National Consultant - Development of National ABS-oriented FPIC Guidelines
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant, Law, Resources & Environment
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Project: Advancing Access and Benefit Sharing Implementation in Cambodia (A-ABS), Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
Post Level: Specialist
Contract Type: Individual Contractor
Duty Station: Home Based
Expected Place of Travel: Project sites in Cambodia
Contract Duration: 20 days (between July and November 2026)
Scope of Work
Cambodia’s biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge (TK) are facing accelerating threats due to economic development, deforestation, habitat loss, overharvesting, and rapid land-use changes. As the country transitions from a subsistence-based agrarian economy to a consumption-driven cash economy, competing demands for land from agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development have contributed to biodiversity loss. Despite covering about 40% of its land area with protected areas, Cambodia’s biologically rich ecosystems continue to decline. Over 324 native medicinal plant species are classified as threatened, posing risks to the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) who depend on them for traditional medicine, food, and cultural practices. Modernization and unsustainable practices have led to the erosion of TK associated with these genetic resources.
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- Khmer - Fluent is required
- English - Fluent is required
- Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Law, Environmental Science, or Development Studies, and Other related fields.
- At least of progressive experience in biodiversity and forest conservation, ecosystem protection, or related field for 5 years
- A Cambodian National with proficiency in written and spoken English and Khmer is required.
- Understanding of Access and Benefit Sharing, including an understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol; Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance.
- Understanding of Access and Benefit Sharing, including an understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol; Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance.
- Experience working in development partner-funded nature conservation or natural resource management projects.
- Demonstrated experience in the development of ABS-related policies and guidelines
- Understanding of Cambodia’s Biodiversity landscape, biodiversity, and ecosystem issues, including its values and functions
- Experience in policy-related data collection and analysis
- Experience in restoration of GR and bioprospecting species, and understanding of TK and IKSP.
- Good team player, self-starter, has the ability to work under minimal supervision and maintain good relationships.
National Consultant – Development of Sub-National Financial Guidelines on ABS and Bioprospecting Guidelines, and Relevant Rules and Regulations
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant, Law, Resources & Environment
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Project: Advancing Access and Benefit Sharing Implementation in Cambodia (A-ABS), Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
Post Level: Specialist
Contract Type: Individual Contractor
Duty Station: Home Based
Expected Place of Travel: Project sites in Cambodia
Contract Duration: 20 days (between July and November 2026)
Scope of Work
Development of financial guidelines on ABS and a benefit-sharing mechanism unique to Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri provinces within the sub-national government, communities, IPLCs, and the private sector. This activity will clarify and integrate all aspects of the ABS element, “benefit-sharing,” as it will apply pursuant to Cambodia’s ABS policy and other existing laws or regulations, and will include a collaborative process to determine how “benefit-sharing” will be applied in the country. It will include analysis of:
- how each of the types of monetary and non-monetary benefits that may be shared, with attention to how the concept of benefit-sharing will operate to ensure both actual benefit and fair sharing, within Cambodia's overall ABS framework,
- the relationship between the benefit-sharing element and the access element, particularly in situations where the Genetic Resources (GR) or ABS were accessed from a single owner or community, but is widely held throughout the country or region,
- what benefit issues must be addressed in the FPIC, MAT, ABS agreement, ABS permit, and other instruments (as appropriate) and processes,
- what flexibility there is within each ABS agreement negotiation, to expand, limit, or specially define the scope and nature of benefit-sharing under that agreement,
- what external factors indicate that a benefit has arisen and must be shared,
- how the benefit-sharing component of each ABS agreement shall be monitored and enforced, and by whom,
- how and with whom benefit-sharing transfers are made and documented; and
- in case of benefits that must be shared with multiple providers or a community, what mechanisms are needed to ensure a transparent and fair distribution of those benefits.
- Khmer - Fluent is required
- English - Fluent is required
- Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Law, Environmental Science, or Development Studies, and Other related fields.
- At least of progressive experience in biodiversity and forest conservation, ecosystem protection, or related field for 5 years
- A Cambodian National with proficiency in written and spoken English and Khmer is required.
- Understanding of Access and Benefit Sharing, including an understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol; Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance.
- Experience in developing the financial guidelines for sharing the GR benefits.
- Experience working in development partner-funded nature conservation or natural resource management projects.
- Understanding the core principle in bioprospecting
- Experience in the analysis of ABS-related policies and institutional frameworks
- Understanding of Cambodia’s Biodiversity landscape, biodiversity, and ecosystem issues, including its values and functions
- Experience in policy-related data collection and analysis
- Demonstrated experience in writing analytical reports and policy recommendations
- Good team player, self-starter, has the ability to work under minimal supervision and maintain good relationships.
International Consultant – ABS Legal Specialist
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant, Law, Resources & Environment
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Project: Advancing Access and Benefit Sharing Implementation in Cambodia (A-ABS), Ministry of Environment (MoE), the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC)
Post Level: Senior Specialist - International
Contract Type: Individual Contractor
Duty Station: Home Based
Expected Place of Travel: Project sites in Cambodia
Contract Duration: 30 days from July 2026 to January 2027
Scope of Work
To advance the ABS framework, efforts will focus on developing new or revising the existing legislation and promoting its elevation to an ABS sub-decree . To strengthen the national ABS Governance, the Consultant is expected to develop an ABS Framework Implementation Plan and Model Contracts, considering the following Theory of Change:
- Planned Intervention: Develop and implement ABS legal and regulatory frameworks at the national and sub-national level, aligned with the Nagoya Protocol, including policy guidelines, permit systems, and compliance monitoring.
- Expected Result: A fully operational ABS framework at national and sub-national levels, ensuring compliance and improved resource management.
