The objective of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification around the world, particularly in Africa, through effective action at all levels, supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements. The Global Mechanism is an institution of the UNCCD, mandated to assist countries in the mobilization of financial resources from public and private sector for activities that prevent, control or reverse desertification, land degradation and drought. As the operational arm of the Convention, the Global Mechanism supports countries to translate the Convention into action. The continued degradation of the Sahelian landscape is jeopardizing rural livelihoods and economic development in the region. Agriculture, livestock and forestry provide the income and employment for more than 80% of the population of this region, and land-based activities generate most of the wealth. However, in the Sahelian countries, land degradation leads to an annual decline of nearly 3% of agricultural production, compromising food security and increasing the vulnerability of millions of people, particularly in rural areas. This role will contribute to achieving the bold vision of the Great Green Wall Initiative in the Sahel, by managing UNCCD’s contribution to the GGW Accelerator, supporting local communities to adapt and build resilience to climate change, as well as boost food security and spur economic growth. In addition, the Senior Project Officer will support countries in achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) through addressing underlying vulnerabilities and building resilience to future shocks (climatic and conflict-related). This implies avoiding further land degradation, mitigating, and therefore compensating unavoidable land degradation due to agricultural and urban development needs and restoring as much as possible already degraded land. Additionally, the UNCCD is supporting the development of the Greater Sahel Initiative, a broader program to highlight the Greater Sahel’s potential through the large-scale mobilization of communities, social groups and networks to accelerate installation of clean energy, restore degraded lands and catalyse the development of rural enterprise across the Sahel belt, with a special focus on youth and women. Given the close alignment between the Great Green Wall and our Greater Sahel Initiative, the Senior Project Officer will also undertake activities, notably project development, management and resource mobilization, in support of the Initiative.