Background

UNDP in Albania supports nature conservation that considers competing pressures on environment from socio-economic activity through its Outcome 4 `Environment and Climate Change` of programme of cooperation (POC) with the government of Albania 2017-2021.

EIMMS project under Outcome 4 has been designed to strengthen capacity for environmental monitoring and information management in Albania by establishing an operational environmental information management and monitoring system (EIMS). The project will address the need for an environmental monitoring system that is integrated throughout relevant government institutions and that uses international monitoring standards for indicator development, data collection, analysis, and policy-making. It will also build on existing technical and institutional capacity in Albania to align its management and monitoring efforts with global monitoring and reporting priorities. Increased capacity in this area will improve reporting and lay the groundwork for sustainable development through better-informed environmental policy. An important element of the project relates to environmental monitoring and water framework directive.

The national strategy of the integrated waste management is the main planning document ion the field of municipal, non-municipal and hazardous waste management. This document was drafted for the first time in 2010 in four main pillars: planning, education, legislation and financial resources. While the current document covers the period 2018-2033, with the main purpose to review the capacities of the country to fulfil the obligation for the membership in the EU, which originate from acquis, chapter 27 environment and climate change, presenting an efficient and affordable strategic direction for the country for implementation of the environment management policies and measures at the central and local level.

Related programme background:

Water resources play a key role in the economy of Albania about 97% of the total domestically generated electricity production is generated from hydro-power plants mostly on the Drini, Mati and Bistrice Rivers; and about 50% of the cropland is irrigated producing about 80% of the agricultural output.

The main rivers are the Drin-Mati, Ishem- Erzeni, Shkumbini, Semani, Vjosa, and Bistrica. Because of the mountainous topography, rivers are torrential with steep slopes. Although, this is a natural phenomenon in mountainous countries with heavy rainfall, in the case of Albania it has been exacerbated by human activities such as deforestation and has resulted in large amounts of sediments ending up in reservoirs, rivers and seas.

Most of the rivers of Albania have formed at their mouth a series of lagoons, swamps and wetlands. Large lagoons along the coastline include Karavasta, Narta and Butrint, which are wetlands of global biodiversity significance. Some of them are Ramsar sites. These natural aquatic ecosystems critical for their high biodiversity value are being threatened by land-based pollution loads and in many cases, they are being used for discharging untreated wastewater.

Urban waste is mostly disposed at landfill sites, but significant quantities are also dumped at unauthorized locations, at sites adjacent to settlements and along roads washed into the river system, and ultimately out to sea, or blown to other areas neighboring the site.

Sanitation systems are in a dire condition as water supply systems, lacking waste treatment facilities thus all waste, solid and liquid, pumping into the rivers then flows to the sea.  This practice has resulted in extensive and severe contamination of rivers coastline and marine. To date wastewater treatment plants serve app. 25% of the country’s population and it is expected that in 2020 when all facilities are operational that app. 50% of the population will connected to waste treatment facilities.

The total Albanian annual rate of flow of 39.22 billion m3/year, 95 % is discharged into the Adriatic Sea and only 5% into the Ionian Sea. Two characteristic periods are distinguished regarding to the water flow rate, the humid period (October – May) with 86% of the annual flow rate, and the dry period (July - September), covering the remaining part of the annual flow rate.  

The Adriatic Sea is a cultural and economic anchor of the Mediterranean Croatia, Albania and Montenegro, depend on the Adriatic for recreation and economic activities such as tourism, transport, and fishing. Unfortunately, this critical water body is increasingly endangered by contamination. Pollution generated by solid and liquid waste has created eutrophication, degraded groundwater and destroyed natural habitats and landscape. These factors combined threaten local economic growth, especially in the above countries and to be further highlighted that such complex issues cannot be addressed by any of these countries acting alone. EU accession, and membership requires tougher environmental standard for Albania and Montenegro while for Croatia as anew EU member state the challenge is maximization the opportunities membership brings, and continue to make investments needed to meet pollution reduction targets.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment

The expert is expected to propose a framework for cooperation between the three countries (Albania, Croatia, Montenegro) involved in joint actions and to develop a proposal that will in the long term contribute to the protection and rational use of water resources in Albania and especially in the coastal zone of prevention pollution and creating the necessary conditions for the development of tourism other activities in line with the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian - EUSAI region and action related Water Framework Directive (WFD)  and Waste Management Legislation and Policy and other Multilateral Agreements.

