UNDP Jobs - 86413- Environmental Economist

Environmental Economist

Location :

Home Based with up to five missions to Georgia, GEORGIA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

31-Jul-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

up to 45 consultancy days during September 2019 – June 2020, with two missions (10 days)

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

up to 80 consultancy days during September 2019 – August 2022, with up to five missions (30 days)

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

Due to the complex mountainous terrain and climate, Georgia is subject to both geological and hydro-meteorological natural hazards. Climate change studies have indicated that these hazards will increase in frequency, intensity and geographical spread over time and will have significant negative impacts on various sectors. Economic assessment of the impact of hydro meteorological hazards under climate change conditions shows that 1.7 Million people (40% of the population) including the most vulnerable communities in remote rural and densely populated urban areas are at risk from the different hazards.

Considering the above, to address the existing development challenges, UNDP designed a program aimed at reducing exposure of Georgia’s communities, livelihoods and infrastructure to climate-induced natural hazards reduced through a well-functioning nation-wide multi-hazard early warning system and risk-informed local action. The program encompasses two interrelated projects funded by Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). The GCF funded interventions will target at expanding hydro-meteorological network & modelling capacities and improving community resilience through implementation of the EWS & risk reduction measures. The project will provide critical climate risk information that would enable the Government of Georgia to implement number of nation-wide transformative policies and actions for reducing exposure and vulnerability of the population to climate-induced hazards. The project will thus catalyze a paradigm shift in the national climate risk management, climate-proofed disaster risk reduction and early warning approaches. Within this initiative, SDC will strengthen Georgia’s capacities, both on local and national levels, for reduction and management of climate change-induced hazard risks through development and adoption of unified hazard mapping and risk modelling methodologies and development of hazard maps and risk and vulnerability profiles for 11 major river basins (Enguri, Rioni, Chorokhi-Ajaristskali, Supsa, Natanebi, Khobi, Kintrishi, Khrami-Ktsia, Alazani, Iori, Mtkvari) in Georgia.

More specifically, overall objective of the given assignment will be to develop a unified methodology for socio-economic risk and vulnerability modelling and assessment of all hydrometeorological hazards, the development of a socio-economic survey methods and necessary tools; and, in cooperation with a local company, undertake the socio-economic risk and vulnerability assessment for eleven river basins.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall responsibility of the incumbent will be to support socio-economic risk and vulnerability assessment for the project target river basins through elaboration of a comprehensive methodology on socio-economic risk and vulnerability modelling and assessment for different hazards (landslides, floods, mudflows, avalanches, hailstorms, windstorms, droughts), as well as elaboration of socio-economic survey methodology and tools; and prepare socio-economic vulnerability assessment report for 3 basins. The duties and responsibilities provided in the ToR are for the first year of September 2019- June 2020. The expected number of consultancy days is 45 including two missions of up to 10 days. For the remaining period of August 2020 – August 2022 precise tasks, consultancy and mission days will be specified in the corresponding ToRs.

For the indicated one-year period the international expert will be responsible to:

Develop a unified methodology for gender-sensitive socio-economic risk and vulnerability assessment, including mathematical modelling and mapping methodologies for each hazard type (landslides, floods, mudflows, avalanches, hailstorms, windstorms, droughts) and for multi-hazard risks;
Identify data needs for socio-economic risk and vulnerability assessment related to different hazards, and review data available for socio-economic risk and vulnerability modelling and assessment for all hazards individually and for multi-hazards. Prepare report on data availability and quality assessment;
Review existing models and software that can be implemented in Georgia including the draft bespoke risk model that was developed for Rioni basin and extended to the rest of Georgia. Recommend the most appropriate multi-hazard socio-economic risk and vulnerability modelling, assessment and mapping tool for Georgia.
Undertake a thorough review of approaches to multi-hazard socio-economic vulnerability survey method, identify an appropriate approach to be adopted for Georgia. Prepare list of recommendations, including multi-hazard socio-economic vulnerability survey method for addressing to implementation socio-economic vulnerability assessment;
Develop socio-economic vulnerability survey tools including Participatory Geographical Information Systems (PGIS) methods and tools;
In close cooperation with local company establish GIS-based multi-hazard socio-economic vulnerability database for integration of all relevant socio-economic, receptor, and other datasets that will form part of the SDI and conform to its relevant standards;
Develop survey strategy for the project and for long-term socio-economic data collection for 3 river basins
Develop and implement community engagement, mobilization and sensitization plans and community communications strategy prior to implementation of surveys for 3 river basins

