Background

The project will contribute to the removal of barriers to climate-resilient integrated natural resources management (INRM) in Iran by providing coordination mechanisms, policies, and inventories of good practice, degradation assessments and INRM training. Participatory, gender sensitive, community-driven demonstration activities of INRM will be undertaken in four watersheds totaling 49,230 hectares, representing a range of dry land situations where land use types co-exist in the same landscapes and where cross-sectoral coordination is essential.

Global environmental benefits will include:

• Enhancement of ecosystem services;
• Carbon sequestration in forest, range and rainfed agriculture;
• Further mainstreaming of biodiversity; and
• Balancing the use of surface and groundwater resources.

Duration of the Project is from September 2010 to 30 August 2015 and the Implementing Partner of this project is Forest, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWO) of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran (MoJA).

The goal of the project is to promote climate-resilient and gender sensitive integrated management of renewable natural resources, providing global environment benefits for the four GEF focal areas (LD, CC, IW and BD), while maintaining the capacity of ecosystems to deliver the goods and services needed to support local livelihoods. The project will contribute to this goal along with the other projects under the MENARID and in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Its objective is to remove barriers to Integrated Natural Resources Management (INRM) by developing and strengthening institutional knowledge, capacity and coordination, and by demonstrating and up-scaling successful sustainable land and water management practices.

The current project is comprised of three (3) substantive and complementary components as below:

• Component 1: Improved knowledge and understanding;
• Component 2: An enabling environment;
• Component 3: Community driven approaches.

The expected outcomes from each of these components are as follows:

• Outcome 1: Enhanced engendered knowledge and understanding of the drivers of land-use change causing land, ecosystem and water degradation with consequent impacts on ecosystem services and local livelihoods;
• Outcome 2: An enabling environment for INRM and the use of the enhanced knowledge from Component 1;
• Outcome 3: Community-driven, climate-resilient approaches and techniques for sustainable land and water management demonstrated through INRM practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

The specific responsibilities and deliverables of the CTA include the following (to be compensated on a daily payments basis, through time sheets approved by National Project Director (NPD):

• Provide technical advisory inputs on AWP, TOR’s and related aspects and support PMU on key strategic tasks in various components inception periods throughout the year;
• Review the quarterly work-plans and provide comments and technical inputs - to help ensure achievement of delivery and performance at the beginning of each quarter;
• Develop and finalize TOR’s for all project staff and consultants that are to be recruited (and advise on recruitment and selection process and review CVs of all applicants, and if possible participate in the selection process), upon request of NPD/NPM;
• Support trainings to PMU, NPD, NPM and PPM and other project stakeholders, and Identify suitable international training opportunities, throughout the year;
• Support in the design of the monitoring and evaluation system and ensure its contribution to an effective adaptive management process in the project;
• Support in the design and implementation of a good communications strategy, and a strategy for documenting and disseminating lessons learned and best practices;
• Support preparation of Project Board meetings’ reports – two meetings within one year, preparation of PIRs
• Contribute into the regular updating of Offline Risk Log of the project;
• Visit the project once every Quarter.

Competencies

Core competencies

Integrity:

• Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

 Professionalism:

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

 Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity:

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
• Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Functional competencies

Planning and Organizing:

• Ability to plan work assignments, establish priorities and meet strict assignment deadlines with limited resources.

 Coordination and Monitoring:

• Ability to build strong relationships with clients and focus on impact and results;
• Demonstrated aptitude to build effective partnerships with a diverse group of stakeholders;
• Capacity to coordinate monitoring activities, to mentor programme/project staff/national counterparts and provide guidance and support.

Communications and Language:

• Compelling (verbal and written) communication skills including ability to prepare reports, formulate and defend sound recommendations and articulate opinions concisely conveying maximum necessary information;
• Outstanding oral and written communication and presentation skills in English.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master degree in Environment, Development and/or relevant degree.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years broad international experience with integrated natural resources management Extensive practical experience with community-based participatory approaches; and
• Good understanding of the requirements for a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system.

Language:

• Fluent in written and spoken English.

Note:

“For more information please visit UNDP procurement notices as
http://procurement-notices.undp.org   - Notice ID: 11838”.