UNDP Jobs - 52434- Local Consultant - Public Administration Specialis

Local Consultant - Public Administration Specialist

Location :

Port of Spain, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

23-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

120 days (four (4) months)

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 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, in preparation of the GEF Medium Sized Project (MSP), “Capacity Development for Improved Management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for Global Benefits”.

In accordance with UNDP/GEF procedures, UNDP is hiring a team of consultants to develop the MSP proposal for “Capacity Development for Improved Management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for Global Benefits” for submission to the GEF Secretariat fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards as part of the GEF Project Preparation Grant (PPG). The consultants will report to the Head of the Environment Unit at UNDP Trinidad and Tobago and work closely with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.

The purpose of the PPG is to fully design the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the “Capacity Development for Improved Management of Multilateral Environmental Agreements for Global Benefits” medium size project and to fully develop a full set of project documentation for submission to the GEF Secretariat and approval. Normal rules for development of medium-sized GEF projects apply. Copies of the GEF templates and guidelines can be found at: http://www.thegef.org/gef/guidelines_templates

Project Description

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago recently received Cabinet approval for nominations of individuals from all Ministries, Government Agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Academic Institutions and Industry Organisations to act as Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) Focal points. This will seek to build a registry of persons who will act as contact persons in the relevant agencies and further strengthen the on-going work in MEAs, particularly climate change, including reporting and the development of national policies and legislation to ensure the full, sustained and effective implementation of MEAs.

The duties and responsibilities of the MEA/Climate Change Focal Points include, but are not limited to:

liaising with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources as the National Focal Point in respect of the role and functions of their respective institutions in the context of the national obligations under the various MEAs;
providing advice and inputs into strategies and actions to be taken at the national level in the implementation of obligations under the MEAs and climate change;
providing inputs, data and information to facilitate reporting requirements of Trinidad and Tobago under the MEAs;
providing advice and inputs into work programmes of their respective Ministries/agencies in the context of national obligations under the MEAs and climate change; and
interfacing with other relevant stakeholders through relevant networking media to enhance co-operation at various levels.

This project will seek to augment the work that has already been started by the MEWR while simultaneously keeping with the objectives of the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) which include awareness, capacity building and information sharing.

The objective is to develop a medium-sized project that aims at strengthening national capacities for implementation of the Rio conventions and other MEAs in Trinidad and Tobago. The project’s strategy is to achieve this through 1) training on environmental obligations, rules and regulations, M&E, and national reporting guidelines and requirements to the Conventions for key actors including civil society and key members of national institutions as well as coordinating bodies with responsibilities for environmental matters 2) create, leverage and maintain coordination and alignment among relevant bodies by creating cross institutional alliances, strengthening management capacities for implementing Convention requirements and developing coordination mechanisms to replicate and disseminate necessary information and approaches 3) develop an awareness and communications strategy to raise awareness of MEA obligations and requirements and disseminate project results awareness to effectively coordinate the achievement of global obligations .

Duties and Responsibilities

The principal responsibility of the National Consultant – Public Administration Specialist is to prepare a strategy on institutions and policies needed to enable the mainstreaming of the Rio Conventions into economic development and key economic sectors. This will include an updated institutional assessment covering responsibilities related to implementing Rio Conventions and an institutional approach proposed for Trinidad and Tobago.

Within the framework of this ToR, the National Consultant – Public Administration Specialist is expected to perform the following tasks and duties:

Prepare an institutional map of all institutions involved in implementing obligations under environmental agreements in Trinidad, including non-state social actors;
Assess existing capacities of staff involved in implementing actions related to obligations under environmental agreements in Trinidad identify capacity gaps and the strategy to address these gaps;
Prepare the Capacity Development Scorecard;
Design a detailed project strategy for strengthening national capacities for implementation of the Rio conventions and other MEAs in Trinidad and Tobago;
Through detailed discussion and dialogue, establish clear linkages between this project and the work programme of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) which is the main Ministry responsible for the implementation of the three Rio conventions at the national level;
Determine the linkages between and amongst the Ministries of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and Planning and Sustainable Development (MPSD), the Inter-Ministerial Committee of Climate Change (IMCCC), and the Environmental Focal Points Network (EFPN), among others as well as NGOs and CBOs.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Technical work:

Strong expertise in public administration, and capacity development. Experience in environmental management would be an asset;
Experience in developing institutional arrangements for national projects;
Familiarity with the International Conventions addressing Climate Change, Desertification and Biodiversity Conservation;
Experience in undertaking baseline institutional capacity studies and developing strategic approaches based on international best practices concerning the mainstreaming of global environmental concerns and sustainable development;
Familiarity with GEF policies, templates and requirements for MSP is an asset

Partnerships:

Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills, ability to work in a team.

Corporate Competencies:

Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Good team player and ability to maintain good relationships;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Undergraduate University degree in the field of social science, or other related fields;
A post graduate degree or undertaking post graduate work in the field would be an asset.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant professional experience;
Proven expert knowledge in project preparation and management;
Proven experience in organizational management;
Previous contributions to the development of successful project proposals for GEF submission is an asset;
Previous experience with UNDP is an advantage.

Languages:

Excellent verbal and written skills in the English Language.

How to Apply

The Procurement Notice including the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the position can be obtained by visiting the UNDP Trinidad and Tobago website at: http://www.tt.undp.org/content/trinidad_tobago/en/home/operations/procurement.

Candidates should download and complete the P11 Personal History Form from the website and submit it together with the other submission requirements indicated in the Procurement Notice by December 23, 2014 to: registry.tt@undp.org.