Environmental Lawyer/Natural Resource Lawyer
Pay and conditions
Source: Estimates by grade and duty station. Click the cards for more details.
Job Description
Supports Sierra Leone’s Environment Protection Agency to develop an access-and-benefit-sharing framework under the Nagoya Protocol. The consultant reviews legal and institutional gaps, drafts regulations and operational tools, aligns them with national legislation and biodiversity commitments, consults community stakeholders, and finalises materials for legal review, adoption and implementation.
Key Details
Department
Nature Frameworks Support Unit, Biodiversity and Land Branch, Ecosystems Division
Position Details
Experience level
Mid
Minimum experience
5 years
Employment type
Contractor
Arrangement
Remote
Minimum education
Bachelor's degree
Contract duration
3 months
Job Areas
Language Requirements
Required
English
Preferred
Local language
Summary of Responsibilities
- Review national legal and institutional frameworks relevant to access and benefit sharing
- Identify legal gaps, institutional mandates and arrangements for implementation
- Draft access-and-benefit-sharing regulations, schedules and forms
- Align regulations with the Nagoya Protocol and Sierra Leone legislative-drafting standards
- Design permit workflows, consent procedures, model contracts and compliance tools
- Review comparable African frameworks and adapt relevant practice
- Present findings at stakeholder consultations and integrate feedback into final regulations
Role Requirements
- Advanced degree in environmental law, development law, international development, natural-resource management or a related discipline, or a first-level degree with 2 additional years of qualifying experience
- At least 5 years of experience in legal drafting or environmental governance
- Experience with access-and-benefit-sharing frameworks and the Nagoya Protocol
- Fluency in written and spoken English
Desired Criteria
- Knowledge of biodiversity conservation, intellectual-property rights, community rights and customary law
- Understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
- Experience on sustainable-development, biodiversity or environmental legal issues
- Experience with UNEP, UNDP or a similar international organisation
Skills
Tools and Technologies
Additional Information
- Home-based consultancy for 3 months
Source & verification
IGO Jobs sourced this vacancy from UNEP Careers, on 25 Aug 2026.