Call for peer-reviewers

MOSAIC Call for Peer Reviewers

Whole-of-society Marine Spatial Planning in South Africa

IPOS is seeking three independent people to review MOSAIC’s process and method used to develop supporting strategies, materials and tools for strengthening inclusive participation of whole-of society in South Africa’s marine spatial planning.

About MOSAIC

MOSAIC (Meaningful Ocean Spatial Planning and Inclusive Co-design) is an IPOS Action Request responding to South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) call for support. 

MOSAIC brings together legal and social analysis, international experience and knowledge contributed through a Hybrid Working Group and engagement with representatives of whole-of society, including deep engagement with coastal communities at 4 learning sites. The resulting engagement strategy and practical guidance are intended for DFFE and the national MSP National Working Group. Their strategy and tools will guide inclusive participation across the stages of MSP and in other ocean governance processes (e.g. South Africa’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and its commitments to the Kunming Global Biodiversity Framework).

Expertise sought

One reviewer will be selected for each of the following areas:

• Law and marine governance

A legal scholar or practitioner with expertise in South African environmental or marine law, public participation requirements and institutional mandates.

• Indigenous knowledge

Indigenous practitioners, local knowledge holders, community leaders, and people with substantial experience working with Indigenous/local communities and documenting this knowledge are encouraged to apply.

• Social science

A social scientist with expertise in knowledge co-production, participatory engagement and sociocultural mapping, able to assess both the analyses and the methods used to co-produce them.

Applications are welcome from South Africa and internationally. Relevant professional practice and community-based contributions will be considered alongside academic experience.

Review assignment

The review covers the draft engagement strategy and the work underpinning it: Whole-of-society principles and indicators, and the synthesis of international engagement practices; Sociocultural synthesis and mapping analysis; Legal analyses of minimum participation standards, legal conflicts and overlapping institutional mandates; and the process report documenting stakeholder and community workshops and knowledge co-production.

Reviewers will assess the accuracy and methodological quality of the assigned materials, the evidence supporting the conclusions, and the fair representation of relevant knowledge. They will provide written comments and specific recommendations, then examine the authors’ responses and revised materials in a second round.

The eight working days cover both rounds and related exchanges with the project team.

Review schedule

Fee

Each reviewer will receive USD 4,000 for eight working days at USD 500 per day. Availability for both review rounds is required.

Selection criteria

Selection will consider relevant expertise, independence and complementarity across the three profiles, alongside geographic and institutional diversity and gender balance. English is the working language for the review. 

How to apply

Send a CV or professional profile of no more than two pages to tanya.brodierudolph@ipos.earth (copy pierre.karleskind@ipos.earth) by 30 September 2026, using the subject line “MOSAIC peer review application”.

In your email, specify the profile you are applying for, briefly describe your relevant experience, confirm your availability and disclose any potential conflicts of interest.

Further information about IPOS: ipos.earth