Activity Manager, Pacific Regional Oceanscape Program, PROP

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Pacific Regional Oceanscape Program (PROP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services to be managed by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) through the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC). The services will involve managing resources, activities, monitoring and reporting for PROP Component 3: Sustainable Financing of the Conservation of Critical Fishery Habitats.

The objective of Component 3 is to help identify revenue streams to sustainably finance the conservation of critical habitats that underpin oceanic and coastal fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). Activities will include both regional and national initiatives that establish: (i) Pacific Marine Conservation Development Financing Mechanisms to support fishery habitat conservation, including the establishment of large scale oceanic marine protected/ managed areas (MPAs/ MMAs), remediation/ mitigation projects, integrated ocean management and mechanisms for cost and benefit sharing; and (ii) a pilot Pacific Blue Carbon regional program for small to medium scale fishery habitats.

FFA invites eligible Individual Consultants to express their interest in providing their services as Activity Manager, a full time position within the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner. The term of the Consultancy will be three years, with a three-month probationary period and the possibility of an extension.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Implementation of Component Three Activities: The PROP Component 3 Activity Manager will have responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the activities planned under the

component, including:

• baseline/ stocktaking of large scale marine conservation initiatives in the WCPO, as well as potential areas for protection, including consideration of the economic costs and benefits of each, the financial costs, and their distribution;
• analysis/ development of potential financing mechanisms to transfer payments from beneficiaries of large-scale marine conservation initiatives to those incurring the costs, including philanthropists/ donors acting on behalf of non-local beneficiaries who could provide potential revenue streams, as well as other potential sources of impact philanthropy – including institutional, corporate and private funds;
• development of specific financing options – either at the regional scale or for targeted large marine protected areas and conservation initiatives, which could be presented to potential donors and finance providers;
• coordinate the proposed work on Blue Carbon; and
• support to the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner in facilitating these financing options and tracking progress, with the aim of actually establishing revenue streams to finance the costs of targeted large scale marine conservation initiatives.

These activities are expected to be carried out by individual expert consultants and teams (firms) contracted by FFA and under the immediate supervision of the Activity Manager.  The Activity Manager would facilitate any international advisory support needed to guide implementation and help identify revenue streams. The Activity Manager may also have responsibility for sourcing and supervision of additional consultants necessary to support implementation of the work program.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Collection and tracking of data on PROP Component 3 implementation according to the indicators described in the PROP Project Appraisal Document (PAD 1169) in order to:

• monitor the progress of PROP Component 3 towards achieving the intended results and targets, and;
• ensure monitoring and evaluation activities are coordinated with other country, regional and development partner initiatives in support of the Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Location: Suva, Fiji, three-year term with the possibility of an extension.

Reporting: Day-to-day to the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner on work plan development and progress in general, and contractually to the PROP Program Support Unit at the Forum Fisheries Agency on the implementation of PROP Component 3.

Key Reference Documents:  The PROP Project Appraisal Document (PAD 1169), and IDA/ FFA Financing Agreement for Grant No D023-4P. Additional guidance is provided by the Program Operations Manual (POM). The Component 3 Activity Manager will have responsibility for quality control and ensuring procedures outlined in the POM are implemented as required for Component 3.  Overall responsibility for quality control will rest with the PROP Regional Program Support Unit at FFA.

Key Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in fields related to marine conservation, natural resource management, resource economics and/ or finance.
• At least 10 years’ experience in supporting the development and implementation of policy related to marine conservation, natural resource management and/ or resource economics. 
• At least 5 years’ experience in project management related to conservation or natural resource management initiatives, with a preference for experience in international and ocean projects.
• Experience working across diverse cultures, with a preference for Western and Central Pacific Ocean experience.
• Experience with international funding agencies and the World Bank guidelines and procedures (i.e. safeguards, procurement, financial reporting and project management etc.), or equivalent guidelines and procedures.
• Experience in financing for conservation.

Interested Individual Consultants are invited to provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services, including a curriculum vitae (which should include a description of education and general qualifications, similar assignments, experience in similar conditions etc. and the names, business contacts and e-mail addresses of three referees).

The attention of interested Individual Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers January 2011, revised July 2014 (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest, which may be found at: http://go.worldbank.org/U9IPSLUDC0 (link is external).

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.

Further information, including the Terms of Reference for the Consultancy can be obtained from the e-mail address below, or by calling the number below during office hours (0900 to 1700 Solomon Islands time – UTC +11:00).

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by 17:00 on Wednesday 21 September 2016, Solomon Islands time – UTC +11:00.

Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency

Attention: PROP Regional Coordinator

Post Office Box 629, Honiara, Solomon Islands

Telephone:  +677 21124, Extension: 2567

Fax:  +677 23995 or 200092

E-mail: peter.cusack@ffa.int (link sends e-mail)