Coastal Zone Management Specialist

Organizational Setting

The FAO is assisting the Government of Saint Lucia in undertaking its readiness activities under the “Improving the capacity of the Fisheries Sector in Saint Lucia to enhance resilience to Climate Change” project for accessing Green Climate Fund (GCF) resources for addressing climate change. The project will involve strengthening capacity of the government to access climate finance through extensive stakeholder engagement, with the main objective of providing the evidence basis for climate change impacts on the fisheries and coastal zone sectors of Saint Lucia. The activities under this readiness will provide important baseline data and information that would be useful for future decision making on climate change priorities in the fisheries and coastal zone sector and therefore a basis for concept note and proposal development.

Reporting Lines

The Consultant/PSA will report to the Policy Officer in the FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Caribbean in Barbados, with the guidance of the Fishery Officer of SLC, the National Designated Authority of Saint Lucia (Department of Economic Development, Transport and Civil Aviation) and in close collaboration with the Project Coordination Consultant and other technical officers and consultants (including the FAO Headquarters NFISI team).

Technical Focus

Climate change and natural resource planning and policy.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Review and be guided by the list of proposed socio-economic data and indicators produced by the socio-economic specialist in identification of adaptive capacity issues across fishing communities.

• Review reports on gender related fisheries issues and recommendations for integration of gender considerations in data collection in fisheries. Ensure that data collection on climate vulnerabilities take into consideration the recommendations.

• Ensure a long-term monitoring strategy and regional collaboration on in-situ and remote sensing monitoring is addressed

• Identify and draft an adaptation policy and actions to improve or enhance the coastal protection provided by the combined effect of coral reefs, sea grass and mangrove ecosystems against storm surges for present and future sea-level conditions. (Activity 3.1.2b)
• Facilitate stakeholder review of the draft National coral reefs, seagrass and mangroves enhancement policy and action plan. Conduct ten stakeholder consultation workshops in various coastal communities around Saint Lucia for gathering of data on coastal ecosystems and uses of their natural resources. These workshops will focus on the gathering of data to support development of the coral reef, seagrass and mangroves enhancement policy and action plan. (Activity 3.1.2c)
• Draft workshop reports and submit to the PMU.Develop survey designs and data collection strategies for assessment of mangroves, coral reefs and sea grasses.
• Review national and regional (including globally available) spatial data management systems and their alignment with national monitoring systems of fisheries and the environment.
• Draft report and submit to the PMU.In collaboration with the data management specialist, host a min. of one workshop to share field survey protocols and thus standardize methods of data collection.
• Identify survey sites and develop a survey plan, in collaboration with the data management specialists and based on the outcome of the stakeholder consultations.
• Undertake field surveys of coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds, at various coastal areas island wide (min. of 5 sites for each ecosystem) and in collaboration with fisheries biologists and certified dive operators. (Activity 3.1.2a)
• Analyse data collected and prepare survey reports.
• Prepare a fisheries and environmental monitoring strategy across remote sensing and in-situ data streams
• Summarize workshops outcomes to advise on continuous gathering of data to support the monitoring policy for coral reef, seagrass and mangroves enhancement policy and action plan

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University degree in coastal zone management, environmental policy, marine policy, natural resource management/agriculture/environmental protection/land management, environmental sciences, climate change or related technical disciplines.
• A minimum of 3 years work experience in the field of coastal zone management, natural resource management, climate change, with experience supporting the development and/or implementation of GCF projects.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish for Consultants; Working knowledge of English for PSA Subscribers.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder consultations with various target audiences
• Proven analytical, leadership skills, demonstrated ability to open to new approaches and new practices
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Experience with analyzing and writing technical documents
• Experience working with governmental and non-governmental organizations institutions in the Caribbean region
• Ability and self-initiative to carry out assigned tasks within deadlines in a team as well as under minimal supervision.