UNDP Jobs - 49551- International Consultant International Protected A

International Consultant International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader)

Location :

Bissau, GUINEA-BISSAU

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

15-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

60 working days

Languages Required :

English French Portuguese

Expected Duration of Assignment :

12 Weeks (60 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 project seeks to strengthen the financial sustainability and management effectiveness of the national PA system in Guinea-Bissau, and has two components:

Strengthening the financial framework of the national PA system, and 2) PA and buffer zone management in Cantanhez National Park.

The expected outcomes of this FSP are:

1.1 Initial capitalisation of the endowment of the BioGuinea Foundation (FBG) with $8,600,000, increasing sustainability of PA system and consolidating terrestrial PAs of Guinea Bissau;
2.1 Collaborative cost-effective management of Cantanhez NP and related buffer zones and forest areas improving management effectiveness at least 50% over baseline levels;
2.2 Improved management effectiveness reduces threats as measured by: the reduction in the illegal utilisation of woody vegetation and deforestation rates, and the recorded levels of poaching;
2.3 Collectively this reduces the loss of critically threatened W-African forest habitats across c. 106,000 ha of PAs and surrounding zones, and delivers improved protection to globally significant species and other key biodiversity resources in the forest belt biome.
2.4 Benefits to local communities.

The Project Identification Form (PIF) of this Full Sized Project (FSP) was approved by the GEF Council on 20 June 2013. In collaboration with the Government and most notably the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IBAP), the UNDP Country Office (CO) in Guinea Bissau is seeking the services of an international expert consultant in the area of Protected Area Management to lead the implementation of the Project Preparation Grant (PPG).

This International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader), will be part of a team of consultants to work closely with, and under the overall guidance of, the UNDP Country Office, the UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisor and the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Guinea-Bissau. In addition to the International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader), the team is expected to consist of:

An International Biodiversity and Protected Area Financing Expert, with relevant international experience in conservation trust funds and/or the mobilisation of sources of biodiversity finance including REDD, to look after the specifics of this component of the project;
A National Consultant: Project Development, with experience in the development and implementation of environmental and development projects;
A National Consultant: Biodiversity/Natural Resources, with experience in biodiversity, forestry and natural resources management in Guinea Bissau.

The team will be led by the International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader). The National Consultant: Project Development will be responsible for coordination of national partners and country-specific information and operations.

The Government of Guinea Bissau has sought UNDP support to implement the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) for the UNDP-GEF full-sized project “Strengthening the financial and operational framework of the national PA system in Guinea-Bissau”. The project seeks to strengthen the financial sustainability and management effectiveness of the national PA system in Guinea-Bissau, and has two components:

Strengthening the financial framework of the national PA system, and 2) PA and buffer zone management in Cantanhez National Park. The expected outcomes of this FSP are:

1.1 Initial capitalisation of the endowment of the BioGuinea Foundation (FBG) with $8,600,000, increasing sustainability of PA system and consolidating terrestrial PAs of Guinea Bissau;
2.1 Collaborative cost-effective management of Cantanhez NP and related buffer zones and forest areas improving management effectiveness at least 50% over baseline levels;
2.2 Improved management effectiveness reduces threats as measured by the reduction in the illegal utilisation of woody vegetation and deforestation rates, and the recorded levels of poaching;
2.3 Collectively this reduces the loss of critically threatened W-African forest habitats across c. 106,000 ha of PAs and surrounding zones, and delivers improved protection to globally significant species and other key biodiversity resources in the forest belt biome;
2.4 Benefits to local communities.

In addition to the International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader), the team is expected to consist of:

An International Biodiversity and Protected Area Financing Expert, with relevant international experience in conservation trust funds and/or the mobilisation of sources of biodiversity finance including REDD, to look after the specifics of this component of the project;
A National Consultant: Project Development, with experience in the development and implementation of environmental and development projects;
A National Consultant: Biodiversity/Natural Resources, with experience in biodiversity, forestry and natural resources management in Guinea Bissau.

Duties and Responsibilities

The International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader) will be responsible for the timely development, writing and completion of the UNDP Project Document and the GEF-CEO Endorsement Request package for submission to the GEF. He/She will work closely with the relevant key stakeholders on the development and finalization of the PRODOC and CEO Endorsement Request package, most notably seeking and participating in regular exchanges with the focal points and specialists from Government partners, the UNDP Country Office and the UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisor.

