Environment Awareness Specialist

The UN Environment Programme's Environment and Trade Hub is a demand-driven mechanism offering capacity building and related policy advice on sustainable trade and investment. Through the Environment and Trade Hub, UN Environment Programme as the leading global environmental authority together with partners, offers to assist countries in their capacity to building toward using sustainable trade as a driver for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

By working through a network of national, regional, and international partners, the Environment and Trade Hub is able to offer interdisciplinary services that are tailored to local needs and circumstances while being delivered in an effective and demand-oriented manner.

The specific objectives of the Environment and Trade Hub are to:

Enhance the capacity of countries to design and implement trade policies that foster environmental sustainability and human well-being;
Assist countries in the realization of trade opportunities arising from a transition to greener economies;
Strengthen the sustainability aspects of cross-border trade and investment agreements in bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral negotiations;
Realize a shift of trade practices and trends to more sustainable patterns.

In 2019, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) signed a cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing environmental institutional capacities and policies in Saudi Arabia. The agreement’s purpose is to assist the Kingdom in achieving its national environmental goals and fulfilling international environmental commitments through a project called the Saudi Environment Sustainability Programme (SESP), which focuses on five strategic areas: institutional development and environmental governance, environmental compliance and pollution control, biodiversity and wildlife, circular economy and waste management, and meteorology and climate change.

The third workplan of the SESP, which commenced in January 2025, builds upon this cooperation with expanded collaboration between UNEP and the National Executive Centers. It encompasses multiple programmatic areas aimed at promoting environmental sustainability in Saudi Arabia.


This UNV assignment will support the implementation of the environmental awareness components of the project. Activities under the environmental awareness components include: integrating environmental sustainability in the curricula of higher education institutions, preparing and delivering specialized environmental seminars/webinars, creating environmental sustainability competitions for the youth, empowering environmental NGOs through capacity building, amongst others.

National UN Specialist Volunteers in Saudi Arabia are entitled to:

- Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) in the amount of SAR 14,120.56
- Entry Lumpsum USD 400
- Annual and learning leaves;
- Free Medical and life insurance; and
- Free access to different learning platforms.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Project Coordinator of the Saudi Environment Sustainability Programme (SESP), or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer Project Support Officer will contribute to the overall facilitation and coordination of the awareness activities under SESP with DME, through:

Technical Support & Documentation:
• Support in the drafting of ToRs and project concept notes/proposals pertaining to the awareness activities.
• Prepare high quality presentations and visuals.
• Draft and format emails, letters, and other official communications (in English and Arabic);
• Prepare progress reports on the implementation of the awareness component.
• Research, analyse and present information gathered from diverse sources.
• Prepares various written outputs, e.g. draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.

Meetings & Workshops:
• Contribute to the organization and technical preparation of workshops, meetings, webinars, etc. This would include preparation of agendas, materials, info notes, preparing meeting reports, etc.

Follow Up & Coordination:
• Monitor and follow up on action points from meetings and related project activities.
• Coordinate with different project stakeholders to ensure deadlines are met.

Data and Knowledge Management:
Maintain a well-organized filing system for data and documents related to the awareness component.

Other Tasks:
• Perform other duties as required, related to the project, such as conducting communication activities, social media;
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.