Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Protocol Expert for Zero-Deforestation, Colombia
We are searching for an experienced Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification Protocol Expert for Zero-Deforestation, Colombia at our Colombia facility.
Primary Duties And Responsibilities
The UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) programme aims to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to partner countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate goals while supporting poverty alleviation.
UK PACT Colombia is seeking a qualifiedMonitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Policy Expert to support Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) to support the formalisation of the MRV Protocol and its verification system. National system for monitoring and verifying compliance with zero deforestation for the Colombian agri-food sector enables standardised reporting and verification of compliance with zero-deforestation commitments in agri-food supply chains (cocoa, beef, and dairy). However, to ensure its national adoption and sustainability, it is necessary to formalise the MRV Protocol through a joint ministerial resolution (MADR–MinAmbiente) that clearly defines roles, responsibilities, verification processes, and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms.
This short-term assignment will be based in Colombia, ideally in Bogotá, for specific services to be delivered on a fixed term likely from February – 31 March 2026 (with the potential to start sooner pending contracting and availability).
The MRV Policy Expert is required to strengthen inter-ministerial coordination by promoting territorial ownership of the MRV as a sectoral standard for beef and dairy. In this regard, the Expert will support the identification of regulatory synergies, the definition of coordination mechanisms between national and regional entities, and the generation of technical inputs that contribute to the sustainability and effective adoption of the MRV system in the territories. The main goal for the intervention is to develop and validate a technically sound and legally robust draft of the Inter-ministerial Resolution MADR–MinAmbiente that formalises the MRV Protocol and its verification system. The information submitted by the MRV Policy Expert will also include an inter-ministerial coordination protocol so that ministries clearly understand their responsibilities in advancing the resolution, and an action plan to accompany the implementation of the protocol.
The MRV Policy Expert will work directly with MADR and MinAmbiente to:
The Expert will work closely with MADR, MinAmbiente, and CIAT’s MRV technical coordination team to ensure that the legal drafting reflects technical requirements and policy priorities. More detailed tasks include the following:
Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.
Primary Duties And Responsibilities
The UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) programme aims to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to partner countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate goals while supporting poverty alleviation.
UK PACT Colombia is seeking a qualifiedMonitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Policy Expert to support Colombia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) to support the formalisation of the MRV Protocol and its verification system. National system for monitoring and verifying compliance with zero deforestation for the Colombian agri-food sector enables standardised reporting and verification of compliance with zero-deforestation commitments in agri-food supply chains (cocoa, beef, and dairy). However, to ensure its national adoption and sustainability, it is necessary to formalise the MRV Protocol through a joint ministerial resolution (MADR–MinAmbiente) that clearly defines roles, responsibilities, verification processes, and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms.
This short-term assignment will be based in Colombia, ideally in Bogotá, for specific services to be delivered on a fixed term likely from February – 31 March 2026 (with the potential to start sooner pending contracting and availability).
The MRV Policy Expert is required to strengthen inter-ministerial coordination by promoting territorial ownership of the MRV as a sectoral standard for beef and dairy. In this regard, the Expert will support the identification of regulatory synergies, the definition of coordination mechanisms between national and regional entities, and the generation of technical inputs that contribute to the sustainability and effective adoption of the MRV system in the territories. The main goal for the intervention is to develop and validate a technically sound and legally robust draft of the Inter-ministerial Resolution MADR–MinAmbiente that formalises the MRV Protocol and its verification system. The information submitted by the MRV Policy Expert will also include an inter-ministerial coordination protocol so that ministries clearly understand their responsibilities in advancing the resolution, and an action plan to accompany the implementation of the protocol.
The MRV Policy Expert will work directly with MADR and MinAmbiente to:
- Draft an inter-ministerial resolution between MADR and MinAmbiente, developed and validated to formalize the MRV protocol and its verification system, strengthening institutional capacity to comply with Law 2169 on carbon neutrality and climate resilience.
- Develop a validated framework for verification and compliance aligned with Colombia’s climate and zero-deforestation commitments.
The Expert will work closely with MADR, MinAmbiente, and CIAT’s MRV technical coordination team to ensure that the legal drafting reflects technical requirements and policy priorities. More detailed tasks include the following:
- Revision of current regulation and compilation of existing legal instruments, decrees, and ministerial resolutions related to sustainability and environmental traceability through a regulatory harmonization matrix.
- Establishment of a protocol and action plan for interministerial coordination, along with IDEAM and CIAT, incorporating a strategy for technical articulation. This includes identification of critical coordination points between MADR and MinAmbiente, including data flows, competencies, technological platforms (e.g., SNICC, RENARE, and sectoral platforms), monitoring mechanisms, etc., so that ministries clearly understand their responsibilities in advancing the resolution (e.g., creation of competencies for the Zero deforestation Agreements for MRV monitoring, guidelines for adopting the national monitoring system in coordination with the Regional Environmental Authorities (CARs), agricultural secretariats, etc.; indicators).
- Elaboration of a technical justification for the inter-ministerial resolution.
- Revision and adjustment of the first draft of the inter-ministerial resolution. This may include bilateral consultations with both ministries’ legal offices and MRV technical teams and support content for the materials for internal and public consultations
- Preparation and facilitation of two institutional workshops for discussion and endorsement. [MK1][NG2][KM3]
- Draft and socialise lessons learned and recommendations for the territorial adoption of the MRV, as well as an outline of basic indicators for institutional monitoring following the adoption of the resolution.
- In line with UK PACT’s GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion) strategy, all expert deployments are expected to complete GEDSI training and develop a GEDSI Action Plan with the support of the Fund’s GEDSI expert.
- The Expert will also be responsible for all UK PACT reporting to include monthly progress reports as well as a Project Completion Report and closure meeting with the counterparts, the UK Embassy and the UK PACT team.
- Proven experience drafting decrees, resolutions, or policy instruments with Colombian government institutions, preferably with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
- An advanced degree in law, political science, or public policy
- Senior level experience in environmental or livestock and agricultural regulation, public policy drafting, or inter-institutional legal frameworks.
- Deep understanding of climate change, deforestation, and sustainable production policies for the agricultural sector.
- Excellent skills in institutional articulation and coordination with legal and technical teams.
- Strong coordination and facilitation skills with government, private sector, and civil society actors. Including experience with workshop/event coordination.
- Prior experience with public consultation processes is desired.
- Excellent communication, reporting, and diplomacy skills; fluency in Spanish. An intermediate level of English is required for reporting purposes.
Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.