International Consultant : Protected Areas Specialist

The GEF has approved a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) for Togo in order to produce a Request for GEF CEO Approval and a UNDP Project Document (both using the appropriate templates) under the guidance of UNDP-EEG (RCU and Togo CO) and working in close collaboration with key government officials, donors, NGOs, CBOs and the private sector

The project, budgeted for $1,222,200 in GEF funding and $3,000,000 in co-financing to be mobilized, will conserve globally important biodiversity in Togo by promoting the Strengthening of the conservation role of Togo?s National System of Protected Areas (PA) System. This process will significantly contribute to the expansion and strengthening of the national PA system. This will be achieved through the following two components:

• National governance framework for protected areas (PA) management
• Rehabili?tation of the Oti Keran- Mandouri (OKM) complex

The PPG process will focus on the activities necessary for approving and finalizing the proposed project. The focal points for the project in government and the PPG team of consultants will work in collaboration with existing related initiatives to carry out the following activities:

PPG Activity 1: Baseline data collection and information gap analysis:

• Definition of the baseline and targets for Togo?s PA system rationalisation exercise
• Review of the general threats and root causes of biodiversity loss in Togo
• Design of the TOR for the monitoring of Togo?s PAs system
• Initial assessment of the costs and revenue of Togo?s PA systems
• Design of the TOR for the other studies to be carried out during the FSP implementation
• Execution of the specific studies for the OKM Complex

PPG Activity 2 : Capacity assessment for management of protected areas

• Initiation of the METT for OKM PAs and the Complex
• Assessment of the existing legal and regulatory framework
• Assessment of the current institutional framework to identify capacities and capacity gaps
• Analyze of successful institutional models and best practices and recommendation for replication

PPG Activity 3 : Stakeholder consultation and engagement

• PPG inception workshop
• Detailed stakeholder analysis
• Identify Stakeholder involvement and capacity building plan and related initiatives link-up
• Open dialog between stakeholders/ communities and visiting and migrating populations
• Recommendations for areas of stakeholder involvement and partnership agreements

PPG Activity 4: Project costing and M&E planning

• Contracting of consultants team
• Costing of project outcomes and outputs including co-financing commitments
• Adaptive management and replication strategy
• Define local and national and global environmental benefits
• Determine most effective project alternatives
• Identify social institution, economic and financial sustainability
• Project Development Workshop
• Prepare a project monitoring and evaluation plan including baseline level indicators and targets

Project Document and Request for GEF CEO Endorsement Finalization

Encompassing 10 weeks of work throughout the duration of the PPG the Protected Areas International Specialist will complete two missions to Togo complemented by support from home base. The International Specialist will function as the international team leader and will play a pivotal role in the task of scoping and preparing the GEF project for submission in collaboration with the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor, the UNDP Country Office Environment Focal Point and the team of national consultants.

More specifically, the specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Support the national consultants in the collection of baseline data, collaborate with the parties involved, participate in the relevant consultation processes (including key PPG workshops) and prepare comments on reports and products during the course of FSP development, ensuring that they are in line with best international practices.
• Based on the baseline information collected by local and international experts, identify specific opportunities and constraints for making the OKM Complex operational, for enhancing its ecological connectivity with the WAP
• Complex and for the successfully conclusion of the PA System rationalisation exercise.
• Evaluate PA management themes such as fire management, ranger stations and landscape wide management in view of the preparation of key PA management Tools during FSP implementation.
• Outline TOR for the implementation of key FSP activities such as the (a) the legal definition of borders for OKM
• Complex constituent PAs; (b) OKM Complex staff training; (c) OKM Complex management and business planning; and (d) the long-term ecological monitoring system for the Complex.
• Ensure the application of relevant tools, in particular the GEF4 METT (in French) and UNDP's PA Management
• Capacity Development Scorecard
• Assess technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and incrementality of proposed FP activities.
• Assess sustainability of proposed FSP activities and provide recommendations for ensuring sustainability of project outcomes including the initiation of Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools.
• Provide recommendations for capacity building and stakeholder engagement activities planned for the FP including preparation of the Capacity Development Scorecard.
• Define recommended project monitoring and evaluation indicators

• Interacts, establishes and maintain effective working relation with a diverse team, both as a team member and as a coordinator;
• Displays a good understanding of issues related to protected areas and stakeholders engagement;
• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages efficiently;
• Writes and speaks clearly and convincingly;
• Practices attentive and active listening
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing point of view
• Ability to effectively communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences
• Skill in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others;
• Skill in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise

• Advanced university degree in a relevant field for conservation work (ecology, natural resources management, socio-economy, rural development) with consistent professional specialization in issues of Protected areas (PAs).
• Extensive knowledge of Protected Areas (PAs) issues, including legal and policy frameworks, PAs management effectiveness (including community involvement and capacity issues), PAs planning (including business planning) and ecological monitoring systems for PAs
• Extensive knowledge of implementing and evaluating community-based and private sector based tourism and alternate income projects within and around PAs
• Previous experience with GEF development projects is an important qualification for this position
• Have at least 5 years of proven experience in the mentioned field;
• Mastery of oral and written French or English is a requirement
• Working knowledge of the other language is a plus
• Demonstrated track record of relevant production in the mentioned area (publications, project proposals, reports).