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Title

International Consultant: Protected Area Specialist - GEF Project Preparation

Posted
Reference   (Please mention Stopdodo/Environment Jobs in your application)
Sectors Terrestrial / Aquatic Ecology & Conservation
Location Chad - Africa
Type Temporary / Contract / Seasonal
Status Full Time
Level Mid Level
Deadline 15/01/2010
Company Name United Nations Development Program
Contact Name Human Resources
Website Further Details / Applications
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Description
The GEF has approved a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) for Chad in order to produce a UNDP Project Document (PRODOC) and a GEF CEO Endorsement Request (both using the appropriate templates) for the above mentioned project. Its Project Information Form (PIF) summarises the project concept and was produced in close collaboration with key government officials, NGOs and CBOs, under the guidance of UNDP-GEF. The PIF was approved by the GEF Council in September 2009. The GEF Secretariat Review recommended the confirmation of the number of pilot sites and a comprehensive risk assessment of the project, which will be addressed based on the optimised project outcomes and outputs.
The project counts on a budget of $ $859,090 in GEF funding and $ 3,360,000 in co-financing to be mobilized. It aims at supporting the establishment of an effectively managed protected area network in Chad through improved capacities and involvement of key stakeholders in PA management. This will be achieved through the following three components:
  • Strengthening of   PA Policy and Planning framework ;
  • Institutional and individual capacities to manage a consolidated and comprehensive PA system ;
  • Management models demonstrated at three protected areas pilot sites (Ouadi Rimé – Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve,   Fada Archei Faunal Reserve and Sena Oura National park) . 
The PPG process is to be implemented between February 2010 and August 2010 and 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:
Defining a Strategy for Strengthening of PA Policy and Planning framework
The PPG will finance the following activities:
  • First of all, the mission will document past efforts made by the national agency in charge of the management of protected areas (Pas) to produce a strategic framework document on PA management in Chad. The level of implementation, reasons of success and failure (if appropriate) will be analysed.
  • Then key stakeholders for the development of the Protected Areas National Strategy (PANS) will be identified, as well as the technical contents of the PANS. A total of 10 preliminary issues have been proposed in the PIF. The PPG mission will therefore evaluate the relevance of issues identified and will complete, if appropriate, problems to be addressed by the PANS.
  • The design of the development process (including legal validation) of the PANS will be undertaken and the cost of each phases of this process assessed.
  • The UNDP-GEF Capacity Development Scorecard and the UNDP Financial Sustainability Scorecard will be used to establish a framework of measurable capacity and financial indicators for Directory of National Parks, Faunal Reserves and Hunting (DPNRFC) and selected local committees and the target PAs.
Defining a strategy for priority capacity development for an effective management of a consolidated and comprehensive PA system
  • Firstly, the organisations involved in protected area management will be mapped, including national government agencies, local government agencies, NGOs, CBOs, private sector and local community groups. This mapping will include a definition of the current responsibilities and resources of each organisation.
  • Then, the capacity of the various levels and groups of institutions will be assessed, to meet their responsibilities. This will notably cover staff of the DPNRFC and staff of selected Protected Areas. The UNDP Capacity Development Scorecard will be completed for priority institutions. Once the capacities have been assessed, through a participatory mechanism, a strategy for capacity development to be implemented by the Full project will be scoped out and the associated costs assessed.
  • Based on the training need assessment, the main components of the Capacity Development Programme will be outlined. The national and regional training structures able to deliver appropriate training will then be identified.
  • Finally, the baseline and targets values to allow for the monitoring of reduced pressures related to (i) illegal poaching, (ii) forest clearance through slash-and-burn and (iii) livestock grazing, will be determined.
Baseline Data Collection and Information Gap Analysis in the three demonstration sites
This component will assess the baseline situation in the Ouadi Rimé – Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve, the Fada Archei Faunal Reserve and the Sena Oura National park. In particular, the following activities will be undertaken:
1-Outline, for each of the three PAs identified in the PPG, the present situation using a detailed SWOT analysis. This includes : an assessment of on-going activities and possible synergies with the project, an assessment of the ecological status; a scoping valuation of the economic value of the natural resources; a socio-economic appraisal in order to determine the threats to biodiversity, the root causes and alternatives livelihoods; an assessment of local organisational capacity to participate in protected area management; existing large-scale or commercial exploitation of natural resources; and potential large-scale economic activities near the protected areas (e.g. in the oil or tourism industries) and related stakeholders;
2- At each site, a participatory workshop will be held to discuss the findings of the studies (Swot matrix), to identify priorities, and to scope an approach for operationalising co-management at each of the three sites. This will include the identification of key activities to be implemented in each PAs in terms of (1) biodiversity conservation; (2) revision of the legal status (including boundaries), (3) initial identification of sustainable financing options (e.g. carbon trading, eco-tourism, biodiversity offsets, marketing of products) and (4) PA co-management mechanisms.
3-Evaluate the cost of activities for each PAs;
4-Should the total cost of activities be too high with regard to the available budget, reduce the pilot sites from 3 sites to 2 sites;
5-Identify main stakeholder groups (including NGO) for each of the 3 PAs able to act as entry points for co-management;
6-Identify main service providers likely to implement selected activities;
7-Through these studies, the project baseline values for the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) will be established at the three sites.
The optimal outputs and activities to be supported by the project at the demonstration sites will be determined.
Based on the above, the following will be determined:
  • A full description of the project intervention sites following the ground-truthing exercises and data collation;
  • A clear definition of priority threats, root-causes and barriers to effective and realistic protection at protected areas in Chad;
  • The optimal outputs and activities to be supported by the project;
  • An M & E framework, with baseline levels, Scorecards, Indicators and Targets to track project progress and effectiveness.
At all points, the recommendations of the GEF/IUCN Barcelona 2008 meeting will be taken into consideration. These include: the importance of multi-donor initiative, the need for long term support of a technical partner, the involvement of governmental agencies, scientific partners, analysis of local stakeholders and their involvement, sustainability (capacities, financing), etc.
Feasibility analysis and budget
Based on the studies in the three demonstration sites and the assessment of institutional capacities for co-management, the full project strategy will be developed. This will include:
  • Assessing the social, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities;
  • A learning (adaptive management) and replication strategy will be developed including identification of potential lessons and knowledge products from other projects;
  • A monitoring and evaluation plan and budget;
  • Analysis of the expected cost of project outcomes and outputs and co-financing sources and commitments in compliance with the GEF incrementality principle;
  • Completion of a cost effectiveness analysis to identify the most effective project alternatives for the required activates including, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities.  

