INTERNATIONATIONAL CONSULTANT - NIUE R2R CHIEF TECHNCIAL ADVISOR

Contract

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Background

The project will enhance Niue’s capacity to effectively create and manage protected areas for biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, and safeguarding of ecosystem services. It focuses on the expansion of its protected estate on land and on its marine areas through a combination of community conservation areas and government-led protected areas. In Community Conservation Areas, both strict protection and sustainable use zones will be identified and planned carefully, using innovative protection tools recognizing that tenure over most land areas is vested in local communities. This project has been designed to engineer a paradigm shift in the management of terrestrial, coastal and marine protected sites from a site-centric approach to a holistic “ridge to reef” comprehensive approach. Through this approach, activities in the immediate production landscapes adjacent to marine and terrestrial protected areas will be managed to reduce threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services stemming from key production activities (e.g. tourism and agriculture). Additionally, the project also introduces the concept of connectivity between landscape and seascape in Niue. Terrestrial protected areas will include a landscape that links strictly protected community areas (tapu) to each other to enhance their integrity and to form a functional ecological corridor between them. Similarly, the creation of a Marine Protected Area at Beveridge Reef also satisfies the integrated and holistic approach promoted by the project by recognizing the link that is thought to exist between the Reef and mainland Niue through which the former serves as a source of recruitment for clams and other marine species that make up Niue’s coral reefs.

The primary objective of the project is to strengthen conservation and sustainable use of land, water and marine areas and their biodiversity by building on their cultural heritage values through integrated national and community actions and this will be achieved through the following outcomes;

Outcome 1: New community conservation and national protected areas established at different levels, thus reducing threats and improving biodiversity status of conservation areas through effective community management

Outcome 1 identifies communities as the agents of management and monitoring. It comprises the major project interventions on the ground leading to protective measures at different levels and through different instruments thus reducing threats and improving biodiversity status. A large part of the work will be carried out primarily by empowering Village Councils and Communities as owners.

Outcome 2: Strengthened community and cross-sectoral involvement of relevant national government departments to promote effective Ridge to Reef management by mainstreaming biodiversity and environmental concerns into plans and actions

Outcome 2 is focussed primarily upstream at the central and local government levels and it targets institutional strengthening, capacity building and other foundational elements. At the local, Village Council level this Outcome seeks a stronger institutional foundation and enhanced capacities; likewise among central government functionaries. Institutional strengthening will be achieved through policy and regulatory reforms at central level but also through by-laws at Local Level. Capacities will be enhanced through the provision of expertise and know-how for land use planning and management, protected area management (including for eco-tourism), species protection and management, sustainability. Under this Outcome, the project will also make provision for information sharing, awareness raising, learning and outreach.

The project started implementation in April 2016 for a duration of 5 years to end in April 2021, however a 12-month extension has been approved for project to 20 April 2022. UNDP is the GEF Implementing Agency (IA) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), is the project’s lead Implementing Partner (IP) and responsible party. The project is being nationally executed as per UNDP National Implementation Modality (NIM) procedures. According to UNDP guidelines on National Implementation Modality (2011), the Government is responsible for the management and delivery of programme activities to achieve project outcomes/outputs. Government regulations, rules and procedures therefore apply to project implementation to the extent that they do not contravene the principles of the Financial Regulations and Rules of UNDP. Project monitoring and evaluation will be conducted in accordance with established UNDP and GEF procedures and will be provided by the project team and the UNDP Multi-Country Office (UNDP-MCO) in Apia with support from the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia-Pacific (RBAP) region in Bangkok

On behalf of the Government of Niue, UNDP is recruiting a Chief Technical Adviser for the Niue R2R project to provide technical and operational support to the Project Implemenation Unit (PMU) and the Government of Niue for the implementation of the project

Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) will be responsible for providing strategic direction and overall technical backstopping to the project and to support the PMU in the implementation of activities as defined in the Project document and in the Inception report. He/She will render technical support to the Project Manager (PM) under MNR, and to the Technical Working Group. He/She will work under the guidance of the Technical Working Group and report to UNDP to provide advice to the project management team and other consultants hired within the project.

The CTA will coordinate the provision of the required technical inputs, including assisting in executing the implementation strategy, recruiting and supervising experts and technical advisors inputs, and ensuring coordination and leveraging resources from other initiatives in collaboration with the main executing partners namely Ministry of Natural Resources and Ministry of Social Services for the related project activity work

He/she shall evaluate and provide comments to, and endorse the acceptance of, the results and deliverables of the pertinent project activities, particularly on the level of achievement/realization of the committed targets of the project

The CTA will provide guidance and support on both strategic project matters, quality control of technical expertise and aspects of day-to-day management as required.

