Background

PIMS 3697 '

Strengthening Protected Area Network of Turkey: Catalyzing Sustainability of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas' project was designed to facilitate expansion of the national system of marine and coastal protected areas and improve its management effectiveness.
 
Within the marine areas bordering Turkey’s lengthy coastline is found an abundant, highly diverse and globally significant biodiversity endowment. Overall, some 3,000 plant and animal species have been identified in Turkey’s territorial sea. Among these are about 12 species of marine mammals, including: two endangered species of sea turtle, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and the green (Chelonia mydas), and; the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of Europe’s most endangered species, of which fewer than 100 individuals still survive along Turkish coasts. Some 480 species of marine fish have been identified in Turkish waters, of which 50% are believed to be in danger of local extirpation. Economically important fish species include anchovy, horse mackerel, bonito, sardine, bluefish, mullet and turbot. Avian fauna dependent on Turkey’s marine environment include Audouin’s gull (Larus audouinii), as well as the migratory summer visitor Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae). The major threats facing Turkey’s marine areas are habitat degradation associated with changes in coastal human populations and distributions and associated sea/coast use pressures. Protected areas have a potentially significant, yet largely unrealized, role to play in eliminating these threats to marine area biodiversity in Turkey. Currently, about 4% of Turkey’s territorial waters is protected. The proposed long-term solution for marine biodiversity conservation in Turkey’s territorial sea is a reconfigured Marine and Coastal Protected Area (MCPA) network designed to protect biodiversity while optimizing its ecological service functions – under effective and sustainable adaptive management.
 
Working together with its partners, the project will achieve the following three outcomes and make progress towards the long-term solution:
  • Outcome 1: Responsible institutions have the capacities and internal structure needed for prioritizing the establishment of new MCPAs and for more effectively managing existing MCPAs;
  • Outcome 2: MCPA financial planning and management systems are facilitating effective business planning, adequate levels of revenue generation and cost-effective management;
  • Outcome 3: Inter-agency coordination mechanisms in place to regulate and manage economic activities within multiple use areas of the MCPAs.  

Duties and Responsibilities

The objectives of the evaluation are to assess the achievement of project results, and to draw lessons that can both improve the sustainability of benefits from this project, and aid in the overall enhancement of UNDP programming.   The TE will be conducted according to the guidance, rules and procedures established by UNDP and GEF as reflected in the UNDP Evaluation Guidance for GEF Financed Projects. 

For more details, please kindly refer to the ToR located here.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:;
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP, and partner organizations;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Functional Competencies:;
  • Excellent research skills and proven record in research;
  • Promotes team work, contributes towards building team consensus;
  • Ability to work with diverse teams of academics, private sector representatives and other stakeholders;
  • Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Good teamwork and leadership skills;
  • Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills both in Turkish and English;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
  • Good presentation and communication skills;
  • Excellent writing and analytic skills;
  • Familiarity with skills generation issues and international sources of information on sustainable development related issues;
  • Development and Operational Effectiveness;
  • Ability to assist in strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
  • Ability to support formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of research and data collection initiatives;
  • Good ICT skills;
  • Ability to provide support to the implementation of new research methods and facilitate team member engagement;
  •  Sound understanding of economic and business/entrepreneurship development situation in CIS countries;
  • Good understanding of the challenges business face in transition countries and what role UNDP can play in facilitating pro-poor investments;
  • In-depth knowledge of “pro-poor” business and their potential to contribute to development;
  • Understanding of UN/UNDP role, values and priorities and of sustainable development aspects of partnerships with the private sector and investment promotion;
  • Ability to understand and provide critical analysis of business models and communicate the results to clients.

Required Skills and Experience

The international consultant shall have prior experience in evaluating similar projects. Experience with GEF financed projects is an advantage. International evaluator will be responsible for finalizing the report. The international evaluator selected should not have participated in the project preparation and/or implementation and should not have conflict of interest with project related activities.
 
The International evaluator must present the following qualifications:
 
Education:
  • University degree in relevant areas such as biodiversity, protected areas, environment, social sciences, environmental sciences and engineering;
  • Higher education in biodiversity, protected areas management and environment will be an asset.

Experience:

  • Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience;
  • Knowledge of UNDP and GEF environment/rules/procedures/requirements;
  • Previous experience with results-based monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
  • Technical knowledge in the targeted focal area(s) is an asset;
  • Proven track record of application of results-based approaches to evaluation of projects focusing on protected area management/biodiversity (relevant experience in the CIS region or in Mediterranean and within UN system would be an asset);
  • Familiarity with priorities and basic principles of protected area management or marine and coastal protected areas, relevant international best-practices;
  • Knowledge of and recent experience in applying UNDP and GEF M&E policies and procedures is an asset.

Languages required:

  • Fluent in both written and spoken English.