source code within software management systems, in collaboration with the Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (INRIA) and the Software Heritage Initiative. This will include organizing at least two information-sharing meetings between KISTI, INRIA and the Software Heritage Foundation.  
b.    Produce a summary report outlining the key good practices to the preservation and accessibility and source code within software management systems. 
c.    Develop a draft issues paper exploring how software source code can be recognized and preserved as a knowledge asset for sustainable development, including through its possible inscription on the Memory of the World (MoW) International Register. The paper should promote its international significance as digital heritage, including its status as both an applied and academic field of inquiry. To enrich its analysis, the paper will also draw upon the exhibition of software source code being organized by Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (INRIA), with support from the MoW Secretariat, and in the context of the 2026 INRIA-UNESCO symposium. 

5.    Support the development of the UNESCO Open Solutions Programme with a view to fostering inclusive open digital ecosystems by:
a.    Prepare a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation on Open Access Publishing and its links to Open Educational Resources (OER). The presentation will address key issues such as alignment with institutional and national policies supporting OER and Diamond Open Access, as well as the implementation of the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). The working title for this paper would be: Towards a Global Knowledge Commons in the Age of AI: Linking Diamond Open Access to OER for Equity, Learning, and Science-Policy-Practice Interfaces.
b.    Prepare a list of funding bodies that could potentially provide support activities in the OER, Open Access to scholarly communications or related fields. This list should include contacts, areas of priority, and proposal submission procedures and deadlines. 
c.    Prepare initial concept notes on the top three areas of priority identified in point 5.b. 
 

6.    All documents produced in the framework of this contract should not exceed 10 pages in Standard English each, excluding annexes. 

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education 

• Advanced university degree (Masters or equivalent) in Natural Sciences, Public Policy and/or related field(s).

Work Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in areas related to scientific research, international cooperation for sciences and/or related fields.

Skills/Competencies

• Excellent communication skills, excellent writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize issues and analyze data to compile and synthesize information in coherent and succinct formats.
• Advocates effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills for teamwork in a multicultural setting and ability to interact effectively with different stakeholders inside and outside the Organization.
• Excellent IT and analytical skills including the ability to extract, analyze and synthesize credible information from electronic knowledge systems to support decision making and planning related to scientific research and scholarly publications.
• Capacity to work in a team as well as independently.
• Knowledge of UNESCO/UN rules and procedure.
• High attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines.
• Ability to work efficiently in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment and team spirit.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English and satisfactory knowledge of French.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• PhD in Natural Sciences Public Policy and/or related field(s).

Work Experience

• Working experience in intergovernmental bodies or development organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting multi-stakeholder cooperation at the regional and/or global level related to science issues related to scholarly publications, open data and/or source code within software management systems.
• Demonstrated expertise in Diamond Open Access, Open Data Guidelines, software source code and/or FAIR principles.
• Working experience with UNESCO Normative Instruments.
• Experience at the regional and/or international level implementing open science, open data, and/or open access policies.

Languages

• Knowledge of Arabic, Chinese, Russian and/or Spanish will be an asset.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should complete the on-line application and complete the Employment History form (Word file).  At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information: 

Part 1: Technical Proposal:

• A letter indicating how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment. 
• A personal CV.
• List of relevant publications, if any. Provide link or URL to view online.

Part 2: Financial Proposal:

• A competitive fee for the assignment, which should be quoted in USD (or EUR) and expressed on a monthly basis (with maximum amount 5000 EUR monthly).

Additional Information:

• The selected candidate will work at a distance.
• Contract duration is for a period of 11 months.
• Estimated contract start date :  1 September 2025.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. 

UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates.

Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided.

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