This document defines the responsibilities and tasks that the CTA is expected to assume over the remaining 15 months of project implementation. In addition, the TA shall submit a proposal at the beginning of every 2 months including the specific deliverables and working days that is planning to cover in the next 2 months, as well as a brief report indicating the deliverables provided and working days (timesheet) used during the previous month. That document will be discussed and, once it is cleared, will be used as the basic supporting document for the monthly payment.

The scope of work for the consultant will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following key activities:

1. Provision of technical advice and support during implementation

• Provide technical expertise and strategic guidance to all project components, assuming quality control of interventions, and support the Project Manager in the execution of the project implementation plan and in the coordination for planned activities under the project as stipulated in the project document, inception report and work plan for the remaining timeframe of the project;

• Provide technical inputs into the definition and work of the multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism at all levels and other relevant ongoing initiatives;

• Give input and guide development of technical training packages for all target groups and provide a peer review function; in certain cases, carry out selected training events;

• Advise on key policy and legal issues pertaining to the project;

• Develop Terms of Reference for new consultants and sub-contractors that will be necessary for the implementation of the project, and assist in the selection and recruitment process; recommend best candidates and approaches, provide technical peer function to sub-contractors;

• Provide technical supervisory function to the work carried out by the other technical assistance consultants hired by the project including assisting the PM in coordinating the work of consultants and sub-contractors, helping to ensure the timely delivery of expected outputs, and effective synergy among the various sub-contracted activities;

• Provide guidance to ensure that technical contracts meet the highest standards;

• Advise and provide guidance to final activities including engagement in the Terminal Evaluation of the project.

Develop a sustainability/exit strategy for the project.

2. Project management and monitoring

• Assist the Project Manager in the review and update of the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and monitoring tools for the project and monitoring the technical quality of project M&E systems (including AWPs, MYWPs, indicators and targets)

• Assist the PM to the evaluation of results and impacts of the Project Results Framework to date

• Provide guidance to the Project Manager in the preparation of other reports requested by donors and Government Departments, as required;

• Provide hands-on support to the Project Manager , project staff and other government counterparts in the areas of project management and planning, management of site activities, monitoring, and impact assessment;

• Provide guidance to the Project Manager in relation to preparation of the Project Implementation Review (PIR), technical reports, quarterly progress and financial reports for submission to UNDP, the GEF, other donors and Government Departments, as required;

• Provide guidance and training to PIU in updating of the GEF Tracking Tools prior to Terminal Evaluation mission

3. Relationship building

• This position will sit in Technical Working Group and be an expert advisor in liaising with project partners, donor organizations, NGOs and other groups to ensure effective coordination of project activities and potential leverage of additional resources;

• Engage on and contribute to policy dialogues within MNR and other relevant agencies;

4. Communication

• Provide guidance on knowledge management, communications and awareness raising and on document lessons from programme implementation and make recommendations to the Project Board for more effective implementation and coordination of programme activities;

• Any other similar activity related to the Niue R2R Project related to section 1,2,3,4 above as requested by the UNDP Programme Manager for Environment and Climate Change and/or the Niue R2R Project Manager (MNR).

Competencies

Technical work Competencies Com

• Strong expertise on environmental-related areas in the Niue
• Demonstrated experience in conducting gap analysis and prioritization of actions in the Niue government’s national climate action policies and plans;
• Experience in designing and facilitating capacity building processes, consultations and coordination processes in Niue.

Partnerships Competencies

• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior members of national institutions.
• Displays and understands cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize relevant collected data and findings for the preparation of quality analysis for the project proposal.
• Excellent coordination skills and result oriented collaboration with colleagues.

Results Competencies

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP and government of the Niue.
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Good team player who has ability to maintain good relationships.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum Masters degree in Natural Resources Management, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences related field is a requirement.

Experience:

• More than ten years of professional experience in management of environment related projects, with a good understanding of integrating gender and similar cross-cutting priorities;
• In-depth and proven knowledge as well as experience in the area implementation of development initiatives, policies and programmes relating to natural resource management, including impacts on environment related to human development and poverty reduction;
• Demonstrated experience in project development. Implementation and management;
• Proven experience in consulting at a senior level in related field;
• Proven practical experience of Results Based Management (RBM), with sound knowledge on LogFrame and Project Cycle Management (PCM);
• Strong skills in M&E;
• Experience on programmes funded and implemented by various development agencies;
• Experience working with communities, government and NGOs;
• Experience working in Niue;
• Excellent working knowledge of English and track record of producing communications and reports in English.