Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Government of Timor-Leste in the implementation of the GEF Medium Size Project (MSP) “ Strengthening targeted national capacities to improve decision-making and mainstreaming global environmental obligations into national development priorities” (CCCD Project).   Timor-Leste is fully committed to meet its obligations under the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), with this project (among other related projects) intended to facilitate an important step towards developing the capacities in Timor-Leste for an effective national environmental management framework.

The project is assisting the Government of Timor-Leste to achieve the national priorities it has set in its National Strategic Development Plan for 2011 to 2030, and in its current annual National Priorities by enhancing national capacities.  This project is designed to build the capacity of the agencies to engage effectively together in the series of concurrent national assessment and planning exercises, the subsequent development and implementation of policies and substantial programme, and the monitoring of results and strengthening of future planning and actions.  More specifically, this project will address specific cross-cutting capacity development priorities identified in the NCSA in order to catalyze Timor-Leste’s more effective participation in environmentally sound and sustainable development in a way that produces co-benefits for the global environment.  Thus, the goal of this project is for the Timor-Leste to be better enabled to meet their obligations under the three Rio Conventions.  This requires the country to have the necessary capacities to coordinate efforts, as well as best practices for integrating global environmental priorities into planning, decision-making, and reporting processes.  To that end, the objective of this project is to strengthen institutional capacity for effectively managing information systems for national MEA obligations and monitoring impact and progress.

This project will be carried out via four linked components:  Component 1 focuses on enhanced institutional and technical capacities to use data and information for planning and decision-making; Component 2 focuses on coordination of technical directorates; Component 3 focuses on global environmental obligations mainstreamed into select sectoral policies, legislation, plans and programmes; and Component 4 focuses on enhanced awareness and value of the global environment.

Project’s Component 4: Enhanced awareness and value of the global environment to meet socio-economic priorities among other activities will focus on developing educational curricula for civil servants and academic institutions that promote better environmental information management and emphasize global environmental values and best practice approaches.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will work under direct supervision of the Project Manager and Head of Sustainable Development Unit. S/he will work closely with the national and international experts and relevant staff of Secretary of State for Environment and other governmental stakeholders to perform the following duties:

1. Conduct a situational analysis of the current information management systems in the State Secretariat of Environment and General Directorate of Statistics including the assessment of the information management needs required to achieve effective and efficient data management to support sound environmental management, monitoring and reporting with respect to Rio Conventions.
2. Conduct a review and analysis of existing and planned databases and information management systems across Government Ministries and Departments to ensure complementarity and harmonization as necessary.
3. Review and analyse relevant databases to identify gaps in data sets and environmental information, in particular related to Rio Conventions to ensure implementation and tracking of indicators for monitoring of Conventions and sectoral and climate adaptation plans, and national reporting.
4. Design best practice technological structures for data collection, storage, and sharing. This will include review best practice for collecting and sharing data.
5. Design technological structure of data and information systems to include the web-based portal.

1. Key Deliverables and Timeframe:

Key deliverables and expected timeframe are given below:

Competencies

A Bachelor degree in a subject related to information technology systems, computer science, environmental information management and other closely relevant fields.

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, Portuguese/Tetun

Required Skills and Experience

• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in analyzing, processing and managing variable quantitative and qualitative datasets, information management, information systems, geographic information systems (GIS), database development, web management, data visualization, or other related areas is required; 
• Strong knowledge of best practices for data visualization and dashboards, with specific expertise using the Tableau data visualization platform required; 
• Sound knowledge of database management systems and tools, including Microsoft SQL server, Microsoft SharePoint is desirable; 
• Experience managing information in international development or humanitarian context as well as relevant experience within the UN system is desirable; 
• Familiarity with machine learning / artificial intelligences tools and processes, natural language processing, and related big data analytics is desirable; 
• Knowledge and understanding of theories, concepts and approaches relevant to the management of information in an international development or humanitarian context is desirable; 
• Ability to conduct data collection using various methods and tools is desirable; 
• Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, including familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases is desirable; 
• Ability to quickly establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different cultural backgrounds and languages is desirable.