UNDP Jobs - 10196- Consultant: Protected Areas Specialist

Consultant: Protected Areas Specialist

Location :

Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jun-2009

Application Deadline :

21-May-09 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English French

Expected Duration of Assignment :

4.5 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 GEF has approved a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) for Madagascar in order to produce a UNDP Project Document accompanied by a GEF CEO Endorsement Request (both using the appropriate templates) under the guidance of UNDP-GEF and working in close collaboration with key government officials, donors, NGOs, CBOs and the private sector.

The project, budgeted for $6,750,000 in GEF funding and $9,225,000 in co-financing to be mobilized, will conserve globally important biodiversity in Madagascar by expanding the country’s protected area (PA) system. This will be done by developing a network of managed resource protected areas in under represented terrestrial ecosystems, co-managed by local government and communities and integrated into the regional development framework This process will also significantly contribute to strengthening of the national PA system, introducing innovative financing mechanisms to PA and creating the means for sustainably managing PA buffer zones. This will be achieved through the following three components:

1)       Establishment of new Managed Resource Protected Areas Core area (IUCN Category IV & VI)
2)       Institutional capacity to administer decentralized PA governance framework for managed resources PA
3)       Establishment of public-private partnerships ensures financial sustainability

The PPG process is to be implemented between May 2009 and December 2009, it will count on the support from the Malagasy NGO Fanamby and will focus on the activities necessary for finalizing and approving the proposed project. The focal points for the project in government and the PPG team of consultants, including Fanamby’s in-house experts, will work in collaboration with existing related initiatives to carry out the following activities:

PPG Activity 1) Site Identification and Baseline Assessments

Mapping for documenting PA system gaps by habitat type, threats, fragmentation and habitat loss rates
Prioritize areas for the establishment of MRPAs
Ground-truthing and assessment of socio-economic conditions in potential sites
Local and regional workshops for validating site selection
Baseline data for all sites compiled, including METT application
Other PA management effectiveness tools applied as relevant

PPG Activity 2) Institutional Framework

Identify key actors at all levels (national, regions, communes and fokontany)
Questionnaire development
Capacity needs assessment for all participating national institutions
Data compilation towards institutional profiles and recommendations for full project implementation
Capacity strengthening options developed and costed towards an institutional capacity support program
Institutional capacity support program presented and validated at regional and national workshops

PPG Activity 3) Sustainable Financing

Establish the recurrent costs of MRPA management broken-down by selected PA
Partnership engineering with the tourism sector
Missions by Oil & Mines specialist
Partnership engineering with the oil & mining sector
Missions by Carbon specialist
Investigate the potential for developing voluntary carbon ERPA with businesses
Biodiversity offset framework developed, presented and validated at a national workshop

PPG Activity 4) Sustainable Use Management

Biodiversity friendly agriculture options developed for relevant sites
Sustainable natural resource use guidelines developed for each site with clear thresholds
Strategy for engendering sustainable use of resources fully developed
Strategy presented and validated at a national workshop

PPG Activity 5) Project costing and M&E planning

Team selected and mobilised / relevant contracts signed
Project inception workshop
Costing of project outcomes and outputs including co-financing commitments
Adaptive management and replication strategy
Define local and national and global environmental benefits
Determine most effective project alternatives
Identify social institution, economic and financial sustainability
Missions by PA specialist
Project Development Workshop
Prepare a project monitoring and evaluation plan including baseline level indicators and targets

Duties and Responsibilities

Encompassing approximately 10 weeks of work throughout the duration of the PPG (or possibly a total of 11 week, if co-financing from CEPF managed by Fanamby can be realized), the Protected Area Specialist will undertake at least two mission to Madagascar complemented by support from home base.

The International Specialist will play a pivotal role in the task of scoping and preparing the GEF project for submission in collaboration with the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor, the UNDP Country Office Environment Focal Point and the team of national consultants.

In addition, the expert will function as the PPG chief technical advisor and assist with planning PPG activities in more detail, guiding, when needed the national experts and in full collaboration with Fanamby advisors and specialists, the PA specialist will play a key role in the development of the project strategy participating in the assessment team coordination.

He/She will responsible for:

Support the development of, and approve ToRs for the local consultants teams, and provide regular oversight and guidance during their work.
Provide guidance to the local consultants teams in identifying conservation management priorities sustainable management options and viability analyses, and linking these to the threats and barriers study described below; standardized assessment tools will be employed which are proving successful in a range of Malagasy PAs.
Prepare a Threats and Barriers study, based on documentation produced by project experts, local consultants teams and local stakeholder knowledge familiar with the sites; help to develop an agreed-upon biodiversity priority/threat matrix indicating future management intervention priorities.
Support government and Fanamby to finalize selection of sub-network sites improving understanding of Category V and VI management needs and options.
Participate in regional workshops for project presentation and communication, as well as to promote regional leadership in PA establishment and development.
Help project experts and teams identify appropriate stakeholder participation for each target site in the sub-network, defining roles and responsibilities.
Support analyses and initiatives to identify governance structures and management systems appropriate to Category V and VI PAs in general, and to the selected sub-network sites.
Analyze options for appropriate law enforcement, including local management rules and agreements covering conservation goals acceptable resource use.
Apply the UNDP-GEF Capacity Development and PA Financial Scorecards.
Coordinate the development of an Incremental Cost reasoning for the project outlined
Review the application of PA management effectiveness tools (METT) and apply additional mandatory tools required by government.
Application of the UNDP-GEF Capacity Development and PA Financial Scorecards
Begin a PA management planning process that will form the basis for later business planning; the planning process and plan content will follow recommendations in the COAP and its enabling laws.
Compile data and perform conservation costs and opportunities for each sites as a lead-up to business planning.
With government leadership and Fanamby support, help to establish guiding principles for Category V and VI PAs; this work will be carried out with the full participation of the SAPM Commission
Ensure draft systems plan for MRPA integration with national PA network plan and politics

Competencies

Solid and demonstrated understanding of technical aspects of terrestrial, wetlands & coastal PA management, internationally and nationally.
Clear and solid understanding of the dependence of communities on resources in the Protected Areas and their potential role in the management and sustainable development of such areas
Demonstrated competences in the identification and development of livelihood opportunities within these areas
Proven capacity to work with and establish working relationships with communities, community development agencies, government and non-government representatives.
Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
Ability to work as a member of a team.
Ability to take initiative and to work with minimum supervision.
Experience with multi-ecosystems projects.
Experience and skills in GIS and database programs.
Knowledge of ecological/biological systems would be an asset.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences
Skill in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations
Skill in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others
Skill in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A graduate degree in environmental management or natural sciences

Experience :

A minimum of 10 years experience in Protected Areas management with at least 5 at the national level
Solid and demonstrated understanding of technical aspects of terrestrial, wetlands & coastal PA management, internationally and nationally.
Extensive knowledge of protected area issues, including legal and policy frameworks, PA management effectiveness (including community involvement and capacity issues), PA planning (including business planning) and ecological monitoring systems for PAs
Extensive knowledge of implementing and evaluating community-based and private sector based tourism and alternate income projects within and around PAs
Previous experience with GEF development projects is an important qualification for this position
Hold an advanced degree in a relevant field for conservation work (either with ecological, socio-economic or alternative livelihoods background) with consistent professional specialization in issues of PAs
Have at least 5 years of proven experience in the mentioned field; and
Demonstrated track record of relevant production in the mentioned area (publications, project proposals, reports)

Language Requirements:

Mastery of oral and written English is a requirement
Working knowledge of French is a plus