UNDP Jobs - 71663- International Land Release Efficiency Consultant

International Land Release Efficiency Consultant

Location :

Dushanbe, TAJIKISTAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jun-2017

Application Deadline :

22-May-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

45 days during 6 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

June - November 2017

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

Tajikistan’s landmines contamination is a legacy from various past conflicts:

Russian forces laid landmines on the Tajik-Afghan Border (TAB) during the 1992-1998 period to protect the border and the border posts from armed groups attempting to enter Tajikistan from Afghanistan.
Starting from 1999, Uzbekistan forces used mines along the Tajik-Uzbek Border (TUB) to protect the border from armed groups and bandits attempting to enter Uzbekistan from Tajikistan.
The Central Region (CR) of the country was contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) including cluster munitions during the 1992-1997 civil conflict.
Unexploded ordnance is being encountered in the environs of army shooting ranges.

Tajikistan is a State Party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their destruction (in short Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, APMBC or Ottawa Convention) and to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) including Amended Protocol II and Protocol V but has not yet joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In general, Tajikistan is currently implementing the obligations deriving from these treaties by destroying all AP mines in stockpiles (in 2004), by clearing all known mined areas (the deadline was extended until 2020) and of all known ERW; Tajikistan is also fulfilling its international reporting obligations. Landmine/ERW contamination restricts the possibility to use land for grazing and agricultural purposes and represents a serious risk to civilian populations engaged in farming and wood gathering activities. Mines and ERW are a threat for military patrols operating along the country's borders with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Therefore, UN activities will include support towards removing and destroying landmines and ERW throughout the country.

In order to provide a response to the problems caused by the presence of landmines and ERW, and in accordance with United Nations strategies and policies, the UNDP has played a central role in the setting up and development of the UNDP’s Tajikistan Mine Action Centre Project (TMAC) since 2003. UNDP facilitated a process to establish the national entity Tajikistan National Mine Action Centre (TNMAC), which was created by Governmental Decree in January 2014.

To ensure the most effective and appropriate response to the landmine threat, UN mine action activities promote national ownership, institution-building and capacity development, and are contingent on adherence to the core requirements of the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). The primary responsibility for mine action lies with the government of the mine-affected state. This responsibility should be vested in a national mine action authority that is charged with the regulation and supervision of a national mine action programme within its national borders, including the authorization of national mine action standards, standard operating procedures (SOP) as well as the accreditation of mine action operators. The Tajikistan National Mine Action Centre (TNMAC) is tasked to manage the national mine action programme (to plan, coordinate and monitor) in the country.

After nationalization of TNMAC, UNDP provided institutional and technical capacity building support to the Centre. UNDP also supported in development of strategic documents such as the National Humanitarian Mine Action Law, the National Mine Action Strategy (2017-2020), National Mine Action Standards and Standard Operations Procedures. As a result, the National Humanitarian Mine Action Law was endorsed by the Government of Tajikistan in August 2016 and the National Mine Action Strategy (2017-2020) in March 2017 and the National Mine Action Standards are under endorsement by the Government of Tajikistan which is expected to be approved in April 2017.

Despite the strategic achievements, there is still a lot needs to be done, especially in terms of addressing the remaining mine/ERW and residual contamination in Tajikistan. The Tajikistan Mine Action Programme is therefore required to improve the operational efficiency by enhancing and/or introducing the new land release methodology in order to fulfil the Ottawa Convention’s obligations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Goals and objectives:

UNDP in Tajikistan is seeking for an Release Efficiency Consultant (International Position – Part Time), who, under supervision of UNDP STMAP Project Manager and in close consultation with Programme Analyst on Energy and Environment, Crisis Prevention and Recovery of UNDP CO, as well as in close cooperation with TNMAC and other relevant counterparts will bear responsibility to provide technical support to Tajikistan Mine Action Programme, conducting the security assessment of Tajik-Afghan border with involvement of TNMAC and relevant national entities, evaluate the remaining hazardous areas in Tajikistan and develop comprehensive the Article 5 Completion for Tajikistan in order to meet the Ottawa obligations.

The Release Efficiency Consultant will assess the available Land Release capacity in Tajikistan, proposes methodology and approaches to deal with mine/ERW threat in Tajikistan. In addition, the International Technical Advisor based on the current situation and context will conduct feasibility study to recommend TNMAC and UNDP in terms of implementation of the Article 5 Completion Plan the deadline for which is April 2020. The Release Efficiency Consultant should also seek to ensure that recommendations made during the external evaluation of UNDP’s support to Mine Action in Tajikistan are taken up by the project and TNMAC.

Duties and responsibilities:

The main responsibilities of the Release Efficiency Consultant will be to provide technical support to UNDP and TNMAC to assess the current mine/ERW contamination as well as the Land Release processes and available resources such as human, financial, information management to implement the Ottawa Convention’s obligations by April 2020. In addition, it is required that the International Consultant will assess the available commitments from the Government of Tajikistan, UN and the development partners to support Mine Action related activities in the country and develop a road map for implementation of the Article 5 Completion Plan.

For detailed information, please refer to annex 1- Terms of Reference of the below link.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes 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;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies:

Maintains and establishes network of contacts with national counterparts and development partners for information sharing and responding to capacity development request;
Analyzes and selects materials for strengthening strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders;
Technical expertise in land release and mine/ERW clearance process;
Demonstrates good knowledge of Mine Action strategies, and good understanding on Mine Action and Development issues;
Understanding and experience with government-led multi-stakeholders mine action programmes;
Thorough knowledge of planning processes, especially joint planning and the use of decision-making tools and GIS, technical and international humanitarian safety standards and procedures;
Relevant international experience and cross-cultural communication skills;
Proven interpersonal skills;
Attitude and ability to motivate people;
Flexibility and resourcefulness;
Computer skills (common software programmes).

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master degree in Humanitarian Assistance and/or in International Relations, Development Studies, Management, Social Science and/or any other related fields.

Experience:

7-10 years working experiences in Humanitarian Mine Action Programme and with specific focus on transitioning and capacity development;
At least 5 years of demonstrated working experience in areas relevant for project management and land release’;
Professional experience in developing programme/project documents, resource mobilization and well understanding of priority setting mechanism Mine Action.

Language:

Proficiency in English, excellent analytical and drafting skills; knowledge of Russian language is an advantage.

Application Procedure:

Please follow the link to the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice:

http://www.undp.tj/va/upload/va/ICPN%20International%20Release%20Efficiency%20Consultant.docx