| Description |
CHIEF TECHNICAL ADVISOR (BIODIVERSITY)
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| Location : |
Gitega, BURUNDI |
| Application Deadline : |
18-Nov-12 |
| Additional Category |
Environment and Energy |
| Type of Contract : |
FTA International |
| Post Level : |
P-4 |
Languages Required :
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English French |
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start) |
01-Dec-2012 |
| Duration of Initial Contract : |
One (1) year (renewable) |
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Background
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| Burundi has gone through a free and transparent electoral process which resulted in the establishment of new democratic institutions. Burundians have adopted the Vision 2025 that aims at deeply transforming the Burundi society. The scope of Burundi 2025 is based on the development of a new national, strong, visionary leadership able to lead the country towards a better future. This requires a radical change of mindsets, behaviors and ways of doing business for Burundians and Burundi institutions in order to boost a new dynamics for the achievement of MDGs for sustainable development. In order to build national capacities for the conservation and rational management of natural resources, particularly of protected areas, the Government of Burundi, the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and UNDP co-funded a middle size project entitled “Improving the Effectiveness of protected areas management for biodiversity conservation”. The project has a duration of 48 months. Initially co-funded up to an amount of 3,159,000 USD, it aims at improving the management system (participatory management) of the two major national parks of the country, namely Kibira forest and Ruvubu national park. These two protected areas split over eight (8) provinces and they represent around 65% of Burundi protected areas
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Duties and Responsibilities
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- Supervise the project management unit and coordinate the implementation of the project activities in order to insure that results are consistent with the project document, and UNDP’s rules and procedures established in the POPP.
- Assume the overriding liability of the strategic management of the project-organizational and substantial-budgeting, planning and the overall monitoring;
- Maintain regular contact with UNDP country office on the project’s implementation issues;
- Liaise with the project and INECN General Directorate, the Ministry of Environment and the Government of Burundi to insure that co-funding contributions by the Government of Burundi are given in agreed time limit;
- Prepare and manage the implementation of agreements with partners to the project;
- Ensure that information flow, discussions and feedback from various stakeholders are properly done;
- Assume the responsibility of an effective support to the project board;
- Ensure accuracy of project activities with reference to the annual work plan, prepare the annual work plan review, and TORs of project evaluation if necessary;
- Assume any responsibility to insure that GEF progress reports are prepared in due time, as well as any other report requested by UNDP, the project board or the Ministry of Environment;
- Work with the National experts at Kibira, Ruvubu, and UNDP country office in order to prepare terms of references for national and international consultants;
- Monitor expenses, liabilities and compensation of project funds, budget heading and project budget reviews in line with the allotment and approved budget;
- Undertake project related action as requested by UNDP and GEF or agreed with the National Director of the Project (INECN);
- Design and implement a capacity building plan to be approved by the project board for INECN and partners involved in the management of protected areas in view of the sustainability of their effective management by stakeholders;
- Share knowledge, train and provide technical and management coaching to INECN;
- Document project findings, impacts and learned lessons;
- Mobilize additional funds and build strategic partnerships in favor of protected areas and the wellbeing of riparian populations by contributing to the formulation of project proposals, concept notes and/or funding requests.
IMPACT OF THE RESULTS:
- Biodiversity of Kibira and Ruvubu parks effectively protected in a consulted way;
- Participatory planning and management boards are effectively operational;
- Basis for sustainable funding of protected areas conservation and management are developed;
- Management and administration capacity for protected area system, including infrastructures (to rehabilitate), are strengthened;
- Stakeholders are committed to participatory management of protected areas;
- Threats from riparian populations and other stakeholders on Kibira and Ruvubu national parks are reduced;
- Incomes of riparian households are increased and their welfare improved, and these households as well as other relevant partners take measures for adaptation to climate change.
