Background

Since 2014, The United Nations Development Program through its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Project, has been supporting the Philippine Government in articulating the financial resources it needs to maintain a healthy biodiversity portfolio in-country. In particular, BIOFIN in collaboration with Department of Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau has conducted the following assessments:  1) Policy and Institutional Review (PIR); 2) Public and Private Biodiversity Expenditure Review (PPBER); 3) Assessment of financial needs (cost and gap analysis of implementing Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP)).  These assessments significantly contributed to the development of a Biodiversity Finance Plan.

Based on insights gained from the results of the three BIOFIN assessments, this Plan acknowledges the importance of tapping additional financing to support the biodiversity agenda of the Philippines, mainly through its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP), referred to henceforth in this Plan as the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP). This Plan is cognizant of the parallel challenges that could not be addressed by generating financing alone: thus, the Plan transcends the focus on generating additional resources and also identifies a range of “finance solutions” that leverage finance, fiscal and economic tools and strategies to improve the outcome of biodiversity objectives in the country. Financing solutions include a range of transformative actions: generating more financing to fund the PBSAP or associated planning documents; appropriate attribution of biodiversity expenditures in the budget; attaining cost effective budget execution by eradicating overlaps in biodiversity functions; eradicating expenditures that continue to or aggravate dissipation of biodiversity resources; and paving the groundwork for a responsive policy environment through greater awareness on biodiversity and biodiversity financing and enhancing institutional support towards monitoring of PBSAP.

Resource mobilization strategies targeting the private sector and the citizenry are also highlighted given that these sectors can muster significant amount of resources for biodiversity conservation.  Initiatives on corporate social responsibility (CSR), crowdfunding and diaspora have been started and need to be continued.  At the same time, new initiatives with the banking sector on sustainability practices will be explored.  Development of the mobile game application on biodiversity is underway while a campaign on the “Year of Protected Areas” will also be launched and the private sector is seen to be a major participant.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Project Manager and the Senior Technical Advisor, the Partnerships Specialist is expected to assist in the implementation of resource mobilization strategies targeting the private sector and the general public towards the achievement of expected project outcomes. S/he is expected to initiate implementation of selected finance mechanisms, prepare periodic work plans, budgets and progress reports as well as ensure monitoring of project’s progress and networking with various local and national stakeholders.

Specific functions:

1. Lead the implementation of the “Year of Protected Areas” campaign.  S/he will engage the private sector in this campaign through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs or other appropriate mechanisms;
2. Provide inputs to the Sustainable Financing Specialist  in the assessment of biodiversity financing landscape in the Philippines, including current private sector strategies and gaps and, recommendations on enhancing biodiversity financing in the Philippines and BIOFIN’s interventions, as necessary;
3. Continue and expand current CSR and crowdfunding initiatives by meeting with companies and private sector foundation associations/organizations and developing programs with them based on the PBSAP priority programs (short-and long-term) for consideration by the companies.  CSR targeting should be above $100,000;
4. Continue initiatives with the Philippine National Bank on responsible banking;
5. Continue current diaspora efforts undertaken with the government and remittance centers;
6. Assess the performance of the mobile game application;
7. Contribute to the IEC component of the project and continue partnership work with key private sector partners;
8. Attend relevant project meetings and workshops/exercises; and
9. Submit report/s as may be required by UNDP and BMB

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Manager shall directly supervise the Partnerships Specialist and approve his/her output.

The Partnerships Specialist is expected to liaise/interact/collaborate/meet with the national and global (as necessary) BIOFIN project team, DENR BMB and UNDP.  As needed, the project staff shall provide administrative assistance to her/him in order for her/him to accomplish all requirements.

Competencies

Corporate competencies

• Preferably with sufficient knowledge of UNDP and BMB and some level of familiarity with its operations

Functional and technical competencies

• Formulating strategies and concepts
• Relating and networking
• Persuading and influencing
• Applying technical expertise

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in business management, finance, economics, marketing, advertising, communications or a closely related 

Experience

• At least 7 years’ experience in business planning, marketing, and private sector resource mobilization;
• At least 5 years experience with national and local programs, projects and initiatives on biodiversity conservation and related areas
• At least 5 years experience with international and national experts and institutions
• At least 7 years experience in engaging with private sector

Language

• Fluency in English and Filipino

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The combined scoring method where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a maximum of 30%.

The Technical Proposal will be evaluated based on qualifications in the CV with passing score of 70 points. The breakdown of technical evaluation is as follows:

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Offerors are required to upload in 1 one file the following documents:   

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references; and
3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. 

You may download the editable version of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC by clicking on this link: http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU