Overview for Technical Experts Vacancies
Background and Description
In 2023, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) at its twenty-eighth session and the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) at its fifth session reached a historic agreement on operationalizing the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). Decisions 1/CP.28 and 5/CMA.5 affirm that, in the context of establishing the new funding arrangements, a fund was established for responding to loss and damage whose mandate includes a focus on addressing loss and damage to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in responding to economic and non-economic loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events.
Building on this mandate, the Board decided at its fifth meeting to establish the Barbados Implementation Modalities (with the acronym BIM) to respond to loss and damage consisting of a first set of interventions for the calendar years of 2025 and 2026 (decision B.5/D.4). A total of USD 250 million was set aside, with a decision to review the need for further allocation at the eighth meeting of the Board, subject to the available commitment authority. At its seventh meeting, the Board adopted the funding cycle, funding criteria, and access modalities required for operationalizing the BIM, and decided to launch the Call for Funding Requests (CFR) for the BIM at COP30.
This Terms of Reference serves as a global call for technical experts to be part of the BIM delivery team, which will have the core function of conducting technical review of funding requests submitted to the FRLD during the BIM, under the coordination and supervision of the FRLD Secretariat Programming and Country Engagement team.
Purpose and Scope of the BIM Delivery Team
The BIM delivery team will comprise a group of technical experts and senior technical experts, with diverse backgrounds and geographical representation, responsible for conducting technical reviews of funding requests submitted to the FRLD during the BIM.
A total of eight technical experts will be recruited as Short-Term Consultants (STCs), with the possibility for additional STCs to be recruited at a later stage based on need. Selected experts will be assigned to specific funding requests to conduct technical review, based on their relevant expertise. The STC assignment will be up to 150 days.
The BIM delivery team will also comprise senior technical experts whose responsibility will be to validate the assessments conducted by the technical experts, as well as provide specialized technical advice to the BIM delivery team and the Secretariat. A total of two senior experts will be recruited as Short-Term Consultants (STCs), with the possibility for additional STCs to be recruited at a later stage based on need. The STC assignment will be up to 150 days.
Areas of Expertise
The following areas of expertise will be sought when selecting experts for the BIM delivery team:
Past experience in assessing/designing activities and approaches for responding to economic loss and damage
Past experience in assessing/designing activities and approaches for responding to non-economic loss and damage
Past experience in assessing/designing disaster risk management and disaster response (including recovery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation)
Climate change adaptation, including locally-led adaptation
Human mobility, migration, and displacement
Social protection and community-led approaches
Thematic areas like agriculture, water, forests, land, health, ecosystems, etc.
Climate risk, vulnerability, and resilience
National policy and institutional development on climate change and loss and damage
Consideration will also be given to the following when selecting experts:
(i) an adequate distribution of expertise and backgrounds;
(ii) geographical balance; and
(iii) gender balance.
Key Responsibilities
Conduct technical review of funding requests submitted during the BIM phase
Coordinate with and address comments from the senior technical experts conducting validation of the assessment against the funding criteria
Provide detailed comments in review sheets and review responses from the countries
Draft full assessment reports based on the outcome of the technical review, in coordination with other experts under the coordination of the Secretariat
Document lessons learned from the technical review process
Participate in BIM delivery team technical training sessions/workshops
All technical reviews will be conducted under the coordination of the Secretariat and as per the assessment methodology and matrix developed by the Secretariat.
Selection Criteria
Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in any of the areas of expertise mentioned above
At least 8 years of relevant experience
Proven understanding of economic and non-economic loss and damage from climate-induced sudden onset and slow onset events faced by developing countries
Experience in designing and/or implementing and/or evaluating climate change projects/programs or activities relevant to loss and damage, including different funding modalities (e.g., projects, programmes, small grants, budget support, etc.)
Experience in conducting technical review of funding requests or proposals, plans or policies
Expert knowledge of the international climate finance landscape, including procedures and processes followed by countries to access and implement international climate finance
Ability to articulate and communicate effectively in writing (in English)
Cross-cutting focus on vulnerable groups such as women, children, Indigenous Peoples, and other marginalized communities
Knowledge of other official UN languages is desirable
Knowledge in the establishment, mandate, and Governing Instrument of the FRLD, including progress made to date is desirable
Application Process
Please submit a CV and cover letter expressing your interest in being part of the global roster of experts for the BIM delivery team and outlining your relevant expertise.
All applications must be submitted via email to frldsecretariat@frld.org by no later than Dec 15th, 2025.
