International Consultant – Tajikistan and Kazakhstan – Level C

Result of Service - Successful implementation of “Vanishing Treasures” and CAMCA outcomes and outputs with a particular focus on Tajikistan in alignment with project documents and agreed annual workplans; - Successfully establishing agreements with local partners, followed up by accurate reporting; - Successful monitoring of progress using indicators, based on the VT and CAMCA annual workplans; - Fruitful collaboration between local partners in Tajikistan, as well as with other project partners.

Vanishing Treasures: - Clear and concise reports on scientific results pertaining to snow leopard and prey populations, human-wildlife conflict, human land-use and climate, closely coordinating with implementing partners in Tajikistan (ANCOT, BOKU) and other scientific experts in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; - Successfully identify and develop interventions, as well as successfully prepared pilot interventions; - Identify and elaborate economic case studies in Tajikistan; - Adequate preparation of the “Vanishing Treasures” programme partners meeting held in late summer 2022 (exact dates and venue tbc); - Update national communication plan for 2022 (in alignment with the programme’s Communication Plan and Strategy) and other outreach, communication and awareness raising activities; - First steps taken to integrate project findings into relevant policies in Tajikistan, including assistance when necessary to conservation plans, EbA integration, advocacy work, etc.

CAMCA: - Selection criteria for pilot sites agreed upon, and appropriate pilot sites to the selected flagship species are selected; - Species vulnerability assessments and associated data gathering in Tajikistan are in progress; - Review of relevant local (at pilot site level) and national-level landscape management plans and policy frameworks (plans/policies/strategies) for uptake of future policy recommendations for the selected target species in progress; - List of the climate change-informed wildlife management and ecosystem-based adaptation measures available; - Development of communication strategy and the national level communication plan in Tajikistan is ongoing.

Work Location Remote - home based

Expected duration The contract will start on 01 September and go until 31 December 2022 (4 months). Total remuneration is 24,333 USD, to be paid in 2 Instalments of 12,166.5 USD each. Payment upon submission of tasks and delivery of respective outputs.

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The UNEP Vienna Programme Office hosts the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention. Additionally, to activities in the Carpathian Region and its portfolio in the South-East Europe, the Vienna Office – as a mountain hub is currently coordinating various activities in other mountain regions related in particular to climate change adaptation such as the inter-regional Programme “Climate resilient mountain ecosystems for resilient livelihoods and mountain flagship species – Vanishing Treasures“ as well as the “Migratory Mammals and Climate Resilience in Central Asia” project (aka Central Asian Mammals and Climate Adaptation project – CAMCA).

UNEP’s “Vanishing Treasures” Programme Despite the growing evidence of species’ vulnerability to climate change, adaptation of wildlife to climate change still remains a gap. Therefore, UNEP’s “Vanishing Treasures” Programme supports climate change adaptation of vulnerable mountain species such as Royal Bengal tiger in the Hindu-Kush Himalayas (Bhutan), snow leopard in Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) and mountain gorilla in the Virunga region (Rwanda and Uganda). The Programme is funded by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and aims to generate maximum synergy between climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation by improving the adaptive capacity of mountain ecosystems while maintaining related ecosystem services, protecting mountain flagship species who are key to ecosystem functioning, and promoting alternative livelihoods for local communities.

UNEP´s Central Asian Mammals and Climate Adaptation project (CAMCA – funded by IKI) Migratory species in Central Asia are highly vulnerable to climate change. As a result of changing migration patterns, protected areas are rendered ineffective. Changes in the use of pastures (extension of grazing periods and shifting grazing areas to higher elevations) are expected to lead to increased human-wildlife conflicts. In order to increase the resilience of people and wildlife in Central Asia to climate change, UNEP, CMS (the Convention on Migratory Species) and the project partners will test ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures and climate change-informed wildlife management in a set of pilot sites. Given the focus on migratory species, a transboundary approach across the three target countries will be used. The implementation of pilot measures with economic potential and their integration into political framework documents is of particular importance. Comprehensive communication activities will communicate project results and measures to the public and to decision-makers.

The international consultant will ensure timely delivery of results in support of the implementation of the two aforementioned programmes: - the Central Asian component of the “Vanishing Treasures” Programme, in particular in Tajikistan, and closely liaising with the team in Kyrgyzstan. - The “Migratory Mammals and Climate Resilience in Central Asia” (CAMCA) project, in particular in Tajikistan, closely liaising with the teams in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

Under the technical supervision of the Programme Management Officer (responsible manager of the “Vanishing Treasures” programme at UNEP Europe, Vienna Office – Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (SCC) and in close cooperation with designated local UNEP representatives, national-level implementing partners, as well as key stakeholders such as Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (GSLEP), the consultant will assist and support the Programme Management Officer in the implementation of the following tasks:

General - Attend and contribute to VT and CAMCA project coordination meetings on a needs basis, as indicated by the UNEP Associate Programme Management Officer; - Contribute to developing annual workplans for VT and CAMCA; - Facilitate monitoring of progress through coordinating compilation of information for tracking project/programme indicators; - Collaborate with local partners in Tajikistan to develop Implementation Plans and budgets for partner agreements, based on the annual workplan; - Collaborate with local partners in Tajikistan in timely and comprehensive reporting on implementing agreements, including financial reporting; - Facilitate and coordinate collaboration between local partners in Tajikistan; - Facilitate and coordinate collaboration between the Tajik partners and other project partners.

Vanishing Treasures - Co-organize with the programme management team to successfully implement the “Vanishing Treasures” programme Central Asian outcomes and outputs, with a particular focus on Tajikistan, in alignment with the programme document and agreed annual workplan; - Collaborate with relevant partners for analyzing and reporting scientific results pertaining to snow leopard and prey populations, human-wildlife conflict, human land-use and climate, closely coordinating with implementing partners in Tajikistan (ANCOT, BOKU) and other scientific experts in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; - Help facilitate relevant stakeholder workshops in pilot sites; - Contribute to the economic case studies in Tajikistan, including identifying and elaborating investment opportunities at pilot site level; - Participate in and help partners prepare for the “Vanishing Treasures” programme partners meeting to be held in late summer 2022 (exact dates and venue tbc); - Collaborate with local partners for updating the national communication plan for 2022 (in alignment with the programme’s Communication Plan and Strategy) and other outreach, communication and awareness raising activities; - Collaborate with local partners to integrate project findings into relevant policies in Tajikistan, including assistance when necessary to conservation plans, EbA integration, advocacy work, etc.

CAMCA - Contribute to the development of selection criteria for pilot sites, ensuring that the criteria are appropriate to the selected flagship species; - Contribute to the site selection discussions; - Contribute scientific and technical expertise to the species vulnerability assessments and associated data gathering in collaboration with WWF US and local partners in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan; - Facilitate the provision of content by local partners to the the national consultation meetings; - Review and contribute to the design and tailoring of training material for awareness raising and capacity building events at regional, national and pilot site level; - Collaborate with local partners in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan in identifying relevant local (at pilot site level) and national-level landscape management plans and policy frameworks (plans/policies/strategies) for uptake of future policy recommendations for the selected target species; - Provide input to and coordinate input from partners on the climate change-informed wildlife management and ecosystem-based adaptation measures; - Review and provide recommendations for applying and implementing such measures within the country-specific context; - Help GRID Arendal in outlining the communication strategy by supporting the preparation of surveys, and coordinating the development of the national level communication plans in Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Advanced University degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in biological sciences, environmental sciences or a related field is required.

Experience: A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience on biodiversity conservation in particular in mountain regions is required. Hands-on experience on species conservation and community work in Central Asia is required.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language such as Russian is an advantage.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.