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Competencies
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ETHICS AND VALUES :
- Reliably delivers on promises and honors commitments, holding himself/herself accountable for actions taken;
- Takes the initiative to report on any deviations from established norms/practices;
- Demonstrates and promotes the highest standard of integrity, impartiality, fairness and incorruptibility in all matters affecting his/her work and status;
- Recognizes ethical dilemmas and/or conflicts of interest and seeks advice or support to resolve them;
- Strives to build and support a diverse team and takes full advantage of the perspectives brought by people regardless of gender, culture or religion;
- Identifies conflicts of interest between stakeholder groups and works to keep UN/UNDP from inappropriate involvement in such situations.
DEVELOPING AND EMPOWERING PEOPLE/COACHING AND MENTORING:
- Integrates himself/herself into the work unit, taking responsibility for own contribution to achieving team results;
- Takes initiative and seeks opportunities to initiate action;
- Helps peers to identify their unique strengths and weaknesses, training and development needs.
COMMUNICATION INFORMATION AND IDEAS:
- Facilitates open exchange of information and ideas encouraging team members to share their views, thoughts and feelings;
- Uses tact and sensitivity when delivering sensitive information or resolving delicate issues.
BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: BUILDING STRATEGIC ALLIANCES:
- Identifies and prioritizes opportunities and obstacles in the political scene (government, civil society, parliamentarians, pressure groups) to advance UNDP’s agenda Identifies common interests and goals and carries out joint initiatives with partners;
- Makes effective use of UNDP’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships;
- Builds partnerships with non-traditional sectors by translating UNDP’s agenda into messages that reflect the pertinence of their values and interests;
- Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations;
- Leverages the resources of governments and other development partners Advocacy/Advancing a Policy-Oriented Agenda.
INFLUENCING THE PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA :
- Advocates for the inclusion of UNDP’s focus areas in the public policy agenda;
- Brings visibility and sensitizes decision makers to relevant emerging issues;
- Builds consensus concerning UNDP’s strategic agenda with partners on joint initiatives;
- Leverages UNDP’s multidisciplinary expertise to influence the shape of policies and programmes;
- Demonstrates political/cultural acumen in proposing technically sound, fact based approaches/solutions;
- Dialogues with national counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating country, regional and global perspectives;
- Demonstrates cultural sensitivity, political savvy and intellectual capacity in handling disagreements with UNDP’s policy agenda in order to promote and position UNDP in complex environments.
CLIENT ORIENTATION : MEETING LONG-TERM CLIENT NEEDS:
- Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives;
- Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services;
- Consults with clients and ensures their needs are represented in decision-making processes;
- Advises and develops strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNDP programmes and operations.
PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESULTS-BASED MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL STANDARDS:
- Ensures compliance with the organizational standards for audit, monitoring and evaluation and results-based management and promotes and monitors their application;
- Promotes a culture of accountability in the organization;
- Develops, disseminates and promotes the use of sound methodologies and tools to assist organizational units in carrying out results-based monitoring and evaluation;
- Analyses audit, evaluation and policy application review results, extracts key elements and prepares proposals to address areas of weakness in the organization’s performance.
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Required Skills and Experience
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Education:
- Masters’ degree in Environment Sciences, or Biology, Natural Sciences, or other related field.
Experience:
- At least seven (7) years of experience in the field of conservation of protected areas and their biodiversity;
- A professional experience in the management of protected areas and their biodiversity would be a major asset;
- Possess a good experience in the field of team leadership and group dynamics;
- Expertise in project management in relation to the preservation of environment in a sustainable development perspective;
- Ability to write clearly, and synthesize;
- Capacity for planning, work organization and team supervision;
- Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS required.
Language Requiremnets:
- Fluency in English and French.
Skills:
- Work in cooperation with other project team members and INECN, colleagues from UNDP and partners, openly sharing information and knowledge, and respecting social, cultural, racial, religious differences, and others;
- High communication and knowledge transfer capacity;
- Have the capacity to communicate, share skills in order to build the capacities of partners, create and maintain a team dynamics, and to negotiate;
- Team work leadership skills;
- Self mastery.
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.
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