International Consultant (Lead the assessment of Transnational Organized Crime and the Nexus with Counter-Proliferation Financing in Southeast Asia) - #28446

Result of Service The incumbent will have to: (i) Submit a concept note for the Regional Guidance Document detailing the background, specific topics, objectives, methodology, sources of information, and timeline. The proposed research methodology and pertinent details must be approved by UNODC staff; (ii) Submit the final Regional Guidance Document suitable for publication; (iii) Undertake or contribute to technical assistance-related missions and implementation of capacity building activities; (iv) Conduct or provide substantive expertise for the above-mentioned activities and prepare respective outcomes documents and mission reports; and (v) Provide specialized expertise for the refinement of technical assistance strategies, tools and programme activities Work Location Homebased Expected duration 15 Jun 26-15 Mar 27 Duties and Responsibilities Under the supervision of the UNODC Programme Officer, the lead consultant will work in coordination with other UNODC staff and consultants and shall have a critical role in driving the development of training materials and delivery of trainings. Additionally, the lead consultant will oversee the entire process, liaising with a group of public officials from the beneficiary countries, as well as provide strategic direction and oversight on the collaboration of the other consultant. The consultant will perform the following tasks: • Lead the design and development of a Regional Guidance Document detailing the background, specific topics, objectives, methodology, sources of information, and timeline; o The Regional Guidance Document shall seek to clarify typologies, risks, and response strategies for money laundering tied to cyber-scams and TOC, including convergence with PF networks; o The Guidance will include specific red-flag indicators, investigative best practices, and case studies derived from the previously completed Japan-funded UNODC CPF threat assessment, which may include specific chapters on Emerging threats involving virtual assets, complex money mule networks, and front companies; Key PF and sanctions evasion typologies, including the use of the banking system for Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML); Frameworks for implementing PF-specific risk-based supervision for traditional financial institutions, casinos, and the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) sector; and Standard Operating Procedures for investigating PF and complex ML linked to TOC; and o In addition to virtual interviews and desk-based review, the consultant shall design, plan, coordinate, and deliver two (2) on-site regional expert group meetings (EGMs) for the purposes of data collection and data validation on the draft guidance, ensuring its practical applicability, and relevance to national contexts before its final dissemination. • Lead the design, planning, coordination, and delivery of two (2) targeted, in-country technical mentorship missions to specialized financial crime units and law enforcement in the Philippines and Thailand, directly supporting approximately fifty (50) competent authorities to support the development of complex cases and the implementation of risk-based supervisory strategies for CPF-led activities, as well as other CPF related publicly available data; • Facilitation of one (1) public-private partnership (PPP) dialogue, engaging approximately 60 representatives from financial institutions, virtual asset service providers (VASPs), and government agencies across the region to strengthen detection and reporting. The PPP shall focus on strengthening collaboration to counter sanctions evasion and will specifically address challenges related to the risk-based supervision of VASPs and blockchain technology; • Development of workshop/training/EGM materials (i.e., slide decks, practical group exercises, tabletop exercises, pre-test, post-test, etc.); and • Submission of comprehensive post-mission reports with recommendations for future capacity building initiatives. The lead consultant will coordinate with the UNODC Programme Officer on the preparation of the initial Guidance outline. Following agreement on the outline, the lead consultant will assign specific chapters to the supporting consultant and conduct the work for completing the draft. Coordinate the editing and finalization of the draft paper incorporating feedback from the UNODC Programme Officer, the consultant will submit the final version of the document Qualifications/special skills An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in public administration, international relations, social science, law, political science, international relations, criminology, non-proliferation, or closely related fields is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. • A minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of financial crime, intelligence analysis, organized crime, money laundering, counter-proliferation financing, or related areas of transnational crime is required. • Demonstrated expertise in the design, delivery, and evaluation of capacity-building programmes, workshops, or technical assistance activities on counter-proliferation financing, sanctions implementation, and/or export controls is required. • Proven experience in advising or supporting governments, financial intelligence units, supervisory authorities, customs, law enforcement, or international organizations and/or private sector on issues related to proliferation financing and targeted financial sanctions is desirable Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations working language is an advantage Additional Information new JO referring to the HRMS request, JO has been created as requested by HRMS. The JO submitted earlier (276612) was not advertised, and this new JO has been created based on HRMS’s final ToR for advertising, as the contract duration is more than 6 months No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.