UNDP Jobs - 45882- Access to Benefit Sharing Specialist

Access to Benefit Sharing Specialist

Location :

Home-based position with missions in Beijing, CHINA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

16-Jun-2014

Application Deadline :

16-May-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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 overall objective of the assignment is to assist the team leader and local consultant in the preparation of the full-size Project Document to provide international perspective on and global level expertise in Access and Benefit Sharing.

The Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection has requested GEF assistance through UNDP for the preparation a project proposal for a full sized project: “Developing and Implementing the National Framework on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge”. The project aims to develop and implement China’s national framework on access to and benefit sharing (ABS) of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in accordance with provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol (NP). The project will remove the aforementioned barriers and enable the country to ratify and implement the NP by promoting the establishment of the National Regulatory and Institutional Framework on ABS, Strengthening ABS Capacity Building and Awareness Raising, and support up to 6 such pilots focusing on genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangxi Provinces and/or Inner Mongolia.

The Project Preparation Grant (PPG) has been requested to formulate the full-sized project through appropriate situation analysis and stakeholder consultations. The preparatory phase will include the collection of information and gathering of data for the project design and improve baseline context for the project; identifying implementing partners and implementation arrangements; develop results framework that has optimal resource allocation from GEF and other stakeholders to meet the project objective; identifying and selecting pilots from potential pilots; developing more investigation on risks lists in PIF. The activities of the PPG include: baseline and capacity needs assessment of ABS for China; conduct logical framework analysis (LFA) and define project goal, objectives, outcomes, outputs and key activities. The outcome of the PPG will be Project Document and Request for CEO Endorsement.

Please download Project Identification Form (PIP) for you to better know about the project from this link: http://yun.baidu.com/share/link?shareid=2065158734&uk=2217764688.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will carry out the following tasks:

In close collaboration with the lead national specialist, conduct legal and institutional review for establishing ABS implementation framework and development of supportingpolicies and laws and recommend interventions in the project design based on international best practices – to improve policy decision making and on the ground implementation of conservation, sustainable use and fair and equitable sharing of benefits;
Undertake capacity assessment of MEP/FECO, provincial and local governments & stakeholders, including regulatory framework, policies, traditional knowledge, etc. and design capacity development response to strengthen and facilitate bio-discoveries and ABS agreement development and negotiation, and identify strategic areas of support for the project intervention;
Conduct consultations with potential international and local private sector companies, as determined by the MEP/FECO, in order to secure their full participation in and co-financing of pilot activities;
Develop a draft framework for the Nagoya Protocol Compliant ABS policy and/or law;
Facilitate workshops amongst project stakeholders to identify potential national/international partners to pilot ABS agreement that is compliant with the Nagoya Protocol;
Develop detailed plans for the pilot component, including a preparatory analysis of viable ABS agreements to be established with support of the project and potential biodiscovery and ABS process pilots to be supported by the project;
Provide technical review and input to the project document / CEO document, as well as for official response to the GEF Secretariat’s review comments.

Competencies

Demonstrated strategic technical and intellectual skills in the substantive area;
Demonstrated ability to work in a team, ability for managing timely and effective delivery of both quantity and quality before the deadlines;
Excellent communication (both oral and written) and partnership building skills with multi-dimension partners, people skills for conflict resolution and negotiation;
Knowledge and experience in working in the relevant field in China and its government, experiences working in international organizations in China or abroad is an asset;
Computer proficiency, especially related to professional office software packages (Microsoft Office).

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Master’s Degree or equivalent in natural sciences, environmental management or related fields.

Experience

Knowledge and experience in working in the relevant field in China and its government, experiences working in international organizations in China or abroad is an asset;
Minimum of 10 years of demonstrable experience and knowledge in the field of ABS and genetic biodiversity conservation in particular ABS framework and policy development as well as ABS agreement negotiation and development;
Extensive experiences in dealing with private sector companies in the fields relevant to ABS.

Language

Excellent English language skills, particularly in the preparation of written documents.