UNDP Jobs - 74525- National Consultant for the Mid-Term Review of the

National Consultant for the Mid-Term Review of the AF funded project- Ecosystem Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Seychelles

Location :

Mahe, SEYCHELLES

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

05-Oct-2017

Application Deadline :

25-Sep-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

11 weeks not exceeding 5 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

20 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

This is the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the UNDP-Adaptation Fund Midterm Review (MTR) of the project titled Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change in Seychelles (PIMS 4775) implemented through the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme Coordination Unit, which is to be undertaken in October-February 2017. The project started on the 4th June 2014 and it is in its fourth year of implementation. This ToR sets out the expectations for this MTE.

The project seeks to reduce the vulnerability of the Seychelles to climate change, focusing on two key issues—water scarcity and flooding. The climate change projections in the Seychelles show that rainfall, while increasing in overall terms, will become even more irregular. Much of the precipitation is falling in sharp bursts, creating heavy flooding in the wet season, while imposing extended period of drought during the dry season. As the country does not have a large water storage capacity, and the topography of the islands constrains such infrastructure, water supplies are heavily dependent on rainfall. Furthermore, the coastal zone is vulnerable to flooding as a consequence of rising sea surface levels, and increased storm surges from cyclonic activity in the Western Indian Ocean. The project will reduce these vulnerabilities by spearheading ecosystem-based adaptation as climate change risk management—restoring ecosystem functionality, and enhancing ecosystem resilience and sustaining watershed and coastal processes in order to secure critical water provisioning and flood attenuation ecosystem services from watersheds and coastal areas.

The project has three components:

Component 1 aims to maintain and enhance upland wetlands in watersheds and strengthen the integrity of the forest landscape and the forest water provisioning services (through reforestation and removal of invasive alien species and re-colonize with native plants), retain and improve water holding capacity (and biodiversity features), improving run-of-river barrages and water control structures, sustainably managing watercourses and promoting local stewardship of watersheds. The watershed rehabilitation is being implemented in selected watersheds covering 1,800 ha on Mahe Island and about 1,200 hectares on Praslin Island.

Component 2 aims to maintain and enhance tidal wetlands, beach berms and coral reef functions with EbA measures that include (a) selective shoreline re-vegetation and protection, (b) wetland enhancement and improvement of tidal exchange, (c) coral reef rehabilitation, enhancement and protection to enhance their climate change adaptation role in flood attenuation, and (d) measures that address saltwater intrusion effects on low lying agricultural areas focusing strategically on sites with high vulnerability to climate change (assets at risk). The interventions focus on two priority sites where coastal development, erosion and climate change have diminished the natural coastal defenses and opportunities exist to strengthen the ecosystem attributes and processes. These physical measures are complemented with policy, legal and institutional capacity development support measures in Component 3. The coastal rehabilitation is being implemented at two sites covering an impact area of about 1,000 ha.

Component 3 aims to develop the policy framework for watershed management which is needed to support EbA measures to address water scarcity and flooding problems, and to increase the capacity to respond to climate change through watershed and coastal management. It is generating appropriate legislation, regulations, standards and guidelines for watershed and coastal protection, and training government, university faculty and NGO staff in applying EbA measures in development decision making in the Seychelles, influencing watershed and coastal management throughout the Mahe and Praslin Islands (covering approximately 20,000 hectares). This component increases the awareness, skills and responsibilities of a wide range of stakeholders including district authorities and community organisations in ecosystem-based adaptation for watersheds and coastal areas, and builds the lasting basis for further education, training and application in watershed and coastal ecosystem rehabilitation.

The underlying principle of the project is that healthy ecosystems can play a vital role in maintaining and increasing resilience to climate change and in reducing climate-related risk and vulnerability. The project invests in measures to restore ecosystem functionality, building on techniques that have been piloted in Seychelles, and adapting these by incorporating other good practices. Ecosystem based adaptation is being integrated into the country’s development planning, policy and land and water management systems – through this project and three other EBA projects running concurrently - ensuring that environmental impact assessments and management measures protect these ecosystem services.

The project is for six years (2014-2020). It has a budget from Adaptation Fund of US$ 5,950,000. The project is managed by the GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme Coordination Unit (PCU) of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC).

Duties and Responsibilities

The MTE team will consist of two independent consultants that will conduct the MTE - one team leader (with experience and exposure to projects and evaluations in other regions globally) and one team expert from the country of the project.

The MTE team will first conduct a document review of project documents (i.e. PIF, UNDP Initiation Plan, Project Document, ESSP, Project Inception Report, PPRs, Finalized AF focal area Tracking Tools, Project Appraisal Committee meeting minutes, Financial and Administration guidelines used by Project Team, project operational guidelines, manuals and systems, etc.) provided by the Project Team and Commissioning Unit. Then they will participate in a MTE inception workshop to clarify their understanding of the objectives and methods of the MTE, producing the MTE inception report thereafter. The MTE mission will then consist of interviews and site visits to (Baie Lazare, Mare aux Cochons and Praslin sites).

The MTE team will assess four categories of project progress including- Project Design, progress towards results, adaptive management and sustainability to produce a draft and final MTE report. No overall rating is required.

Competencies

Excellent organizational skills;
Strong analytical, writing and communication skills;
Excellent financial and budgetary skills;
Ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations;
Ability to manage and work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team;
Strong motivation and ability to work and deliver under short deadlines;
Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
Able to work independently with little or no supervision;
Familiarity with government rules and regulations are strongly desired

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A Master’s degree in Environmental Management, or other closely related field (or Bachelor's degree with at least 10years experience);

Experience:

At least 10 years’ experience in environmental management in Seychelles, with particular knowledge of environmental policy and practice;
Demonstrated understanding of ecosystem-based adaptation approaches;
Excellent communication skills;
Demonstrable analytical skills;
Project evaluation/review experiences within United Nations system will be considered an asset;

Language:

Fluent in English.