Background

Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP) will support the Government of Sri Lanka to implement integrated solutions to water management in three river basins in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka (i.e Mi Oya, Malwathu Oya, Yan Oya). The Project aims to strengthen the resilience of Smallholder Farmers in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone to climate variability and extreme events. The Project is financed through a grant received from Green Climate Fund (GCF). Government of Sri Lanka has committed to co-finance the activities identified under the Project. Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, which is also the implementing partner to the project, is implementing the project with technical assistance of the. The Project invests in improving access to irrigation and eco-system based agricultural practices, improved community managed drinking water infrastructure, scaling up decentralized drinking water systems and strengthening early warning, forecasting and climate advisories to protect farmers, particularly women from climate related impacts.

The Project will benefit 770,500 people living in the three river basins directly through investments in irrigation, drinking water and disaster risk management. Moreover, around 1.2 million people living in these districts will indirectly benefit from the project interventions in capacities and early warning systems.

The Project covers three key components:

1. Component 1: Climate resilient investment to rehabilitate small tank-based cascading systems and related infrastructure and facilitate sustainable, climate-proof agricultural practices in targeted areas; 
2. Component 2: Investments to increase access to and quality of drinking water in remote and rural areas through a multi-pronged partnership approach that seeks to replenish sources, build storage, purify contaminated water and address root causes of water quality issues;
3. Component 3: Improve community access to timely early warning for flood and drought to avoid losses and impacts on key livelihood assets. This includes the generation, coding, modelling, dissemination and access to weather related data/knowledge including advise and early warning.

Scope and Objectives:

As part of UNDP’s quality assurance role, UNDP requires adherence to the Social and Environmental Standards (SES) for Project activities implemented using funds channeled through UNDP’s accounts, regardless of Implementation Modality (e.g. NIM, DIM). Screening and categorization of Projects is one of the key policy delivery requirements of UNDP and Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) fulfills this requirement and provides policy guidance and tools to design and implement quality Projects and to address the requirements of UNDP’s SES.

The objectives of the SESP are to:

• integrate the SES Overarching Principles in order to strengthen social and environmental sustainability;
• identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance;
• determine the Project’s risk category (Low, Moderate, High); and,
• determine the level of social and environmental assessment and management required to address potential risks and impacts.

The CRIWMP has been screened against UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards Procedure (SESP) and deemed a Category B project. The Project further developed a “Environmental and Social Safeguard Plan” (ESMP), which sets out the avoidance and mitigation measures and actions required to address project’s potential social and environmental risks and impacts. In addition, the ESMP also defines desired outcomes and measurable actions to address identified risks and impacts and to meet applicable requirements, with firm commitments for implementation and monitoring. The ESMP submitted with the Project Proposal was later reviewed during the project inception and the comments received were incorporated.

The Project is in its third year of implementation and has come across new risks, where additional safeguards are required to minimize the social and environmental impacts. Therefore, the Project intends to carryout targeted impact assessment of new risks and update the ESMP, for updating strategies for managing and minimizing those new risks and undesirable impacts identified as a result of the review.  

The overall objective of this consultancy is to identify potential new social and environmental risks and their significance, and develop a management plan to minimize (if avoidance is not possible) the adverse effects of such risks.

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific Objectives:

1. Updated SESP
   1. Conduct social and environmental screening of the project activities in line with the latest version of the UNDP’s SESP and the GCF’s ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL POLICY
   2. Review the relevant national policies and legal provisions related to environmental, social and cultural safeguards and identify possible implications on project actions
   3. Consult project staff and partner agencies, including the relevant national agencies related to social and environmental safeguards, Project’s technical specialists, and the Civil Society Organizations working with the Project to identify the possible additional environmental and social risks pertaining to the irrigation work, water supply work, and disaster preparedness work
2. Targeted impact assessment of new risk(s)
   1. Conduct targeted impact assessment of new risk(s) identified as a result of Activity 01 above
3. Updated ESMP as a stand-alone document
   1. Identify the management measures for new risk(s)
   2. Submit the updated ESMP, as a stand-alone management plan
4. Training manual and materials
   1. Develop a training manual and materials to train the Project staff and partners on implementing and monitoring of the updated ESMP
   2. Conduct a minimum of one training programme for Project staff on social and environmental safeguards and updated ESMP of the Project