Deliverables for the first year of the assignment:

Methodology and work plan indicating the schedule of works and responsibilities;
Report on identified data needs, data availability and quality assessment for socio-economic vulnerability assessment related to different hazards (By 30 October 2019);
Report on review of existing socio-economic vulnerability and risk models and software including recommended multi-hazard socio-economic vulnerability and risk assessment modelling and mapping tool for Georgia (15 December 2019)
Unified methodology of gender-sensitive socio-economic vulnerability assessment, including mathematical modelling and mapping methodologies for multi-hazard (landslides, floods, mudflows, avalanches, hailstorms, droughts) risks (by 30 January 2020);
Multi-hazard socio-economic vulnerability survey methodology and tools (by 15 May 2020).

Management Arrangements:

The work of service provider will be directly supervised by the Team Leader, under the overall supervision of Project Coordinator and the Environment and Energy Team Leader. The service provider will be directly responsible to, reporting to, seeking approval from the above-mentioned persons.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
Understanding of the mandate and the role of UNDP would be an asset;
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

Functional competencies:

Strong communication and analytical skills;
Demonstrated skills in drafting reports;
Ability to work under pressure with several tasks and various deadlines;
Actively generates creative, practical approaches and solutions to overcome challenging situations;
Excellent writing, presentation/public speaking skills;
A pro-active approach to problem-solving;
Computer literacy

Leadership and Self-Management skills:

Builds strong relationships with the working group and with the project partners; focuses on impact and results for the project partners and responds positively to feedback;
Cooperates with working group effectively and demonstrates strong conflict resolution skills;
Consistently approaches work with energy, positivity and a constructive attitude;
Demonstrates strong influencing and facilitation skills;
Remains calm, in control and good humored under pressure;
Demonstrates openness to change, new ideas and ability to manage ambiguity;
Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates ability to transfer knowledge and competencies;
Is able to work independently and hurdle competing priorities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

MSc degree in economics, environmental sciences or relevant field (minimum requirement: Master’s degree - 7 points; PhD – additional 3 points);

Experience:

Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in socio – economic impact analysis and appraisal of natural hazard impacts, natural resources policies and natural hazard management intervention (minimum requirement: 10 years - 15 points; more than 10 years – additional 5 points);
Experience in natural resources management, economic evaluation, and payment for environmental services (asset: 5 points);
At least 7 years of experience in socio-economic survey technologies and techniques (minimum requirement: 7 years - 13 points; more than 7 years – additional 2 points);
Proven record of environmental economic assessments, studies or models;
Chartership / accreditation with relevant institution will be desirable.

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in both spoken and written English.

Evaluation:

Offerors will be evaluated against combination of technical and financial criteria. Maximum obtainable score is 100, out of which the total score for technical criteria, that includes desk review and interview scores and in total equals to 70 and for financial criteria – to 30. Technical evaluation composes of desk review (50 points) and interview (20 points). Offerors that do not meet Minimum Qualification Criteria will be automatically rejected, while the rest will form up the long list. The offerors who obtain minimum 35 points as a result of the desk review will be invited for the interview. Offerors who pass 70% threshold, i.e. obtain minimum 14 points, as a result of the interview will be requested the financial proposal.

Financial proposal:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the ToR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount. Maximum 30 points will be assigned to the lowest price offer. All other price offers will be scored using the formula (inverse proportion): Financial score X = 30* the lowest price offer/suggested price offer. All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal as well.