International consultant to schedule and convene meetings for a task force specialized in economy and finance

Consultant

Overview

Conduct environmental accounting assessment in Guinea-Bissau.

You have:

• Hold a Master with expertise in economics and finance, environmental economics and natural resources, accountability and management, environmental or forestry engineering, environmental or natural science or related fields assessed as suitable to carry out the appointment.
• At least 10 years of proven experience in economics and finance; accountability and management.
• At least 10 years of proven experience in financial-economic jobs related to natural resources management, protected areas, environmental law and biodiversity conservation.
• Previous professional experience in environmental accounting, ecosystem services accounting, natural capital accounting.
• Knowledge of the context and previous working experience in natural resources management of Guinea-Bissau is an asset.
• Language: Portuguese and English or French.

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

Guinea-Bissau houses a wealth of natural resources that is of local, national, regional and global significance. However, despite its enormous potential, the country embodies some of the world’s toughest development challenges, combining acute and rising poverty with persistent fragility

Being a coastal country, Guinea-Bissau’s challenges are magnified as a Least Developed Country and Small Island Developing State, due to its environmental and socio-economic vulnerabilities, geographical situation and climate conditions.

The Government of Guinea-Bissau has elaborated various plans and reports to safeguard the environment and promote sustainable development, including the National Adaptation Plan of Action (2006) and Second National Communication on Climate Change (2011). The “Strengthening natural resource valuation capacities for improved planning and decision-making to conserve the global environment” project, a Rio Convention capacity development project, proposes as that sets out to address challenges identified in Guinea-Bissau’s 2011, National Capacity of Self-Valorization (NCSA) and is fully aligned with these plans. Thus, this project and its strategy are consistent with the findings of the NCSA, as well as with Guinea-Bissau’s national plans, priorities and policies. It also takes into account Guinea-Bissau’s PAN/LCD and National Strategy and Action Plan on Biological Diversity and the National Action strategies.

Indeed, the project will contribute with the establishment of a reliable environmental accounting tool and monitoring system which allows presentation of the state of the environment in understandable terms to policy decision-makers, both national and international, and regularly update the status of Guinea-Bissau capacity to plan its future for sustainable development.

So far, the country has not implemented specific activities regarding environmental accountability, with the exception of the Guide for the economic evaluation of impact assessment, elaborated under the Environmental Assessment framework.

The consultancy will undertake an in-depth assessment of environmental accounting indicators in Guinea-Bissau. It will be an up-to-date identification of which indicators are currently being used that can form a set of best practices for environmental accounting in Guinea-Bissau, as well as to highlight which indicators remain deficient. This assessment will be an extensive and exhaustive exercise to describe and unpack each indicator that aligns with best practice environmental accounting and natural resource valuation in the scope of:

• Output 1.1- Evaluation and recommendations about the feasibility of environmental accounting in Guinea-Bissau.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work

The international consultant, under the supervision of the project coordinator, UNDP GEF and UNDP Country Office in Guinea Bissau, will work closely with the government specialists, and take into account the Project Document, the international best practices and standards for environmental accounting and valuation of ecosystem services (with specific references to the following sectors: Faculty of law, General Directorate of Environment, Directorate General for Sustainable Development, Competent Environmental Assessment Authority, general tax and contributions directorate, general directorate of budget and tax affairs, General management of customs, general management, public investment, chamber of commerce, agriculture, energy, fisheries, land and ecosystems, biodiversity institute and protected areas, and water resources,), and all the needed references, on environmental accounting in Guinea-Bissau, including:

• Evaluation and recommendations about the feasibility of environmental accounting in Guinea-Bissau.

  Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Establish and convene meetings of a working group of financial and economic experts, when necessary.The intention of this expert working group is to discuss, and debate issues related to the use of the financial and economic values of environmental goods and services.This expert working group will provide input and other recommendations for the consultative process with the express purpose of facilitating the use of the enhancement of natural resources in planning and decision-making processes;

• Visit Bissau, to consult the relevant players, attend meetings of the finance and economic expert working group, as needed, and discuss the main findings with Project Management Unit (PMU) and UNDP;
• Present a work methodology
• Produce final report of meetings

Institutional Arrangement

The International consultant will work under the supervision of the National Project Coordinator, UNDP GEF and UNDP Country Office in Guinea Bissau. The Head of the Sustainable Development Cluster in Guinea-Bissau is in charge of approving/accepting outputs and deliverables from the consultancy; decisions will also be based on the positive evaluation of the consultant’s performance by the National Project Coordinator.

The international consultant will interview the required institutions, including, at least: Faculty of law, General Directorate of Environment, Directorate General for Sustainable Development, Competent Environmental Assessment Authority, general tax and contributions directorate, general directorate of budget and tax affairs, General management of customs, general management, public investment, chamber of commerce, agriculture, energy, fisheries, land and ecosystems, biodiversity institute and protected areas, and water resources.

Duration of the Work and Duty Station

The consultancy is expected to start in 24/09/2020, and to be completed in 24/11/2020. It requires 30 working days to be carried out within a two-month contract period. The duty station will be Bissau and home-based.

Proposed period Location N° of working days

xxx 2020 Home-based 3

xxx 2020 Home-based 20

xxx 2020 Bissau/local das reunioes 4

xxx 2020 Home-based 3

xxxx - xxxx 2020 TOTAL 30

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies

• Knowledge Management and Learning
• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on environmental issues;
• In-depth practical knowledge of interdisciplinary development issues.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing in order to communicate complex, technical information to technical and general audiences;
• Good negotiation skills for difficult situations;
• Ability to achieve results by persuading, influencing and working with others;
• Meeting facilitation and conflict resolution skills.

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
• Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.

Reporting:

The international consultant will work under the supervision of the Project Coordinator. The Head of the Sustainable Development Cluster is in charge of approving/accepting outputs and deliverables from the consultancy; decisions will also be based on the positive evaluation of the consultant’s performance by the National Project Coordinator.

The international consultant will consult the required institutions, including, at least: Faculty of law, General Directorate of Environment, Directorate General for Sustainable Development, Competent Environmental Assessment Authority, general tax and contributions directorate, general directorate of budget and tax affairs, General management of customs, general management, public investment, chamber of commerce, agriculture, energy, fisheries, land and ecosystems, biodiversity institute and protected areas, and water resources

Required Skills and Experience

• Holds a Master with expertise in economics and finance,environmental economics and natural resources, accountability and management, environmental or forestry engineering, environmental or natural science or related fields assessed as suitable to carry out the appointment.
• Language: Portuguese and English or French

Experience:

• At least 10 years of proven experience in economics and finance; accountability and management
• At least 10 years of proven experience in financial-economic jobs related to natural resources management, protected areas, environmental law and biodiversity conservation
• Previous professional experience in environmental accounting, ecosystem services accounting, natural capital accounting
• Knowledge of the context and previous working experience in natural resources management of Guinea-Bissau is an asset.

Evaluation:

Applicants will be screened against qualifications and competencies specified below through a desk review or an interview process. Applicants will be evaluated based on: Cumulative analysis based on a combination of the Technical and Financial Scores

Technical Evaluation Criteria: 70%

Financial Evaluation Criteria: 30%

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by the UNDP;

2. Personal CV and P11 form, duly signed and contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references;

3. Brief description of why the candidate considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;

4. Technical Proposal, proposing a methodology to carry out the assignment in accordance with this ToR;

5. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price. The term “all-inclusive” means that it has to include international travels, fees, insurance, living allowance, in-town transportation, and other related costs. The Financial Proposal has to be supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the template provided. Preferred Currency of Offer: United States Dollars (US$). If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under the Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate such point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Incomplete applications will be excluded from further consideration.

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Potential interview questions

Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org