- Change Pathway: The creation of clear, streamlined, and tightly integrated legal and policy frameworks will enhance coordination among stakeholders and improve equitable access to and sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources.
- Model Contracts: The contracts that align and integrate with the overall ABS regulatory and institutional framework and will be used as part of the demonstration projects.
- English - Fluent is required
- Master's Degree in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Science, or Development Studies, and Other related fields.
- At least of progressive experience in biodiversity and forest conservation, ecosystem protection, or related field. for 10 years
- Fluency in written and spoken English required. An understanding of Khmer is an advantage.
- At least five years of experience in the field of Access and Benefit Sharing, with a solid understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, including the understanding of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance, for example.
- Proven experience in developing contractual instruments between Local Communities (IPLC) and private sector entities, ensuring FPIC and equitable benefit-sharing.
- Experience working in development partner-funded nature conservation or natural resource management projects.
- Solid understanding of Cambodia’s landscape, biodiversity, and ecosystem issues, including its values and functions.
- Experience in mainstreaming FPIC.
- Experience with GEF and/or other UN-assisted projects.
- Excellent analytical capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of project reports.
- Displays sensitivity and adaptability to different cultures, genders, religions, races, nationalities, and age groups.
- Good team player and self-starter, able to work with minimal supervision and maintain strong relationships.
National Consultant – Development of Guidelines on Climate-resilient Practices & Procedures for documenting TK and IKSP
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Project: Advancing Access and Benefit Sharing Implementation in Cambodia (A-ABS), Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
Post Level: Specialist
Contract Type: Individual Contractor
Duty Station: Home Based
Expected Place of Travel: Project sites in Cambodia
Contract Duration: 35 days (between July and November 2026)
Scope of Work
Cambodia’s biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge (TK) are facing accelerating threats due to economic development, deforestation, habitat loss, overharvesting, and rapid land-use changes. As the country transitions from a subsistence-based agrarian economy to a consumption-driven cash economy, competing demands for land from agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure development have contributed to biodiversity loss. Despite covering about 40% of its land area with protected areas, Cambodia’s biologically rich ecosystems continue to decline. Over 324 native medicinal plant species are classified as threatened, posing risks to the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) who depend on them for traditional medicine, food, and cultural practices. Modernization and unsustainable practices have led to the erosion of TK associated with these genetic resources.
- Khmer - Fluent is required
- English - Fluent is required
- Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Law, Environmental Science, or Development Studies, and Other related fields.
- At least of progressive experience in biodiversity and forest conservation, ecosystem protection, or related field for 5 years
- A Cambodian National with proficiency in written and spoken English and Khmer is required.
- Understanding of Access and Benefit Sharing, including an understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol; Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance.
- Experience working in development partner-funded nature conservation or natural resource management projects.
- Demonstrated experience in the analysis and development of the ABS-related guidelines
- Understanding of Cambodia’s Biodiversity landscape, biodiversity, and ecosystem issues, including its values and functions
- Experience in policy-related data collection and analysis
- Experience in restoration of GR and bioprospecting species, and understanding of TK and IKSP.
- Good team player, self-starter, has the ability to work under minimal supervision and maintain good relationships.
National Consultant – Analysis of ABS-Related Laws and Regulations
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant, Law, Resources & Environment
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Project: Advancing Access and Benefit Sharing Implementation in Cambodia (A-ABS), Ministry of Environment, Cambodia
Post Level: Specialist
Contract Type: Individual Contractor
Duty Station: Home Based
Expected Place of Travel: Project sites in Cambodia
Contract Duration: 32 days (Between July and November 2026)
Scope of Work
The consultant is expected to complete a comprehensive stocktaking and analysis of ABS-related laws, regulations, and the sub-decree. S/he will identify the laws and regulations that need to be updated and harmonized in alignment with the Nagoya Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including, for example, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance. Based on this, a detailed policy recommendation will be developed. This document will set out the various options available, summarize the most essential information, and identify the specific issues on which formal national policy guidance will be needed in the course of national framework development.
The consultant will also review ABS institutional and governance framework and practices (including Technical Working Groups – TWGs), with a focus on national and sub-national administration and governance, in consultation with local government, communities, and the private sector. S/he will identify the practical issues that may constitute obstacles to institutional development relevant to ABS, and make recommendations that are relevant and practical in the Cambodian context.
Until the policy and legislative decisions relating to Cambodia's overall ABS framework have been made, it is difficult to identify specific new institutions that must be formally established, and in fact, in order to implement that framework.
- Khmer - Fluent is required
- English - Fluent is required
- Master's Degree in Law, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Science, Biodiversity Conservation, or Development Studies, and Other related fields
- At least of progressive experience in biodiversity and forest conservation, ecosystem protection, or related field for 5 years
- A Cambodian National with proficiency in written and spoken English and Khmer is required.
- Demonstrated experience in the field of Access and Benefit Sharing, with a solid understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, including the understanding of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance, for example.
- Experience in the analysis of biodiversity conservation, ABS-related policies, and institutional frameworks
- Understanding of Cambodia’s Biodiversity landscape, biodiversity, and ecosystem issues, including its values and functions.
- Understanding of IPLC and experience in mainstreaming FPIC.
- Experience in policy-related data collection and analysis
- Demonstrated experience in writing analytical reports and policy recommendations
- Displays sensitivity and adaptability to different cultures, genders, religions, races, nationalities, and age groups.
- Experience with GEF and/or other UN-assisted projects.
- Experience working in development partner-funded nature conservation or natural resource management projects.
- Good team player, self-starter, has the ability to work under minimal supervision and maintain good relationships.