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Encompassing approximately 8 weeks of work throughout the duration of the PPG the Protected Area Specialist will complete two missions to Chad complemented by support from home base.
The Specialist 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 and international consultants (acting as team leader for the latter).
More specifically, the specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:
  • Together with the local Protected Areas advisor, take the lead in assessing the social, economic and financial sustainability of proposed project activities;
  • Together with the local Protected Areas advisor, take the lead in developing a replication strategy for project activities;
  • Together with the local Protected Areas advisor, take the lead in preparing the monitoring and evaluation plan and budget;
  • Together with the local Protected Areas advisor, take the lead in preparing the financing plan for project activities, including co-financing commitments;
  • Together with the local Protected Areas advisor, take the lead in assessing the cost-effectiveness of project outputs and outcomes;
  • Be responsible for producing the overall project documentation to be submitted to GEF, UNDP and Governments.

 

Competencies

  • Ability to communicate effectively in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences
  • Skills in negotiating effectively in sensitive situations
  • Skills in achieving results through persuading, influencing and working with others
  • Skills in facilitating meetings effectively and efficiently and to resolve conflicts as they arise.

 

 

Required Skills and Experience

  • Extensive knowledge of protected area issues, including legal and policy frameworks, Protected Areas management effectiveness (including community involvement and capacity issues), Protected Areas planning (including business planning) and ecological monitoring systems for Protected Areas
  • Hold an advanced degree in a relevant field for conservation work (either with ecological, socio-economic background) with consistent professional specialization in issues of Protected Areas
  • Have at least 5 years of proven experience in the mentioned field
  • Demonstrated track record of relevant production in the mentioned area (publications, project proposals, reports).
  • Experience with GEF project development is a requirement
  • Mastery of oral and written English is a requirement
  • A working knowledge of French is a plus
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