UNDP Jobs - 48522- International Technical Consultant on Sustainable

International Technical Consultant on Sustainable Management of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and U-POPs/Mercury in the Healthcare Sector.

Location :

Home- based and Podgorica, MONTENEGRO

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

25-Aug-2014

Application Deadline :

07-Aug-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Three months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Up to 15 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

What are POPs ?

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic chemical substances, that is, they are carbon-based. They possess a particular combination of physical and chemical properties such that, once released into the environment, they:

remain intact for exceptionally long periods of time (many years);
become widely distributed throughout the environment as a result of natural processes involving soil, water and, most notably, air;
accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms including humans, and are found at higher concentrations at higher levels in the food chain; and
are toxic to both humans and wildlife.

As a result of releases to the environment over the past several decades due especially to human activities, POPs are now widely distributed over large regions (including those where POPs have never been used) and, in some cases, they are found around the globe. This extensive contamination of environmental media and living organisms includes many foodstuffs and has resulted in the sustained exposure of many species, including humans, for periods of time that span generations, resulting in both acute and chronic toxic effects.

In addition, POPs concentrate in living organisms through another process called bioaccumulation. Though not soluble in water, POPs are readily absorbed in fatty tissue, where concentrations can become magnified by up to 70,000 times the background levels. Fish, predatory birds, mammals, and humans are high up the food chain and so absorb the greatest concentrations. When they travel, the POPs travel with them. As a result of these two processes, POPs can be found in people and animals living in regions such as the Arctic, thousands of kilometers from any major POPs source.

Specific effects of POPs can include cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity, damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune system. Some POPs are also considered to be endocrine disrupters, which, by altering the hormonal system, can damage the reproductive and immune systems of exposed individuals as well as their offspring; they can also have developmental and carcinogenic effects.

Montenegro and the Stockholm Convention on POPs
Montenegro has been a state party to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants) since March 2011. The establishment of environmentally sound management of PCBs is consistent with national priorities and strategies for elimination of releases to the environment and for elimination of hazards for human beings, as defined in the National Implementation Plan for the Stockholm Convention of Montenegro. The inventory, storage and final disposal of PCBs contaminated equipment and wastes are defined as future tasks in the Action Plan for PCBs.

The legal base for appropriate PCBs management is given in the Law on Waste Management from 2011, as well as relevant by-laws which are drafted according to this law. Removal of PCB equipment and decontamination of equipment containing PCBs may be made not later than 31 December 2020th year and equipment containing PCBs may be used by 31 December 2020th year.

Montenegro ratified the Convention on Long Range Trans-Boundary Air Pollution with 3 protocols of which one is the Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants. According to the POPs Protocol that has stricter provisions regarding the relevant PCBs the parties are obliged to eliminate the use of PCBs in equipment (transformers, capacitors and the like) containing more than 5 dm3 or concentration equal to or exceeding 0.005% PCBs no later than 31 December 2015 in case of countries with economies in transition.

In Montenegro, PCB mixtures have not been and are not produced. Also, production of PCBs and equipment with PCBs are not planned. PCB compounds in Montenegro have been used and are still used mostly in closed systems (as dielectrics in transformers and capacitors). Future use of equipment with PCBs will be limited in line with the ban of import of PCBs and equipment, and the plan for phased replacement of equipment in line with the Stockholm Convention.

Presence of equipment containing PCBs and waste with PCBs is one of the urgent problems in managing POP chemicals in Montenegro. According to the collected data it can be noted that PCBs and PCTs are not produced in Montenegro. Import of equipment and fluids containing PCBs is banned. Some contaminated locations on the territory of Montenegro have been identified by National implementation plan of Stockholm convention. The existing data are collected through various projects (Monitoring Program for pesticide residues in the food of plant and animal origin, Monitoring Program for foods of animal origin, Monitoring Program for hazardous and harmful matters in soil, KAP Monitoring Program, Monitoring Program for surface and underground waters) or analysis of inspection samples. The level of equipment capacities for doing required analyses is high. In Montenegro there are all capacities required for monitoring of PCB substances in samples of plants and plant products, food, water and soil with partial supplementing of relevant legal regulations and ensuring financial resources. In order to further properly manage PCBs and fulfil the obligations of the Stockholm Convention, it is required to:

Development of the Study on potentially contaminated POPs locations and action plans for treatment of contaminated areas;
National inventory of PCB and PCB containing equipment and development of the national PCB management plan (establishing of inventory of equipment containing PCBs and PCB waste in Montenegro, development of the National plan for disposal/decontamination of equipment containing PCBs and PCB waste);
Removal of PCB, PCB containing equipment from target site and transport them to the disposal unit;
Disposal of PCB, PCB containing equipment in an environmentally sound manner;
Capacity building for POPs and PCB management (organizing training program for competent authorities for managing and handling PCB waste, development of a manual for identification and safe handling of equipment containing PCBs for persons who perform control and putting PCB and PCB waste out of use, training of persons who maintain equipment containing PCBs, raising awareness of general population of PCBs and manner of their final disposal);
Initial enabling activities on Minamata Convention since Montenegro plans to sign it in the coming period.

