The EU-funded Biodiversity and Protected Area Management Project (BIOPAMA) is aimed at improving the long-term conservation of biodiversity in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands region and to reduce the poverty of populations surrounding protected areas by enhancing the capacity of existing institutions and networks involved in biodiversity conservation and protected area management. BIOPAMA will be implemented in close collaboration between the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC-JRC) and the German Agency for International Collaboration (GIZ).
During the last decades African, Caribbean and Pacific governments have increased their efforts in establishing protected areas. In Africa protected areas cover slightly over 2 million km² or 7% of the continent’s 30 million km²; in the Caribbean they cover 70,000 km² representing 29% of this region; in the Pacific close to 1,466,000 km² are under protection, mostly represented by large marine parks and Community Managed Protected Areas in coastal and marine areas. In spite of these efforts the rate of the loss of biodiversity hasn't slowed down. Many of the protected area systems of ACP countries are not achieving the objectives for which they were created particularly in terms conserving key species and maintaining natural ecosystems and the services they provide.
Addressing this problem is the main challenge that the BIOPAMA project will address through capacity building, using the possibilities and opportunities offered by the Convention on Biological Diversity, and in particular, it’s Programme of Work on Protected Areas (POWPA).
The BIOPAMA project will assist involved Pacific Island countries in developing a framework for improving technical and institutional approaches through capacity building and regional cooperation to manage biodiversity conservation, particularly in protected areas. It will contribute to the conservation of indigenous biodiversity and to the maintenance of the ecological services provided by protected areas, particularly for the benefit of local people who are highly dependent on the use of natural resources for their livelihoods, and also for wider social benefits.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Oversee the implementation of the Oceania region components of the BIOPAMA project, including preparing annual work plans for the project and supporting related activities, in collaboration with the Regional Programme Coordinator and other Regional Office staff, project partners, the IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme (GPAP), EC-JRC, GIZ, SPREP and national focal points.
• In collaboration with Project Management Unit and National Coordinators, oversee the implementation of project activities undertaken in the participating countries, including advising and, liaising with national governments, delivering training activities, organising workshops and preparing awareness materials.
• Oversee and, where appropriate, contribute to capacity needs assessments and to the design and evaluation of capacity building projects and programmes.
• Identify the need and prepare TORs for consultants’ inputs, as required, in collaboration with the Regional Programme Coordinator and National focal points. Oversee the recruitment and manage inputs by consultants and their delivery of agreed outputs.
• Manage project finances in accordance with IUCN’s financial management system and procedures, including financial planning, management and reporting.
• Monitor and regularly report on progress in relation to planned goals and objectives, and agreed milestones in each country. Identify and address issues that require attention.
• Prepare six-monthly and annual written reports on delivery of the project overall, covering issues such as project activities, outputs and outcomes, and staffing, including short-term consultancies.
• Maintain linkages with other relevant regional and national projects dealing with the management of biodiversity and protected areas and identify opportunities for collaboration with other management agencies and donors to extend the project to additional countries in the region.
• Ensure lessons learnt from the BIOPAMA project contribute to the knowledge base of all partners, and are disseminated, as appropriate, as IUCN knowledge products.
• Maintain linkages with, and contribute to other programmes and projects undertaken by the Oceania Regional Office as agreed with the Regional Programme Coordinator.
Institutional support
• Participate in Oceania Regional management structures and other Regional groups, task forces and committees as required.
• Participate in Global IUCN bodies and others that fall within the specific scope of protected area management.
• Represent IUCN ORO in meetings and events as requested by the Regional Programme Coordinator.
• Contribute to IUCN’s regular publications such as newsletters, website and annual report.
• Participate as an integral member of programme meetings.
• Provide overall input into ORO programmes, projects, activities and initiatives and offer advice on emerging initiatives.
• Participate in Global IUCN bodies as required.
Supervisory Roles
Supervision of BIOPAMA consultants and potential future project support staff by:
• Providing mentoring services to supervisees in accordance with their needs;
• Assessing training needs of supervisees and make recommendations for further training or upskilling to the Regional Programme Coordinator and Staff Training Committee;
• Carrying out staff performance appraisals of their supervisees;
• Ensuring that staff remain motivated and that any grievances are addressed in a timely and fair manner;
• Ensuring supervisees are informed of organizational policies and codes of conduct and that they adhere to Administration, Human Resources and Financial policies;
• Ensuring that disciplinary measures are taken if and when needed.
Any other duties as reasonably required by the Regional Programme Coordinator
Ethical, Social and Ecological Responsibilities
This role requires the following ethical, social and ecological responsibilities:
• Respect for people from different nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, religion, gender, sexual orientation as well as the young and elderly;
• Responsible for exercising utmost care and judgement to ensure the assets belonging or entrusted to IUCN are not misused or wasted;
• Avoids all instances of conflict of interest in one’s dealings;
• Commitment to help conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure the sustainable use of resources;
• Adherence to the IUCN Code of Conduct.
Personal Attributes
This role requires the following personal attributes:
• Accepts Responsibility: Willing and able to bear high levels of responsibility by making timely decisions and being accountable;
• A Learner: Willing to learn on the countries, cultures and development/environmental issues of the region;
• Adaptation: Willing to adapt to regional norms without compromising personal beliefs and principles;
• Openness : Communicates honestly, openly, and consistently. Shares information appropriately and ensures that views of all members of the team are freely expressed;
• Positive Attitude: Encourages a positive rather than negative viewpoint;
• Integrit : Maintains the highest standard of personal conduct in performing all duties;
• Commitment: Committed to making the project a success. Willing and able to work for the best interests of the project;
• Can handle stressful situations well: Willing and able to deal with problem situations and is always mentally prepared;
• People Skills: Able to build productive working relationships with other staff and development partners based on respect and good rapport, is able to listen well and never assumes one knows best;
• Judgement: Able to evaluate information quickly, identify key issues and formulate conclusions based on sound, practical judgment, experience, and common sense;
• Organized: Well prepared, organized and able to carry out all responsibilities and action items in a purposeful way;
• Dependable: Can be relied upon to get the job done at the expected time, or to give advanced prior notice if deadlines are not to be met;
• Proactive: Proactive rather than reactive, and able to avoid mistakes that could/should be anticipated.
REQUIREMENTS
• Education
• Minimum of a post-graduate qualification in natural resource management, or a degree, certificate or diploma in an ecology- related discipline plus experience in protected areas management, wildlife management or similar.
• Work Experience
• At least 5 years’ experience in biodiversity and/or protected areas management, ideally involving terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, at national and/or regional levels, preferably in the Oceania region.
• • Experience in communicating and collaborating with management agencies, academic institutions and local, national and regional stakeholders to achieve agreed collective outcomes.
• Competencies
• Demonstrated commitment to achieving biodiversity conservation and livelihoods goals, in collaboration with others.
• • Demonstrated high level skills in project planning, overseeing implementation and evaluating progress, including work planning, financial management, and monitoring and evaluation.
• • Demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment, to think laterally and to resolve complex issues in a dynamic and changing environment.
• • Strong communication and presentation skills and an ability to prepare appropriate and timely reports to a wide range of audiences and cultures. A high level of competency in the English language is required.
• • Awareness and an ability to acknowledge and respect different cultures, and to engage appropriately with people of different cultures.
• • Time management skills including an ability to work effectively under pressure and to meet deadlines.
• • A team player who is able to contribute effectively to collaborative issues, and to demonstrate innovation and leadership, as appropriate.
• • Computer skills, including internet navigation and various tabulation and spreadsheet applications.
• • Demonstrated excellent interpersonal and networking skills, including the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, and to establish effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
