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Title

Consultant - ‘GEF Protected Areas Finance Project of Montenegro’

Posted
Reference   (Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
Sectors
Terrestrial / Aquatic Ecology & Conservation
Location Montenegro - Europe
Type Temporary / Contract / Seasonal
Status Full Time
Level Senior Level
Deadline 27/05/2009
Company Name United Nations Development Program
Contact Name Human Resources
Website Further Details / Applications
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Directory Entry : UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. For environmental jobs with UNDP visit their website. Or for more environmental jobs search environmentjobs.com
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Description

Montenegro is a small, mountainous country, situated in the Balkans on the Adriatic Sea. It comprises three main sub-regions: inland mountains, which dominate the territory; the central lowland plain and the Adriatic coast. The protected area system of Montenegro is not uniformly distributed across the ecological landscape and there are substantial ecosystem coverage gaps that need to be addressed to ensure adequate representation of all ecosystem types in the national protected area system.  The biodiversity of Montenegro is under threat from: over-harvesting of natural resources, tourism pressures and associated infrastructure development.  To buffer against these threats the Government of Montenegro has established a national protected area (PA) system which covers 106,655 ha or 7.72 % of the territory. The largest share in terms of coverage is taken by four national parks (Skadar lake, Lovcen, Durmitor and Biogradska Gora), while the other are responsible for high numbers but small sizes. Moreover, the government of Montenegro has identified additional areas to be protected in order to achieve the 10% target of coverage on terrestrial ecosystems and 10% of the coastal zone.

The government of Montenegro and UNDP jointly produced the GEF Protected Area System (PAS) Project that seeks to strengthen the systemic and institutional national capacity in order  to expand the PAS to ensure better representatives of ecosystem and species. However, to turn these activities into long term conservation gains, a program that is complementary needs to be established that will seek to facilitate a process that would enable the financial sustainability for the management of these protected areas. Therefore, the link between the current ongoing PAS and the needed PAF is to explore sustainable financing mechanisms to fund the recurrent costs of managing this expanded PA estate

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of the proposed project is to develop a financial sustainability plan for the Protected Areas System of Montenegro.  The project outcomes are:

  • Develop of a Total Economic Valuation (TEV) of the Protected Areas of Montenegro.
  • Identification of potential sustainable innovative source of income streams for the PAS and around the PAS of Montenegro
  • Develop of a financial plan which includes a prioritisation of interventions, and the mechanisms for these interventions in the PAS of Montenegro.
  • Evaluate the opportunities and challenges posed by issues of climate change in the planning, management, and financing of the protected areas of Montenegro from an economical, environmental and social point of view.

Develop a sustainable finance plan that will ensure that the full costs of a protected area system are met, both now and into the future.  A sound financial plan should ensure that the growth of income matches or exceeds the growth of expected costs of establishing new protected areas, and managing new and existing protected areas.

The project will be also use to test out one innovative financing mechanism; to avoid that the project outcomes will remain just theoretical and strategic and not with an operational impact, with it is very important to test.

The responsibility of the international consultant is to develop and structure the Medium-Sized Project proposal (MSP) in a standard GEF template based on the already approved PIF and PPG. The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the UNDP Montenegro Country Office, and it will work in close cooperation with the GEF Portfolio Manager and National consultant.

While working on his/her assignment, the international consultant, with substantive assistance from the national consultant is expected to provide:

  • Draft the MSP based on the approved PIF and PPG, and the baseline studies and evaluations performed for the preparation of the already approved MSP ‘Strengthening the Protected Area System in Montenegro’ and structure the full packaged document in order to meet the expectations and requirement of the GEF
  • Provide the assessment of the global environmental benefits sought from the project
  • Prepare project monitoring and evaluation framework with a set of measurable impact and progress indicators
  • Assist national expert in preparing action plan on steps that need to be taken to prepare MSP;
  • Assist national expert in preparing terms of reference for all technical and management consultant who will be involved in the project implementation stage
  • Facilitate a one-day workshop with the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Protection and other stakeholders in validating the main project outcomes, outputs, and recommendations for future activities

The consultant would be expected to spend approximately/estimated 25 working days.


Proposed Timing :

  • Data gathering in teleconference/skype communication with GEF programme manager and national consultant, time frame: until July 1st 2009
  • First draft MSP produced, time frame: mid-July 2009
  • Country mission to validate the data, fill in gaps, produce 2nd MSP draft and organize the workshop to present it in Podgorica: August 2009
  • Final MSP prepared, timeframe: September 2009

Deliverables:

  • The International consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:
  • Clarification of the objectives, approached, and outcomes of MSP design with clearly defined roles and contributions of different stakeholders, aiming at ensuring the national ownership from the very inception of MSP  through visits and information sharing with partners who are directly and indirectly involved in PAF 
  • One-day workshop in Montenegro for the presentation and validation of the main project components, and clarification of possible subsequent activities.
  • Draft the final MSP and ensure that the whole package is structured to meet the expectations/requirements of GEF.

 

Competencies

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP GEF Portfolio Manager, and as informed by guidance from UNDP/GEF Assistant Regional Coordinator, the International Consultant is expected to work together with the stakeholders via the Project Manager in developing a full Mid-Size Project (MSP) document based on the already approved Project Identification Form and Project Preparation Grant.

 

Required Skills and Experience

  • Masters degree or higher in the field of natural sciences or environmental management.
  • Degree and work experience in economic and sustainable finance activities.
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in the area of natural resource valuation, conservation, protection and management. (Preferably in Eastern Europe and CIS).
  • Excellent knowledge of the nature protection legislation and management of protected areas.
  • Proven experience in economic and finance activities related to the natural environment and its local sustainable development. Experience in strategic planning and evaluation (preferably in the area of protected areas management and sustainable use).
  • Demonstrated experience with UNDP/GEF project document preparation.
  • Good communication skills.
  • Excellent knowledge of English language (both spoken and written)

Applicants are kindly requested to send their CV along with a cover letter to UNDP Office in Podgorica by e-mail to vacancy.me@undp.org by Tuesday, 27th May 2009, CoB.  Please indicate in the cover letter the post reference clearly, otherwise your application may not be considered. Applicants will be short-listed on the basis of their qualifications and work experience, and only the short-listed candidates will be invited for interview.

UNDP is an equal opportunity employer.

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