Under the above overall responsibilities and with support from the above-described team of PPG consultants, the tasks of the International Protected Area Management Expert (Team Leader) are expected to include, but may not be limited to:

Component A: Technical review and Stakeholder Consultations:

Lead and guide the team of PPG consultants, controlling quality and providing technical clearance of inputs and outputs;
Help scope PPG activities & work plan;
Participate in the PPG inception meeting bringing together the key stakeholders from government, partners and UNDP, as well as the team of PPG consultants to agree on processes, roles, quality assurance and any further specifications necessary. Depending on timelines and availability, this may involve participants participating online. Support the preparation of the PPG inception report.

With leading input from national consultants:

Analyse the biodiversity situation (status, pressures/threats/drivers, indicator habitats/species and their status) of Cantanhez National Park;
Identify specific sites for intervention in and around Cantanhez NP, as required;
Conduct a PPG and MSP stakeholder analysis (government, local communities, private sector, etc.); define their responsibilities pertaining to land, forest and natural resource management in the targeted PA and the surrounding landscape;
Compile information including a socio-economic census on the target communities at the identified project sites, and identify opportunities for livelihood project intervention;
Assess communities’ roles in project implementation and the related capacity needs; Conduct a gender assessment reviewing the role of both females and males in the project development and implementation and the potential impacts of the project on each gender group;
Review related past, current and planned conservation and community initiatives, compiling lessons learned for use in project development;
Scope out biodiversity-friendly economic activities;
Analyse barriers and adequacy of the proposed project solution in the area;
With leading input from national consultants, asses the institutional set up and mandates as well as project-related specific capacity and capacity-building needs of the lead implementing partner IBAP, of the National Directorate of Forest and Fauna (DGFF) and of relevant local-level partners and communities; in this context, specifically address the concerns expressed in the GEF STAP Review. This should involve an assessment of the opportunities and risks in involving the two institutions, IBAP and DGFF, in PA and forest biodiversity management, and facilitation of high-level discussions between the organisations including mediation if required;
Assess weaknesses in the implementation of the current forest management policies (forest management plans, governance and laws in the forestry sector, etc.) in the periphery of Cantanhez NP. This action required by STAP will need to be undertaken during the PPG;
Contribute to raising awareness amongst key stakeholders about the project and securing their input to its design;
Ensure further alignment and integration of the project with the goals and priorities of relevant development and natural resource management policies, plans and budgets, such as the Country Poverty Reduction Strategy, Forest Law, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the National Protected Areas Strategy;
Negotiate partnerships with on-going projects funded by the World Bank, European Union and others, to align activities and resources;
Design implementation arrangements that potentiate synergies, as stated in the approved PIF;
Validate and further elaborate on the problem, baseline investment and barrier analyses in the PIF, helping determine the project’s system boundaries and scope;
Lead a risk assessment involving an evaluation of the vulnerability of project implementation, with particular emphasis on governance and political instability; and addressing the opportunities/risks identified in the GEF STAP Review;
With leading input from the team of consultants, assess and address the opportunities/risks identified during the environmental and social pre-screening of the project proposal; this should early on establish whether a full environmental and social assessment is required (with particular emphasis on issues related to income generation and land access and tenure);
Building on the PIF and with leading input from the team of consultants, research and elaborate on appropriate project interventions, assessing and defining their technical feasibility, additionality, incrementality and cost-effectiveness and further develop the project strategic/results framework, including suitable objective-level and outcome-level quantitative and qualitative SMART indicators and the related baselines and end-of-project targets, including socio-economic and sex disaggregated indicators;
With input from the team of consultants, develop a detailed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) work plan, to include clear identification of responsibilities and accountabilities, as well as an appropriate M&E budget. The plan will be based on the standard template provided in the UNDP-GEF project document template that reflects the mandatory requirements of the GEF M&E Policy;
With leading input from the national consultants, complete/update the GEF focal area tracking tools: Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), taking into account the comments of the project’s GEF STAP Review, most importantly “2. The PIF Project Framework outcomes indicate that METT and other tracking tools will be used to monitor performance, supported by capacity building programmes for PA staff. The footnote statement that Cantanhez NP already had a METT score of 49 in 2009 suggests that either this score is generous or that the proposed 50% increase during project implementation is unrealistic. STAP suggests that care be taken in evaluating METT baselines and that during PPG these be re-assessed for the Guinea Bissau PA system as a whole, ensuring objectivity during the process;”
With leading input from the International Biodiversity and Protected Area Financing Expert, complete/update the GEF PA System Financial Sustainability Scorecard;
With leading input from national consultants, develop a sustainability plan, outlining the principles and guidelines for ensuring the long-term sustainability of project achievements, it will also outline an exit strategy, seeking the continuation of key activities/achievements without the need of long-term international financing;
Address the comments in the GEF SEC PIF Review Sheet and any further comments from the GEF STAP Review.

