Consultant for Supporting the Coordination of the McGovern III Project and the Seven RAMs
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Level 1 Consultancy Closing soon: 31 Oct 2025
Parent Sector : Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)
Duty Station: Paris
Job Family: Social and Human Sciences
Type of contract : Non Staff
Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months
Recruitment open to : Internal and external candidates
Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 31-OCT-2025
UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism
UNESCO has the mandate to promote the development of science and technology from an ethical and human rights approach. Under this framework in November 2021, UNESCO developed the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which the 193 Member States adopted by acclamation at the 41st session of its General Conference, and spearheading its implementation by the Member States through innovative tools and methodologies, such as the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and the Ethical Impact Assessment (EIA). Through the application of these tools, UNESCO is changing the business model that drives AI, going beyond principles to develop a range of concrete and practical solutions to ensure fair, inclusive, sustainable and equitable outcomes of AI.
The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (PJMF) has played a pivotal role in supporting UNESCO’s efforts to position ethics as the cornerstone of building AI governance. Through the implementation of two projects (2023 and 2024), UNESCO has facilitated a multistakeholder process of evidence gathering through national consultation and the deployment of RAM in Brazil, Chile, Morocco and Senegal in the first phase and in the ongoing phase in Argentina, India, Indonesia, Tanzania and Türkiye. The partnership also advances key knowledge products that will further reinforce capacity-building efforts on the ground and empower stakeholders to navigate the complex AI landscape.
The goal of the new project - Scaling Inclusive, Human Rights-Based Ethical AI Governance (2025) - is to consolidate the results delivered to date, build on the achievements made, expand the reach and depth of diagnostic and policy development efforts, and deploy globally the tools, methodologies, knowledge and experiences from the recent efforts of building AI governance ecosystem. The actions will be organised around three main pillars/expected outcomes: a. empowering civil society, b. expanding and deepening engagement with countries for ethics of AI through RAMs and other tools; c. producing new knowledge on AI governance.
The aim of this consultancy is to provide transversal support across all key outputs of UNESCO’s McGovern III project on ethical AI governance. This includes contributing to the coordination and implementation of activities related to UNESCO’s Global Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Academic Network on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics and Policy, supporting the execution of the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) in seven new countries, and assisting in the development of analytical knowledge products such as the Meta-Analysis of RAMs, the comprehensive RAM Revision, and the Nature Positive AI Toolkit. The consultant will also provide input on public communications, contribute to stakeholder engagement, and ensure alignment across the project’s core pillars to help advance the implementation of the 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
The Consultant will work under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for the Social and Human Sciences Sector (ADG/SHS) and under the direct supervision of the Head of Ethics of AI Unit at UNESCO Headquarters.
Under the supervision of the Head of the Ethics of AI Unit, the consultant will be responsible for:
1. Supporting the coordination and implementation of the project by contributing to activities across its three core pillars:
a) UNESCO’s Global Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Academic Network on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics and Policy:
b) Enhancing and Broadening the Impact of UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM):
c) Producing Analytical Knowledge Products:
2. Drafting policy briefs, blog posts, and other relevant materials based on research and analysis, and contributing to the preparation of interventions in public fora such as conferences and panels.
3. Providing advice and support to the Sector on tools, resources, and policies related to the ethical, legal, social, and governance issues of artificial intelligence, including for the implementation of the 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
4. Supporting stakeholder engagement, including coordination with government representatives, private sector actors, civil society organizations, and international organizations.
5. Performing other tasks as requested by the Head of the Ethics of AI Unit, in alignment with project priorities and timelines.
The consultant shall attend missions in person related to the project implementation. The exact dates are to be confirmed by the Secretariat in due course.
Deliverables and Timeframe
Education
Work Experience
Skills and competencies
Languages
Education
Work Experience
Languages
Excellent knowledge (spoken and written) of French.
The consultant should be based in Paris.
An up-to-date CV must be submitted instead of the Employment History form (Word file) to the “My Employment History Form / My Documents” section of the online application; The candidate must add the following elements at the end of the file:
A one-page statement laying out how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment and explaining how they would approach the work.
The salary expectations for the assignment, which should be quoted in US dollars on a monthly basis for a 5-month period (full-time working).
Only applications with the above-requested information can be considered.
Please note that the consultant salary expectations must be expressed in gross amounts. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties in accordance with local laws. UNESCO will not reimburse any taxes, duties or other contributions for which the Individual Specialist may be liable in respect of any payments made to him/her under the terms of this contract.
Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted.
The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as an 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.
UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of staff members shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity. UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieving and sustaining equitable and diverse geographical distribution, as well as gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Candidates from non- and under-represented Member States (last update here) are particularly welcome and strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts.
UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Please note that UNESCO is a non-smoking Organization.
