UNDP Jobs - 62903- Consultantant - Landscape Conservation Expert- Enh

Consultantant - Landscape Conservation Expert- Enhancing Biodiversity Conservation and Subsistenance of Ecosystem Services in Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Location :

Home Based, SRI LANKA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

31-Jan-16 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

09 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

90 days over the course of 9 months from February – October 2016

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 "Enhancing Biodiversity Conservation and Sustenance of Ecosystems services in Environmentally Sensitive Areas" is a GEF funded project, implemented by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment (MMDE) and supported by UNDP. The Project would contribute to safeguarding globally significant biodiversity on production lands of high interest for conservation. This project will greatly strengthen the country's ability to safeguard biodiversity inside and outside protected areas in special Environmentally Sensitive areas, through a new land use governance framework. Project activities will provide a vehicle for safeguarding globally significant biodiversity on multiple-use lands of high conservation values.

The primary objective of this project is "To operationalize Environment Sensitive Areas (ESA) as a mechanism for mainstreaming biodiversity management into development in areas of high conservation significance". In order to achieve this Objective, the project plans on achieving the two major Outcomes, and Outputs under these.

The two Outcomes are:

Outcome 1: National Enabling Framework Strengthened to Designate and Manage Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA);
Outcome 2: Biodiversity-friendly ESA management for long term integrity and resilience ensured at two sites in the Kala Oya Region.

Under Outcome 1, the project will support the development of national policy, strategy and national scale up plan for ESAs and build national institutional capacities to foster inter-sectoral partnerships and coordination to support ESA identification, management and monitoring of ESAs.

Under Outcome 2, inter-sectoral partnerships also be fostered at local levels at two sites in Kala Oya Region to effectively manage at least 200,000 ha of landscape and seascape for long term biodiversity conservation, and for the maintenance of environmental services critical for local and national development using the ecosystems approach.

Scope and Objectives

The Project proposes to use land use planning and management frame work as the key entry point to optimize land management in ESAs in order to ensure conservation of biodiversity and other natural resources while allowing the ESAs for sustainable economic activities under proper management. The consultant is expected to build capacity of the divisional level planning teams and provide overall guidance to undertake the integrated, cross-sectoral participatory planning exercise to develop a spatial land use management plan for each site of the Kala Oya Project area.

The consultant will develop guidelines built on lessons from practical land use planning work at the two site levels, to integrate biodiversity conservation into land use planning is based on best practices. S/he will also develop national guidelines based on the local level experience and lessons learnt. Consultant will also ensure that the land use plans are recognized and are used in updating/ preparing any national land use plans. The expert will also ensure that these plans are communicated to the wider stakeholders.

As an additional role, the expert will also work with other relevant organizations and experts to ensure that land use conflicts can be dealt with effectively and that human-wildlife conflicts are accounted for and plans are in place to also mitigate them (as possible) through land use planning.

The expert will also provide inputs and support the development of the national online tool on integrated biodiversity assessment by making sure that the tool is used by land use planners, and at the same time land use plans that are already available are also reflected in the online tool.

Duties and Responsibilities

Guidelines and tools for ESA land use planning and biodiversity conservation:

Develop a training module including: participatory approaches, planning methodology, ecosystem diversity; landscape ecology, GIS tools for mapping, soil types in order to build the required capacity of the planning team to undertake the land use planning exercise;
Provide overall guidance to the planning teams to conduct an integrated cross-sectoral participatory planning process considering the property rights and legal provisions;
Support and develop tools and guidelines (Sinhala, Tamil & English) to collect baseline information and issues to establish the present situation of the project sites;
Support and develop tools and guidelines (Sinhala, Tamil & English) to collate data and to use GIS to analyse the data to establish management zones, appropriate land use types with management regimes, to integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into the operations of key economic sectors: agriculture, forestry, tourism and infrastructure;
Support development of guidelines for the integration of individual DS divisional plans into district land use plans or project site land use plans and making them compatible with the policies and development plans at national and provincial levels;
National guideline to integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into land use planning;
Long term overall ESA land use plans developed;
Support capacity building of the land use planning teams in the development of a spatial land use plan integrating biodiversity conservation, protection of natural resources, production and promotion of livelihoods;
Support relevant capacity building on ESAs to key public institutions at the national, provincial and local levels to design, review and endorse ESAs;
Support development of zoning and management prescriptions that are compatible with land suitability along with emplaced enforcement systems;
Support establishment of a documentation of processes, procedures, issues and lessons in the planning and implementation of the land use plans;
Increased capacity of local authorities to support ESA land use/ seascape use plans’ implementation;
Ensure that the land use plans with a compliance monitoring system are recognized and are communicated to the wider stakeholders.

