UNDP Jobs - 45534- Extending the Coastal Forest Protected Area Subsys

Extending the Coastal Forest Protected Area Subsystem in Tanzania

Location :

Kilimanjaro, TANZANIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

17-Apr-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

21 Working Days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

21 Working Days

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The Eastern African Coastal Forests (Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique) have been recognized as a distinct Global Hotspot for the Conservation of Biodiversity on account of high levels of both endemism (plants and several animal taxes) and species richness, both within and between the many constituent small forest patches. This fragmentation into many (>100) distinctive (in terms of substrate, moisture and so diversity) patches, averaging <500 ha compounds the conservation challenge for this region. The lack of timber, distance from tourism routes, and limited water catchment function, prevents the use of most existing PES mechanisms (although carbon via REDD does offer some opportunity). Forest patches support soil development and hence there is conversion pressure to cultivate forest soils instead of the sandy low clay and low fertility soils elsewhere in the coastal area.

Government and WWF in the region have prioritized the Coastal Forest Eco-Region, developed an approved Conservation Strategy at national levels, and created a functional Coastal Forest Task Force to oversee the Strategy. GEF supports this Conservation Strategy in Kenya (PIMS) and has funded the development of this FSP, covering both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar (note they have totally different forest institutions with separate and different legal frameworks).
Coastal closed forest patches are surrounded by a matrix of different woodland, wooded grassland and cultivation areas. Woodlands (eastern dry miombo / coastal savanna) have valuable timber trees which led to massive external logging pressure earlier this decade. This problem led to strengthening forest management, and especially local community involvement through Participatory Forest Management (PFM). Woodlands offer connectivity and buffer zone functions within forest landscapes. Historically Coastal Forests with little or no timber or water values have been low priority for government investment, and reserve management, which was transferred to district mandates in the 1970’s is grossly underfunded and understaffed. Despite the large number of reserves, several large forest patches with important biodiversity values remain unprotected.

This project works with Government, largely through the forest sector, WWF and other NGOs; to strengthen overall conservation and management of the Coastal Forests of Tanzania, focusing on both Zanzibar and three priority landscapes in south-eastern Tanzania. The project is designed to run for four years through National Execution Modalities, with government sub-contracting WWF to undertake some specific functions. The project will increase the extent of Protected Areas, upgrade key areas to higher status and seek innovative funding mechanisms for the Hot-Spot. Carbon offers some opportunity for such funding

Duties and Responsibilities

To review the results that measure the impacts achieved by project implementation;
To promote learning, feedback and knowledge sharing through results and lessons learned among partners. The evaluation will identify lessons of operational and technical relevance for future project formulation and implementation in the country.
Judging from the results of the project, point out any, gaps and challenges that need to be addressed to achieve the extension of Coastal Forest PA Subsystem in the country and the possible initiative to manage coastal forest sustainably in the future.

Competencies

Functional Competencies for the International Consultant (Team Leader):

An effective evaluation manager with demonstrated experience in conducting international development evaluations preferably at team leader role;
Demonstrated strong knowledge of Monitoring and Evaluation methods for development projects; knowledge of UNDP’s results-based management orientation and practices;
Broad knowledge of Forest Conservation in Africa (particularly Eastern or Southern Africa), especially on community based forest management approaches, and the best ways to improve livelihoods from these approaches

Corporate competencies:

Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

At least Masters Degree or higher in the area of environment and natural resources management, natural sciences or economics with experience in research, project design, planning, implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Experience:

A minimum of ten (10) years of post-graduate professional experience in environment/sustainable development, with practical working knowledge of the developing world including East Africa and Tanzania;
Previous experience in protected areas management and landscape planning including Monitoring and Evaluation or management of GEF projects - ideally in Africa;
Substantive knowledge of UNDP-GEF tools for monitoring and Evaluation, and general knowledge of the UNDP Practice Areas, specifically the UNDP Ecosystems and Biodiversity (EBD) Strategy and Global Portfolio;
Familiarity with project implementation in complex multi donor-funded projects.

Language:

Fluency in the English language and excellent oral and written communication skills.

How to submit proposals:

Proposals should be submitted to the following e-mail address not later than 15 April 2014. icprocurement.tz@undp.org;
Applicants should download the application documents (presented in compresses file) from UNDP Tanzania website;
Applicants should separate technical and financial proposals;
Applications with no financial offer or missing P11 form and CV or the required documents for the technical evaluation will not be considered for evaluation;
Applications without submitting a financial offer instead of other format will not be considered due to the ease comparison of the received offers;
All necessary information for this post (TOR, Deliverables, Target dates, etc. are presented in the ICPN) therefore applicant must download it from the website as mentioned above;
Do not send CV only to the Email account mentioned above without Cover Letter and Methodology (if requested) as it will be considered as incomplete application;
The documents are available in PDF (the TOR, ICPN and IC guidelines) download them from (http://www.undp.org/content/tanzania), format: this is the only format available and it will not be provided in other formats;
Each email should be less than 8MB; emails over this size will not be received to the above mentioned account.