Background
- Providing basis for the development of specific and yet future looking policies, strategies, plans, undertaking specific measures;
- Enabling the Civil Society organizations (CSO) and the general public in getting more aware and mobilized around solving particular issues and pressuring the government to adhere to its obligations;
- Reporting to the all three Rio Conventions to which Albania is the signatory and has commitments.
The existing Protected Areas (Biodiversity) Information System (PA-IS) is thought as the single, unique and more comprehensive national entry point for data and information on biodiversity in Albania. However, at its current scale and scope the PA-IS is limited to the protected areas network and cannot serve as a tool for informed decision making and reporting for broader natural resources management and conservation at national level and global level.
Creating national wide environmental information system will therefore enable Albania monitoring and coordinating sectoral policies strategically to fulfill national obligations under global environmental agreements so that Albania can meet the requirements of the Global Environmental Conventions in a coordinated and strategic manner.
The project is a response to the need for an environmental monitoring system that is integrated throughout the related government institutions, that is well coordinated and cooperates, using international monitoring standards for the selection of monitoring indicators, the data collection processes, the processing and reporting of this information covering all three Rio Conventions. The GEF contribution will develop national capacities in Albania to align its national environmental information management and monitoring system with global environmental monitoring and reporting priorities; including the compliance with the Multilateral Environment Agreements reporting obligations.
- Development of the EIMS to enable integration of global environment commitments into planing and monitoring processes;
- Development and application of uniform indicators encompassing UNFCCC, CBD and CCD concerns and global environmental threats;
- Stakeholder’s capacity for information management (collection processing) of key global environment data and utilization (interpretation and reporting) is enhanced at national and local level.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Work together with the local consultants (LC), UNDP and national counterparts on setting PPG implementation strategy;
- Finalize PPG work plan, TOR for LCs, and design consultation and validation workshops.
- Oversee completion of background studies, ensuring they are appropriate in scope and provide required analyses;
- Facilitate and guide consultations to determine project strategy, priorities, key partners, and key barriers to success;
- Provide technical and professional support to the LC and national stakeholders.
- Develop the project strategy; detailed budget, work plan and logical framework, develop a replication strategy.
- Assume main responsibility for finalizing the project document, with significant input from all local consultants.
- Consultations with key partners in National Government, responsible for environmental management as well as relevant sectoral ministries;
- Facilitation of project validation workshop.
- Detailed Assignment Workplan (within 1 weeks of start of the assignment);
- Detailed PPG work plan and design of consultation and validation workshops (within 2 weeks of start of the assignment);
- Draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, and Request for CEO Endorsement (15th of October 2014);
- Final UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, capacity Development Scorecard, ESSP and Request for CEO Endorsement fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards (15 December 2014).
- Oversee completion of background studies, ensuring they are appropriate in scope and overall quality;
- Provide required analyses;
- Facilitate and guide consultations to determine project strategy, priorities, key partners, and key barriers to success.
- 25% upon preparation and acceptance of the assignment work plan, PPG work plan, design of consultation and validation workshops;
- 25% upon completion of consultation and validation workshop in Tirana (following the 2nd mission);
- 35% upon preparation and acceptance of the draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, Capacity development scorecard for CEO Endorsement;
- 15% upon clearance by Regional Technical Advisor of the project documentation fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards and its submission to GEF Secretariat which includes assistance to UNDP Co Environment Unit with response to any GEF Sec comments.
Competencies
- Strong expertise in Environmental Management;
- Experience in developing institutional arrangements for multi-national projects;
- Familiarity with the International Conventions addressing Biodiversity Conservation, Desertification and Climate Change.
- Experience in drafting GEF Cross-Cutting Capacity Development (CCCD) project proposals;
- Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily;
- Familiarity with GEF policies, templates and requirements for MSP.
- Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior members of national institutions;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
- Excellent English written and communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize relevant collected data and findings for the preparation of quality analysis for the project proposal;
- Excellent coordination skills and result oriented collaboration with colleagues – especially for this case the national level consultants.
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Build strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and results for the client and responds positively to feedback.
- Good team player who has ability to maintain good relationships.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced University degree in the fields of environmental management, public administration or relevant related fields.
- At least 7 years of relevant professional experience;
- Proven experience in developing/implementing similar projects, preferably in the region/ experience in Albania would be an advantage;
- Previous successful experience in development and approval of the GEF project documents;
- Proven expert knowledge in the GEF CCCD projects;
- Previous experience with UNDP is a great advantage.
Language Requirements:
- Excellent English writing skills are essential.
Individual consultant will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
- Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
- Strong expertise in Environmental Management - max points 15;
- Familiarity with the International Conventions addressing Biodiversity Conservation, Desertification and Climate Change - max points 25;
- Experience in drafting GEF Cross-Cutting Capacity Development (CCCD) project proposals - max points 30;
Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:
- Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
- Filled P11 form for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs) - blank form Download here (please upload the P11 instead of your CV); (please upload the P11 instead of your CV);
- Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount in USD for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days, travel, per diems and any other possible costs);
- Please, merge your completed Personal History form, financial proposal and cover letter, if applicable, into a single file and upload when you click ‘Submit Application’.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.