Expected Outputs:

The following results are expected from the work of the consultant:

Methodology, guidelines, formats and tools for the development of ESA land use plans to integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into land use planning available;
Trained technical planning teams responsible for land use planning to produce a Divisional level biodiversity-friendly matrix of land uses and natural resource management for habitat connectivity, integrity and resilience;
Guidelines, procedures and methodology for the recognition and acceptance (declaration) of the land use plans developed for the Kala Oya 2 sites developed.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrate integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promote the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion ,race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Good understanding of the UN system and Project Management;
Actively works towards continuing personal learning, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills;
Proven problem solving skills;
Ability to work with accuracy under time constraints and pressure in a stressful environment; with patience, tactfulness, maintain confidentiality, take initiative and exercise good judgment;
Ability to work in a hazardous environment;
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and respects diversity;
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and encourage sharing of knowledge to achieve organizational goals;
Ability to identify priority activities and assignments; adjust priorities as required;
Ability to plan own work and use time efficiently, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.

Technical Competencies:

Strong analytical skills and comparative knowledge on environmental science, ecology, biodiversity conservation;
Excellent facilitation skills managing multi-stakeholder national/local dialogues;
Excellent understanding of challenges to rural development in Sri Lanka;
Knowledge on climate change adaptation approaches in agriculture, rural industry or livelihoods sectors;
Ability to design and prepare strategies and action plans for interventions aimed at building adaptive capacity.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in the areas of land use planning, environment, rural development, conservation, natural resource management or related field.

Experience:

Minimum 10 years post-Masters work experience in the environment sector, executing responsibilities of Senior Manager / Director level and Advocacy for developing national plans/programs with state and non-state sector stakeholder engagement;
Proven ability in carrying out baseline studies, capacity building and community consultations;
Good analytical and problem solving skills and related ability for adaptive management;
Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment, to effectively manage and to motivate its members and other project counterparts to effectively work towards the project's objectives and expected outcomes;
Preferred availability or access to Geographic Information Systems, Maps and experience in conducting micro planning exercises at local level;
Good communication skills and competence in handling project's external relations at all levels.

Language:

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English; and
Fluency in Sinhala and or Tamil is an additional requirement.

Financial Proposal

All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee (Professional Fees): (LKR) or

All Inclusive Daily Fee: (LKR)

Amount in words:

Note:

Payments will be based on invoices on achievement of agreed milestones i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification by UNDP. The applicant must factor in all possible costs in his/her “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee” financial proposal including his/her consultancy and professional fee, honorarium, any additional HR cost, field travel and accommodation, communication cost such as telephone/internet usage, printing cost, ad-hoc costs, stationery costs, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant.

For an Individual Contractor who is of 62 years of age or older, and on an assignment requiring travel, be it for the purpose of arriving at the duty station or as an integral duty required under the TOR, a full medical examination and statement of fitness to work must be provided. Such medical examination costs must be factored in to the financial proposal above. Medical examination is not a requirement for individuals on RLA contracts.

Payment Services

On submission of:

Methodology, guidelines, formats and tools for the development of ESA land use plans to integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into land use planning available – 30% of Instalment;
Trained technical planning teams responsible for land use planning to produce a Divisional level biodiversity-friendly matrix of land uses and natural resource management for habitat connectivity, integrity and resilience. – 35% of Instalment;
Guidelines, procedures and methodology for the recognition and acceptance (declaration) of the land use plans developed for the Kala Oya 2 sites developed. – 35% of Instalment.

How to Apply

The application should contain:

Updated CV to include qualifications/competencies and relevant past experience in similar projects and contact details of 2 professional referees who can certify your competencies, professionalism, quality of writing, presentation and overall suitability to this TOR;
Please duly fill the financial proposal and attach to the last page of the CV along with all other required documentation above.

Note:

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows uploading maximum one document;
Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply;
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials;
Opened for Sri Lankan Nationals Only.