International GEF Project Design Expert

Organizational Setting

Guyana is one of the nine countries that share the Amazon Forest. The state of the country’s biodiversity is considered, for the most part, intact. Approximately 85% of its total land area of Guyana is covered by forest (18.5 million hectares). Guyana’s floral diversity is estimated to include over 8,000 species, with approximately 6,500 of these species having been identified. There are approximately 1,815 known species of fishes, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals. Fishes are very diverse, with 352 species of freshwater bony fishes and 501 species of marine fishes. The National Protected Area System (NPAS) of Guyana currently comprises of approximately 8.4% of Guyana’s landmass and includes: Iwokrama Forest, Kaieteur National Park, Kanashen Amerindian Protected Area, Kanuku Mountains Protected Area, Shell Beach Protected Area and Urban Parks (National Park, Botanical Gardens, Zoological Park, and Joe Vieira Park). The five aforementioned PAs are located in the heart of the Guiana Shield and are an ancient and biologically rich eco-region in northern South America. The area is estimated at 1.8 million hectares. At a minimum, the NPAS is estimated to contain 70% of Guyana’s mammals, 60% of its birds and 43% of its plant species. All six species of cats and all eight species of primates that occur in Guyana can be found in the NPAS. The Kanuku Mountains Protected Area (KMPA) alone is thought to have the second highest diversity of bats of any PA in the world, while the Shell Beach Protected Area (SBPA) is proposed as a globally important birding area (IBA) supporting more than 200 coastal and migratory bird species. It is thought that healthy populations of at least 30% of the globally threatened mammals found in Guyana and approximately 90% of threatened reptiles occur in the national protected areas. Forest in Guyana is threatened mainly by deforestation in connection with mining and forest degradation through logging as well as wildfires fuelled by climate change. Recent assessments have identified encroachment on the boundaries of the protected areas by small scale operators engaged in gold mining. While action is needed to restore abandoned areas from bauxite mining in the forest landscape. In terms of wildfires, modelled projections of future climate scenarios identify a likely increase in the frequency and severity of fire occurrence in Guyana, fuelled by an increase in temperature and greater variance in rainfall with a greater number of days without rain. With the assistance of the FAO, the Government of Guyana has been able to secure funding under the Integrated Program for Critical Forest Biomes – Amazon of GEF-8 (ASL3) to address the threats identified above. The project has been structured into three components in line with three interventions of the GEF-8 ASL3. These are: 1. Maintenance of intact forest landscapes 2. Engagement of stakeholders in sustainable production and landscape restoration 3. Effective strategic communication and knowledge management

Reporting Lines

The International GEF Project Design Expert will work under the direct supervision of the FAO Representative in Guyana and the Lead Technical Officer in SLC. He/she will be primarily home-based with at least 2 missions to Guyana during the contract period.

Technical Focus

International GEF Project Design Expert will work closely with the Local Project Coordinator, support staff and the counterpart to provide overall technical guidance in the preparation of the FAO-GEF product

Tasks and Responsibilities

International GEF Project Design Expert will undertake the following tasks: • Provide overall technical guidance to the PPG team in preparation of the FAO-GEF product, building on approved PIF; • Provide inputs on international best practices related to the project; • Be the overall lead author of the project document by taking in inputs from all consultants and lead the responses to PPRC and GEF Council, STAP, and the Government comments; • Deliver technical presentations as requested by the PPG Coordinator/FAO and provide overall guidance on forest management and restoration.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in forestry, natural resources management, environmental and forest management or other related field of study. • At least 5 years relevant experience in forest management or natural resources management. • Working knowledge (level C) of English.

FAO Core Competencies

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