Consultant - Digital Evidence Management Specialist

Consultant - Digital Evidence Management Specialist UNDOS - United Nations Department of Operational Support Remote | New York City International CON level Speaks English Application deadline: March 30, 2026 Closed Apply Summary by Impactpool The Consultant - Digital Evidence Management Specialist will support the Archives and Records Management Section (ARMS) in designing procedures and systems for managing digital evidence related to UN peacekeeping operations. The role involves developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), governance frameworks, and metadata requirements to ensure the integrity and accessibility of digital evidence. The consultant will also facilitate stakeholder engagement and produce documentation for ICT governance approval. This position requires a strong background in digital evidence management and collaboration with various UN entities. Candidate Requirements: Advanced university degree in relevant field Minimum 7 years of professional experience Experience in digital evidence management Knowledge of international standards for evidence handling Strong stakeholder engagement skills Excellent drafting skills in English Result of Service • Timely delivery of high‑quality outputs. • Compliance with international standards for evidence management and digital preservation. • Positive feedback from stakeholder consultations. • Acceptance of documentation by relevant ICT governance body. Work Location New York or remote Expected duration 8 months Duties and Responsibilities The Archives and Records Management Section (ARMS), which is in the Department of Operational Support manages and preserves UN historical archives. It provides access to the records and archives in its custody to Member States, UN staff and the public, both online through its website and onsite in its research room. ARMS also provides records and information management advisory services to all Secretariat entities, including peacekeeping operations and other field missions. The United Nations increasingly receives or generates digital evidence of serious crimes, including attacks against UN peacekeepers and personnel, in the course of peacekeeping operations and related investigations. After mission closure, these materials are transferred to the Department of Operational Support’s Archives and Records Management Section (ARMS), which is responsible for their long-term preservation and availability. Currently, the UN lacks standardized procedures, metadata requirements, and a unified digital repository capable of ensuring evidentiary integrity, chain of custody, authenticity, accessibility, and long‑term preservation. This gap has hampered cooperation with Member States and international tribunals, particularly in support of accountability processes related to attacks on peacekeepers as defined under Security Council Resolution 2589. To address this, ARMS is implementing a project to design the procedures, governance, and technical requirements necessary to establish an evidence management framework and a secure digital repository for digital evidence. A consultant is required to support ARMS in designing these processes and systems. Duties and responsibilities: A. Evidence Management Procedures 1. Develop comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidance for UN field missions on: - Handling and preservation of digital evidence - Chain of custody requirements - Metadata capture - Secure transfer to ARMS during mission transition or closure 2. Develop SOPs for ARMS for long‑term preservation, integrity, access control, and lifecycle management of digital evidence. B. Governance Framework 1. Define roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders across the evidence lifecycle, including field missions, ARMS, OICT, DPO, OLA, OHCHR, and liquidating entities. 2. Draft the project governance package for submission to the relevant ICT governance body. C. Metadata, Tagging, and Searchability 1. Develop standard metadata requirements for evidence, including: - Identification of crimes against peacekeepers (UNSCR 2589) - Gender‑based violence (GBV) indicators - Forensic and investigative attributes 2. Develop guidelines on searching, locating, and retrieving relevant evidence within the system. D. Secure Sharing and E‑Discovery 1. Produce technical guidance for secure sharing with Member States and international judicial authorities. 2. Recommend e‑discovery, review, and redaction tools suitable for UN use. E. Digital Repository Requirements 1. Develop system requirements and architecture for a secure digital evidence repository hosted in UN data centres. 2. Provide cost projections for software, hosting, and any required equipment. 3. Participate in consultations with OICT, UNGSC, and other stakeholders to ensure feasibility and alignment with UN ICT governance processes. F. Stakeholder Engagement 1. Facilitate consultations and validation workshops with missions, accountability focal points, investigative mechanisms, and relevant Secretariat offices. 2. Incorporate feedback and produce final documentation for approval. Deliverables 1 Evidence Management SOPs for field missions 2 Evidence Transfer SOPs and chain‑of‑custody templates 3 ARMS Evidence Preservation and Access SOPs 4 Evidence Lifecycle Governance Framework 5 Metadata standards including UNSCR 2589 and GBV tags 6 Guidelines for evidence search, retrieval, and secure sharing 7 System architecture and technical requirements for digital repository 8 Costing projections with multiple options for e‑discovery and repository software 9 Project documentation to be used for ICT governance approval Schedule for the provision of deliverables to be agreed between consultant and ARMS upon commencement of the contract. Qualifications/special skills Education • Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in archives and records management, information management, digital forensics, law, criminal justice, or related field. •