Local Consultant - Supporting the Development of a National Strategy against Organized Crime in Sierra Leone

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Local Consultant to support Sierra Leone in drafting a national strategy against organized crime.

Opportunity to lead research, stakeholder facilitation, and policy drafting on transnational organized crime.

Result of Service

4. Expected tangible and measurable output(s)/deliverable(s) 1) The strategic analysis of organized crime in Sierra Leone is successfully conducted and completed in a timely manner (including methodology, desk research, stakeholder consultations); 2) A minimum of (2) meetings of the working group and one (1) multistakeholder consultation are successfully facilitated, in cooperation with all relevant counterparts; 3) The draft national strategy is produced with objectives, sub-objectives and activities following the approach of UNODC Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit and based on national priorities; 4) The draft national strategy is complemented with the implementation mechanism and the monitoring and evaluating framework of the strategy, in accordance with the approach developed in the UNODC Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit and national priorities.

Work Location

Home-based, with possible travel within Sierra Leone if required.

Expected duration

1 September 2026 -31 March 2027

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Background of the assignment Organized criminal groups are becoming increasingly poly-criminal, being involved in various crimes and trafficking different illicit goods and commodities. It is therefore crucial for States to develop regional and national whole-of-society strategies against organized crime that are comprehensive, coherent and evidence-based, tackling the structural drivers, root causes and enablers of organized crime, to complement crime-specific responses. The mandate of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in supporting States in this undertaking was reiterated by resolutions 10/4 and 11/2 adopted by Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (“UNTOC”, the “Organized Crime Convention” or the “Convention”). Translating the Convention into practice is the core principle of the UNODC Global Programme for Implementing the Organized Crime Convention. Under this Global Programme, UNODC has been supporting countries worldwide in developing comprehensive strategies against organized crime to implement UNTOC more effectively. In this regard, UNODC developed an Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit to support States in the development and implementation of strategies to prevent and combat organized crime. Relying on the provisions of UNTOC, the Toolkit provides a comprehensive framework and outlines a set of principles and guidelines for the formulation of strategies that are designed to respond to the full range of threats emanating from organized crime. The Toolkit is aimed at establishing a comprehensive, system-wide approach encompassing the local, national, (sub-)regional and international levels, with a view to aligning collective efforts to respond to organized crime. In furtherance of the principle of leaving no one behind, the human rights and gender dimensions of the fight against transnational organized crime are mainstreamed in the Toolkit. The Toolkit is being completed by a number of regional policy briefs focused on strategic analysis and responses to the organized crime problem in several regions. In Sierra Leone, organized criminal groups exploit institutional vulnerabilities and insufficient inter-institutional coordination to develop increasingly diverse and sophisticated illicit activities, weaken border controls and often operate across national borders. On 3 June 2026, the Sierra Leonean government, in line with its international commitments, particularly the Organized Crime Convention and the Protocols thereto, expressed the need to strengthen its national legislative and institutional frameworks for the prevention of and fight against organized crime, through a technical assistance request from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to UNODC for support to the country’s ambition to develop a national strategy against organized crime.

2. Purpose of the assignment The overall objective of this assignment is to assist Sierra Leone in developing a national strategy against organized crime based on the UNODC Organized Crime Strategy Toolkit, in coordination with UNODC and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which coordinates this project at the national level.

3. Specific tasks to be performed by the consultant Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer (UNODC Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention), and in close coordination with the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the consultant will perform the following specific tasks:

• Collect organized crime-related reports/data and information and conduct a strategic analysis of organized crime in Sierra Leone, including desk research and stakeholders’ consultations on the context, markets and actors of organized crime as well as identified vulnerabilities, in line with the “UNODC Strategic Analysis of Organized Crime: A Practitioner’s Guide” and in close coordination with UNODC staff in Dakar and headquarters;
• Provide guidance to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the establishment and continuous functioning of the inter-agency working group for the development of a national strategy against organized crime;
• Propose draft objectives and sub-objectives for the national strategy against organized crime in Sierra Leone;
• Participate in and support the facilitation of a first workshop for the development of the national strategy against organized crime in Sierra Leone;
• Based on the outcomes of the workshop, prepare a draft of the national strategy against organized crime with objectives and sub-objectives;
• Ahead of the second workshop, compile a draft list of activities under each sub-objective, in close coordination with UNODC and the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
• Support the organization and facilitation of a second working group meeting for the development of the national strategy against organized crime in Sierra Leone;
• Revise the draft strategy to integrate the agreed upon activities and suggest a relevant implementation mechanism as well as a robust monitoring and evaluation framework of the strategy;
• Support the organization and facilitation of a third and final working group meeting;
• Back-to-back with the final working group meeting, support the organization and facilitation of a multistakeholder consultation then incorporate final comments/inputs from participants into the draft strategy;
• Revise the final draft of the national strategy, incorporating contributions and comments from the latest meetings, while meaningfully mainstreaming gender and human rights throughout.

Qualifications/special skills

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, criminology, crime prevention, project monitoring and evaluation or related field 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 seven (7) years of experience related to policy development, including specific experience in developing policies against organized crime is required;
• Knowledge of transnational organized crime including of drivers, markets, vulnerabilities, solutions and key stakeholders’ roles and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime is required;
• Ability to interact with government agencies and other relevant stakeholders to operate effectively; establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations is required;
• Strong analytical, writing, editing and presentation skills are required;
• Proven experience in supporting the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and/or on conducting monitoring and evaluation tasks is required;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, Power-point etc.) is desirable;
• Understanding of gender and human rights dimensions of organized crime is desirable;
• Ability to operate effectively in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity and gender is desirable;
• Proven experience in conducting assessments/gap analysis on organized crime within Sierra Leone or in West Africa is desirable;
• Familiarity with the United Nations system and procedures is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English, with excellent drafting and communication skills, is required. Proficiency in at least one local language is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.