Consultant – Regional Framework for Post-Quantum Cryptography in the Arab Region

About the role

ESCWA is hiring a consultant to carry out a survey of international and regional practices, assess post-quantum cryptography (PQC) readiness in the Arab region and its Member States, and develop a regional framework for institutional PQC. The work is remote, expected to last 4 months, and the consultant must have the legal right to live and work in the specified location.

Key responsibilities

• Inception: hold a kick-off meeting, map stakeholders in each Member State and at regional level, and prepare an inception report with workplan, methodology and consultation plan.
• Review international and regional best practices, including PQC standards landscapes, national strategies and roadmaps, and existing Arab-region initiatives.
• Develop a PQC readiness assessment framework and collect data through desk reviews and stakeholder consultations, then analyse gaps, barriers and risks.
• Draft the Regional PQC Framework, including vision, principles, targets, governance and a phased regional roadmap, and prepare a model national roadmap template.
• Present draft findings to Member States and stakeholders, organise a regional validation workshop, incorporate comments, and produce an executive summary and presentation.
• Deliver a final report of at least 30 pages in Arabic or English, a 2 to 4-page executive summary and a PowerPoint presentation, all in editable Word format with a table of contents, tables and figures, and proper references.
• Ensure the work includes gender, disability and youth dimensions, and respect intellectual-property rules on the report.

Required profile

• Master's degree in ICT, computer science, information technology, computer engineering, cybersecurity, public policy or a related field; a PhD is desirable.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including 5 years in research on, or formulation of, digital, cybersecurity or development policies.
• Demonstrated experience in cryptography, cybersecurity policy or post-quantum migration planning; experience with Arab-region governments is desirable.
• Fluency in Arabic and English; knowledge of French is desirable.
• Legal right to live and work in the specified location.

Required skills

• Cryptography, cybersecurity policy or post-quantum migration planning experience.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.