Specific objective

The framework and proposal will be developed with the aim to support the national and local authorities in Albania in cooperation with Montenegro and in exchange with Croatia to implement institutional technical and on the ground measures for a coordinated river pollution management and control to prevent pollution discharges from the urbanized river basin/s to Adriatic Sea.

Attention will be shown to complexity of waste management considering physical (or ‘hardware‘) indicators (public health[1], environment[2] and resource recovery[3]) on the one hand, and governance (or ‘software”) indicators (user and provider inclusivity[4], financial sustainability[5], and sound institutions & proactive policies[6]), which are all required to deliver and anchor into a well-functioning waste management system on the other hand; This structure instructs a comprehensive and consistent approach that takes into account all facets of waste management, particularly when looking at the causes of the coastal pollution and marine debris, whose main origin is also the upstream unregulated and illegal activities;

Description of Responsibilities:

The international expert will develop an integrated plan/ concept proposal with a regional and cross-border approach for enhanced cooperation to better manage and disseminate information applying Initiatives for Social Mobilization of the citizens and their active participation in creating a sustainable clean environment, especially regarding pollution of rivers and coasts, as mentioned above, with the following considerations:

1. The relevant legislative framework and policies as well as the main gaps. EU Directives and International Standards and Approaches, as well as the institutional framework describing their key role in WFD and the associated waste management
2. Collection, evaluation and implementation of best practices from EU countries that can be implemented in the region.
3. Highlighting the main sources of pollution that can be minimized by social intervention.
4. Proposal for integrated management of social group dynamics for the management and prevention of coastal pollution and specific measures to ensure functionality.

DELIVERABLES:

• 50% after reporting on the baseline assessment

50% after the submission of the Integrated Plan/Concept Note and mobilization of social groups to prevent and manage pollution in the catchment area and coastline in the river basin and concrete measures to ensure functionality

[1] [maintaining of healthy conditions in cities through a good waste collection service]

[2] [protection of the environment throughout the waste chain]

[3] [closing the loop and returning both materials and nutrients to beneficial use]

[4] [providing transparent spaces for stakeholders to contribute as users, providers and enablers]

[5] [being cost-effective and affordable]

[6] [Institutional coherence, the institutional performance of the waste management system in accordance with a range of criteria]

Competencies

CORPORATE COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Communication - Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.
• Planning & Organizing – Develops clear goals in line with agreed strategies, identifies priorities, foresees risks and makes allowances accordingly.
• Organizational Awareness - Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
• Teamwork - Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Accountability – Takes ownership of all responsibilities and delivers outputs in accordance with agreed time, cost and quality standards

FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Thorough understanding of disability issues, human rights, social inclusion and social services
• Excellent inter-personal and teamwork skills, networking attitude;
• Capacity to deliver as per deadlines;
• Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily.
• Good technical, organizational, interpersonal and teambuilding skills essential;

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree in international development, management or related field.

Work Experience

• 7 years of experience with EU regional initiatives;
• Practical experience in cross border projects/initiatives in the region
• Demonstrated leadership ability and technical ability to manage different platforms of citizen, business, civil society engagement
• Involvement and leading role in social groups, international organizations and citizens’ initiatives

Language

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

EVALUATION OF APPLICANTS

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Combined Scoring method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.

Applicants obtaining 49 points or more of the total technical points will be considered for financial evaluation.

Combined weighted scoring: Technical (70%); Financial (30%).

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

• Educational background                                                                                                   10 points
• Practical experience in cross border projects/initiatives in the region                                    35 points
• Technical ability to manage different platforms of citizen, business, civil society engagement 25 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure

Interested applicants are advised to carefully study all sections of this ToRs and ensure that they meet the general requirements as well as specific qualifications described. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form: http://www.un.org.al/doc/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Letter%20to%20UNDP.docx
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. 
• http://www.al.undp.org/content/dam/albania/docs/misc/P11%20for%20SCs%20and%20ICs.doc
• Financial Proposal - specifying a total lump sum amount (working days, travel, per diems, and any other possible costs) for the tasks specified in this announcement. Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of service, etc.). All envisaged international travel costs should be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. 
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport.

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application.

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs);
• Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal. Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

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.

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