Water Resource Management and Project Design Specialist

The objectives of this consultancy are to provide technical advice on the watersheds and the rehabilitation of forests/wetlands in order to fulfil its ecosystem function of water regulation and provision optimally, and to undertake and support the formulation process of the Full Proposal in full consultation with the Environment Department and other stakeholders resulting in a final endorsed Adaptation Fund Project Proposal package:

• An Adaptation Fund Project Proposal, with all annexes, as per requirement of the Adaptation Fund;
• An annotated Total Budget and Work Plan.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), on behalf of the Government of Seychelles seeks a Water Resources Management and Project Design Specialist to provide short-term technical services in support of the Ecosystem Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Seychelles Project by preparing an Adaptation Fund Full Project Proposal. The Specialist will lead a team in the final design of the project and will provide specific technical inputs on Water Resource Management.

• Serve as team leader for other Proposal Preparation consultant(s) who will be responsible for the timely drafting of the document for submission to the Adaptation Fund (AF); strictly adhering to the deadlines agreed to; and ensuring quality control;
• The consultant will produce a Project Proposal, with support from the other consultant(s) and working with the relevant governmental and non-governmental partners and UNDP in the development of the proposal - meeting UNDP/AF minimum requirements, including all annexes and related deliverables using the appropriate templates - by February 2011;
• Ensure that the inception meeting results in a clear roadmap on the scope of services and project tasks to be accomplished under the guidance of UNDP technical staff (including final inputs and modifications to consultancy deliverables prior to, and following submission to the AF and key national implementing partners);
• Submit draft and revised versions of all studies and reports of the Proposal Preparation activities to UNDP technical staff and key national implementing partners, per the reporting timelines agreed on or before the inception meeting;
• Play a pivotal role in developing a work plan and coordinating the input and outputs of all consultants, as well as overseeing the technical quality of deliverables;
• Help to determine the scope and strategy of the project, as well as planning all project activities;
• Define the logical framework and work plan for the project, clarifying the additionality of the proposed outcomes and activities, and ensuring that the project approach is the most cost-effective;
• Propose institutional and implementation arrangements consistent with an AF full proposal project;
• Facilitate consultations with regards to the project proposal, including a detailed budget, detailed terms of reference (TORs) for key positions and consultants, a detailed activity and work plan, in line with AF guidelines;
• Submit a final draft to the UNDP Mauritius Office, key national implementing partners and UNDP technical staff incorporating stakeholder inputs and guidance provided;
• Review all comments received on the draft Project Proposal from the AF Board and Secretariat and finalize the Project Proposal for final approval.

• Provide technical advice on technology development and application to rehabilitate watersheds with the primary aim of restoring ecosystem functionality and resilience with the specific purpose of enhancing water provisioning services during the extended dry season;
• Collate relevant information on the various watersheds, and water quality and quantity, including opportunities for restoring and rehabilitating, and institutional capacities to perform the rehabilitation of watersheds;
• Identify the key issues influencing the water provisional services of the watershed ecosystems, especially the dry season base flows of the streams;
• Identify any technical studies to fill in any information gaps in achieving enhanced ecosystem resilience and water harvesting capabilities in the water catchment areas;
• Identify and recommend rehabilitation areas based on the technical, economic and institutional appraisal of rehabilitation investment options;
• Develop an investment plan for the areas to be targeted by the project for rehabilitation of water provisional services and the infrastructure development associated with water provision to the local population, in line with the AF-endorsed concept and following AF guidelines. The investment plan should include a budget for the planned activities that reflect the estimation of the costs associated with the increase in the size of the target areas during the preparation of the Project Concept and receipt of AF technical comments;
• Provide recommendations on the institutions capacity building for effective watershed rehabilitation and management, including the capacity of local communities, district administration, NGOs/CSOs, private sector businesses and central government agencies;
• Describe and translate into relevant outputs, how the project will ensure the functional connectivity of the water provisional service of the targeted ecosystems of the Seychelles;
• Assess the feasibility of and provide technical advice on establishing a payment for ecosystem services (PES) scheme through the project in order to provide incentives to landowners to rehabilitate and conserve the water provision functions of the ecosystems, in particular provide advice on the seller-buyer model, the stakeholders and the existing policy framework and enabling environment in general, to implement it.

• Extensive experience related to water use and conservation, including watershed planning, drinking water supply, biological water reserves (in-stream flows), infrastructure management, institutional responsibilities and pricing regulation;
• Experience in the development and implementation of water laws and related policies/regulations, large-scale watershed rehabilitation proposals and regimes to improve wetland management;
• Experience in designing strategies for the conservation of wetlands and critical wetlands;
• Experience in generating innovative approaches to adapt to climate change. Knowledge of international climate policies and practices and accessing funds from the Adaptation Fund;
• Experience in developing climate change projects across protected and productive landscapes and the design of adaptation measures for water provision and coastal flooding;
• Proven track record of drafting relevant materials in the biodiversity/sustainable land management/ecosystem based adaptation areas (publications, project proposals, reports and related documentation), with verifiable experience in project development and proposals;
• Proven ability to collect, verify and analyse information, and to finish and present work with a high degree of accuracy and technical quality, in relatively short time;
• Ability to communicated effectively orally and in writing, in order to communicate complex, technical information to both technical and general audiences, including strong policy advice skills.