Component B:Institutional arrangements, co-financing investments and financial planning:

Secure an official endorsement letter from the GEF Operational Focal Point of the Government;
Negotiate and define institutional, implementation and management arrangements for the FSP, including identification of the project board / committee(s);
Prepare a detailed multi-year budget and work plan for the project (following the standard template provided in the UNDP-GEF project document template), indicating the inputs needed (consultants, contractual services, travel, etc.) in the applicable format;

Stakeholder consultations during Component B:

To ensure strong national ownership, involve key agencies in the development of the project’s financial strategy and its implementation arrangements (including roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities of lead and partner agencies);
Related stakeholder consultations will involve most notably personnel from the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IBAP), Fondation BioGuinee and the National Directorate of Forest and Fauna (DGFF), as well as the presumed co-financiers, namely the World Bank, MAVA Foundation, the European Union, and the French Government, to align activities in reflection of co-financing arrangements as well as local CBOs within the Cantanhez National Park to support a better resource allocation planning for grass-root level activities and to scope out future CBO needs in terms of capacity building for project development.

Component C: Finalisation and Validation of Key Outputs:

Building on the above and in regular exchange with partners, consolidate and complete the PRODOC and Request for CEO Endorsement Package. Preparation of these key deliverables will include quality control and final formulation of the following indicative sections of a UNDP/GEF compliant project document: Situation Analysis (including proposal sections on context, threats/root causes/barriers analysis, institutional/sectoral/policy context, stakeholder analysis, business-as-usual-analysis, gender issue analysis, indigenous groups, business-with-GEF-analysis);
Project Strategy (including proposal sections on project rationale and policy conformity, project goal, objective, outcomes, outputs and activities, project indicators, risks and assumptions, country ownership, sustainability and replicability);
Institutional and Management Arrangements, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget;
Incremental Cost Analysis (including systems boundary, Summary of costs, additional cost matrix);
Strategic Results Framework (formerly Logical Framework Analysis);
Total Budget and First Annual Work plan; Project Organigramme;
Project timetable,Terms of Reference for Project staff and main consultants and sub-contracts, Stakeholder involvement Plan with a focus on indigenous groups; Letters of Endorsement and co-financing; Annexes and additional information annexes including UNDP Environmental and Social Screening;
These sections are indicative - as templates may be subject to change, the team of consultants will be required to obtain guidance by the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor and UNDP Country Office on applicable formats and templates and ensure that his/her work is compliant with UNDP/GEF and UNDP CO requirements;
Plan and organise the final workshop discussing and validating the PRODOC and CEO Endorsement Request package, together with UNDP and IBAP and the other consultants, and participate in the actual workshop;
Address review comments received from UNDP-GEF management and/or the GEF Secretariat prior to or following the submission of PRODOC and GEF CEO Endorsement Request package.

Competencies

Excellent technical, analytical and editing skills, allowing effective communication in English of complex technical information;
Strong strategic planning, results-based management and reporting capabilities;
Excellent team player with good interpersonal skills;
Ability to manage workload with minimum supervision;
Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
Ability to accommodate additional demands at short notice;
Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Skills in achieving results through persuading, influencing, & working with others;
Skills in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations;
Skills in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced degree(s) in a field relevant to biodiversity conservation (biology, ecology, forestry, natural resources management, environmental science, rural development, or any other relevant discipline); ideally with some professional specialization in protected areas management.

Experience:

Five years experience in protected area planning and management, including management effectiveness, business planning, community involvement, sustainable livelihood and capacity issues, biodiversity/forestry overlap issue, and related conflict resolution;
Previous experience with GEF project development and related results-based management and logical frameworks is a pre-requisite;
Knowledge of environment and development issues in Guinea-Bissau or the wider region is an asset, as is working experience in the region;
Experience in working and collaborating with governments in developing countries and UN and other international agencies is an asset;
Experience in training is an asset.

Language:

Excellent knowledge of English including writing and communication skills;
Working knowledge of Portuguese and/or French is highly desirable.