Considering Montenegro’s priorities on implementation of its National Implementation Plan (NIP) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs), UNDP CO in Montenegro would like to hire a short-term International Consultant needed to assist the Country Office in preparation of a GEF project concept for a future medium-sized programme of national significance for its further funding though GEF-6 programming cycle to address remaining PCBs and demonstrate minimization of uPOPs releases as directed by the Government and in line with GEF procedures and funding eligibility and co-financing rules.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and direct supervision of UNDP Project Manager, the International Technical Consultant (further in the text – Consultant) will assist the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro and UNDP Country Office in developing a project identification framework (PIF) to approach the GEF to request technical and financial assistance for risk reduction, safe management and disposal of PCB stockpiles in the country and demonstration of U-POPs releases minimization in the health-care sector.

The Consultant will provide technical guidance to the national partner(s) on issues related to sound addressing such currently used or disconnected PCB equipment, and U-POPs release minimization, specifically tailored to prevalent national circumstances identified during the PIF development process. Among the outputs of the activities supported by the Consultant will be:

Provide guidance on the type of information required from the national counterparts to assist in formulation of the project concept;
Study NIP documentation, and use any other existing sources of data and other useful materials in PIF formulation exercise;
Review and comment on reports and information sources made available under the guidance of key project counterparts in order to improve the quality of data up to the level required for formulation of the project concept;
Embark on a country visit to collect any additional information for PIF formulation, or to have required consultations with the national counterparts and potential project partners in terms of direct meetings or a PIF presentation workshop. These consultations will involve the design of future project, areas of POPs waste addressed, co-finance issues as needed in the process;
Based on collected information and consultations, design and draft the overall project concept (background information, project justification, risk assessment, incremental reasoning for GEF involvement and estimated cost-effectiveness of POPs pesticides disposal) and submit the draft concept to UNDP-Montenegro. The project concept will be further submitted to the GEF;
Collect comments from UNDP and national partners, particularly the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism of Montenegro;
Address the comments and prepares the final version of the PIF and submit the final version of the PIF to UNDP for clearance.

The International Consultant will be expected to assist in addressing comments received from STAP, GEF Secretariat, the Stockholm Convention Secretariat, Council Members and associated revisions in the PIF document.

Outputs:

The international consultant is responsible for the following outcomes:
Initial PIF outline based on data research and consultations. Mission agenda is ready.
Mission report for the Mission.
Final version of PIF in the GEF format.

Schedule of work:

Milestone 1

By 10th September 2014 – Based on initial data research and consultation with a local team, PIF outline prepared and submitted to UNDP. Mission agenda is ready.

Milestone 2

By 26th September 2014 – Mission to Montenegro during third week of September completed. Mission report submitted and approved by UNDP. Initial findings confirmed, consultations with key partners held.

Milestone 3

By 10th October 2014 – Final version of the PIF, with the comments from UNDP and national partners addressed, prepared and ready for submission.

Timing and reporting:

The assignment will be carried out for total 15 working days until 31st October, 2014.

Time duration and travel:

The consultant is expected to start with activities in last week of August, 2014, with a completion period in a maximum of 15 working days, until 31st October, 2014. One mission to Montenegro with the maximum of 5 working days of duration is expected.

Competencies

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UN/UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates ability to manage complexities and work under pressure, as well as conflict resolution skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Graduate degree in hazardous waste management, environmental science and management, or related fields.

Experience:

At least 5 years of relevant work experience in chemicals/hazardous waste management and specifically obsolete POPs pesticides/PCBs/contaminated soils and healthcare waste management;
Experience in designing/providing consultancies for GEF projects ;
Working experience in/for UNDP is an advantage;
Computer proficiency (MS Office package, Internet).

Language:

Fluency in English with exceptional writing, presentation and communication skills.

Application procedure:

Interested offerors are requested to submit their applications by August 7th, 2014 by using the Apply now button. The application should contain a duly completed Personal History Form (P11) that can be downloaded from
http://www.me.undp.org/content/montenegro/en/home/operations/jobs.html.

The short-listed offerors only will be contacted and requested to submit a letter of interest including a price quotation indicating the lump sum (in EUR) requested for the work and travel envisaged in the section "Duties and Responsibilities".