Background

Tuvalu is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change. Tuvalu’s atolls are extremely exposed to projected sea-level rise, increases in the severity of cyclones, increases in ocean temperatures and acidity. When combined with considerable development challenges, a narrow resource base economy and chronic capacity constraints, the extremely high levels of vulnerability are likely to have severe long term effects on sustainable development and achievement of the MDGs.

The Government of Tuvalu understands the urgency of addressing its priority development challenges related to adapting to future impacts of climate change.  This project will focus on implementing three such priorities outlined in its NAPA, namely “strengthening of community based conservation programmes on highly vulnerable near-shore marine ecosystems,” “adaptation to near-shore coastal shellfish fisheries resources and coral reef ecosystem productivity,” and “strengthening community disaster preparedness and response potential.” These priorities will be addressed through the following interlinked Components:

Component 1 includes activities for building resilience in marine-based livelihoods to climate impacts through an integrated package of measures that seek to enhance traditional fishing practices and food preservation techniques, facilitate a shift in fishing practices from vulnerable reef resources to more resilient pelagic resources, and strengthen community management of reef resources. These adaptation measures will be supported by targeted education, awareness raising and information exchange.

Component 2: Disaster risk management will focus on improving access to disaster early warning systems for people on outer islands. This will include establishing multiple communication channels, both at the national and outer island levels, to ensure reliable communications in the face of intensifying cyclone events in a changing climate, and building community capacity to take advantage of the improved communication systems.

Component 3 will focus on integrating locally-specific climate change concerns into existing outer Island Strategic Plans and building capacities of outer island administrations and communities to identify, budget, execute and monitor adaptation investments that are financed by domestic and external resources. An important part of the work in this Component is to effectively link the Island Strategic Plans with existing sources of development finance for outer islands. Currently these plans are practically an unbudgeted wish list which is produced with little considerations for available financial resources, and with the project support, the Government will introduce climate-sensitive planning and budgeting that leverages existing (and future) domestic and external resources. This will be supplemented by enhanced awareness among the central government agencies about their existing domestic expenditures on climate sensitive sectors and the adaptation gaps. It is expected that enhanced capacity to guide the future adaptation financing at the outer island level using the climate-smart Island Strategic Plans and to identify gaps and potential adaptation financing at the national level will enable the Government of Tuvalu to effectively combine and sequence available resources to reduce the vulnerability of the country to the impacts of climate change.

Duties and Responsibilities

The CTA will provide technical and operational support to the Project Management Unit (PMU) in the start-up phase of the project. The CTA’s support to the PMU will include the formulation of a detail implementation plan based on the project document and taking into account the time lapse since the project was approved in 2013; provision of technical inputs and liaison with government technical departments to guide technically sound implementation of the project; provision of strategic guidance and facilitation of strategic partnership with other on-going donor supported initiatives; identification and sourcing of other technical specialist, consultants and sub-contractors as needed; establishment of a M&E framework and strengthening the reporting capacity of the project; and communications of the project to domestic and international audience in close collaboration with a communication specialist based in Bangkok.

In carrying out her/his responsibilities, s/he will advocate and promote the work of adaptation to climate variability in Tuvalu and will also closely work and network with the relevant government agencies, UNDP, the private sector, NGOs, and civil society organizations.

The primary responsibility of the CTA is to assist the Government of Tuvalu and the PMU in successfully initiating the start-up phase of the project. Most importantly, this will include carrying out the following tasks while closely engaging all key project stakeholders:

• a) Review of the approved Project Document and verify the validity of the proposed interventions and implementation approaches vis-à-vis prevailing development contexts that were not present at the time of the project formulation;
• b) Design and produce materials for the initial “project introduction” meeting in Funafuti and island visits (as per Annex 13 of the Project Document) which include the expected deliverables from the project, expectations from community members, a rough timelines for island visits, rules and regulations of the project (to be prepared in consultation with UNDP Regional Technical Advisor), and a draft MoU to be signed between the project and each island community;
• c) Assist the PMU in making the logistical arrangement for the initial island visits and produce a mission report;
• d) Based on the review in a), identify capacity building needs, if any, for the PMU staff, government officials, local NGOs and island communities, which were not envisaged in the original Project Document;
• e) Based on the review in a), verify potential synergies with existing development activities in Tuvalu, and lead the liaison with other development partners (e.g. SPC’s coastal fisheries work, SOPAC’s DRM work, and PIFS’s climate finance work);
• f) Based on all of the above, produce a detailed project implementation and M&E plan for the first one year (reminder of 2014 and all of 2015), which includes budgeted activities, specific timelines including outer island visits, identification of suppliers of goods and services (including consultants), and joint activities with other development partners. The implementation plan should be organized and presented according to the Outcome-Output-Activity-Input hierarchy;
• g) Produce at least two publicity material for the project – one targeting domestic audience with Tuvaluan translation and one targeting external audience – after obtaining approval from the DoE, UNDP Fiji Office and UNDP Regional Technical Advisor.

It is critically important for the CTA to carry out these tasks while keeping key stakeholders (officers of the Departments of Environment, Fisheries and Rural Development and Ministry of Finance, PMU staff and community members) fully involved but at the same time taking a technical (and sometimes managerial) lead.

The CTA is expected to deliver the following product by the end of the consultancy:

• An implementation plan (see Item (f) under “Scope of Work”);
• A report describing the review process as described under Item (a), (d) and (e);
• Materials for the initial project introduction for Funafuti and outer islands;
• A mission report after the initial introduction visits to outer islands;
• Two publicity materials (see item (g)).

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and commitment to UN principles and values and ethical standards
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work well as part of a multi-cultural team and displays gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Ability for team working.

Functional Competencies:

• Self-management, emotional intelligence and conflict management;
• Analytical and strategic thinking/results orientation;
• Knowledge sharing;
• Sound policy understanding of global development concerns, climate change discourse, and adaptation to climate change;
• Excellent inter-personal, communication and negotiating skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum Master’s degree in development economics, environmental science, public finance, natural resource management and/or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years working experience in relevant field;
• Experience working with externally-funded projects, preferably in a technical advisor’s role;
• Experience in the policy development processes associated with environment and sustainable development issues;
• Previous working experience in developing countries and/or islands settings is an advantage;
• Ability and willingness to travel within and outside Tuvalu;
• Demonstrable skills in office computer use - word processing, spread sheets etc.;
• Experience in managing and coordinating teams;
• Experience in participating and following the project cycle, creative capacity solving problems;
• Proven track record of project management and project team experience working with government, NGOs, and other key stakeholders;
• Computer literacy (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point) is a prerequisite.

Language:

• Fluency of English language is required (verbal and written).