Expected Deliverables

1. 25th February 2020 – Draft updated ESMP and Training Report after completing one training programme, including the training manual and materials
2. 05th March 2020 – Finalized ESMP as a stand-alone document and finalised training manuals and materials

Competencies

• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong analytical skills exceptional ability in communication and networking, negotiations and writing
• Ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations
• Ability to manage and work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team
• Ability to seek and apply knowledge, information and best practices from multiple sectors
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize relevant collected data and findings for the preparation of case studies and progress reports
• Excellent leadership, coordination and team working skills
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client & responds positively to feedback
• Good team player who has ability to maintain good relationships

Required Skills and Experience

The successful candidate will have a background in Irrigation and Water Management with an emphasis on Hydrological Modelling and with strong communication/writing skills and a successful track records in development of curricular and providing capacity development of technical staff.

Education:

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Resource/Environmental Economics, Natural Resources Management or relevant scientific discipline is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of extensive working experience in Environment and Social Safeguards, Natural Resource and Environmental management, policy development and implementation, active involvement in international environment and social safeguard application is an advantageous;
• Track record of successfully working with governments on environment and social safeguard, climate change and sustainable development agenda is preferable;
• Proven experience and knowledge in Safeguard Principles, Development Effectiveness and Cooperation, Climate Change Finance, gender equality and its related issues is an asset and knowledge of regional institutions working on climate finance;
• Work experience in an international organization is an advantage;
• Extensive knowledge of UNDP’s policies, procedures and practice is an asset, not a requirement;
• Ability to work as a part of a team, sharing information and coordinating efforts within the team;

Languages/ Other:

• Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English;
• Good computer literacy including Microsoft Office.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply please access UNDP Jobs site http://jobs.undp.org.

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work;
• Updated CV to include qualifications/competencies and relevant past experience in similar projects and contact details of 3 professional referees who can certify your competencies, professionalism, quality of writing, presentation and overall suitability to this TOR;
• Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a combination of factors including cover letter, the credentials on offer and brief interview (optional) and the offer which gives the best value for money for the UNDP;
• Please send the Financial Proposal separately to the following e-mail address: consultants.lk@undp.org  stating the vacancy number/position  in the subject line.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL   

All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee: LKR (_______________)

Or

All Inclusive Daily Fee: LKR (___________________)

Amount in words: Rs. (_______________________________________)

Note: Payments will be based on invoices on achievement of agreed milestones i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification of acceptance by the UNDP. The applicant must factor in all possible costs in his/her “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee” including his/her consultancy and professional fee, travel (economy class flights is required to and from the Duty Station) honorarium, board and lodging, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant. UNDP will only pay for any unplanned travel outside of this TOR and Duty Station on actual basis and on submission of original bills/invoices and on prior agreement with UNDP officials. Daily per diems and costs for accommodation/meals/incidental expenses for such travel shall not exceed established local UNDP DSA rates.

For an Individual Contractor who is 65 years of age or older, and on an assignment requiring travel, be it for the purpose of arriving at the duty station or as an integral duty required travel under the TOR, a full medical examination and statement of fitness to work must be provided.  Such medical examination costs must be factored in to the financial proposal above. Medical examination is not a requirement for individuals on RLA contracts. 

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES

Payments will be based on milestones certified by the Technical Advisor – CRIWMP.

Payment Milestones will be as follows:

1. 40% of the payment by 25th March 2020 after submitting the draft updated ESMP and Training Report after completing one training programme, including the training manual and materials
2. The remaining 60% of the payment by 05th April 2020 after submitting the finalized ESMP as a stand-alone document and finalised training manuals and materials

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workplace, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.