Technical Consultant on Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Management – Level B

Result of ServiceThe Consultant is expected to facilitate and provide technical support to the PMU during the project implementation, in particular on the effective and timely achievement of planned results (i.e. guidance and technical inputs to generated project deliverables, as well as liaison with MOEPP, local partners and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate smooth project implementation). Work LocationOffice-based Expected durationsix months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global 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. Under its Western Balkan portfolio, it facilitates the implementation and execution of numerous projects pertaining to climate change, biodiversity protection, land degradation and other environmental related aspects. The consultant will be engaged for the purposes of the GEF7 project implemented in North Macedonia titled “Biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management and sustainable tourism development in North Macedonia” (https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/projects/10676), executed with support from UNEP Vienna Programme Office. UNEP Vienna Programme Office is currently supporting the execution of the GEF7 funded project. The main goal of the project is to reduce the effects of land degradation and land use pressures on natural resources in the mountain landscapes and, to support national and local stakeholders in the Shar Mountains of North Macedonia to develop and apply an Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) approach and thereby demonstrate in a pilot landscape the achievement of land degradation neutrality and biodiversity objectives in synergy with more secure and sustainable local livelihoods i.e. demonstrate the benefits of achieving synergies between biodiversity, SLM (Sustainable Land Management), SFM (Sustainable Forest Management) and rural development efforts, preserving the land resource base by ensuring no net loss of healthy and productive land, and learn the lessons crucial for scaling up such approaches nationally. To achieve this objective, the Project supports activities through the implementation of the following two components: • Practical application of integrated landscape approach to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and Biological Diversity (BD) targets in the pilot area of the Shar Mountains and dependent ecosystems service area (peripheral productive landscape); and • Support to national level the adoption and upscaling of Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) and related Land Degradation (LD) and BD best practices. The project will build on and strengthen, the existing thematic initiatives within the national land degradation and biodiversity focal areas, in particular the existing baseline efforts in the completed GEF5 BD and ongoing GEF6 SLM projects (UNEP), and other past or ongoing initiatives, but adding to the extent and sustainability of impacts through their better integration and synergistic application at a landscape scale. The practical experience gained on the ground will provide important legal, institutional baselines, capacity and awareness building at the central level for issues related to LD specifically, and practical experience and lessons learned from the field of some forestry and arable land SLM practices. This multifocal project will use and build on the experience through the introduction of a more holistic integrated landscape approach that seeks to maximize benefits from synergies between LDN, BD and sustainable rural development efforts. The selected consultant will be responsible for supporting the UNEP Project Management Unit (PMU) and other team members in the technical aspects of the project. This includes ensuring proper and high-quality implementation of project activities, providing guidance and technical inputs to project deliverables, supporting the project coordination and reporting—particularly on technical matters—and facilitating effective communication with project partners, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning (MOEPP), and other stakeholders. Specific tasks and responsibilities: The Consultant will be responsible for carrying out the following duties and responsibilities under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Associate Programme Management Officer and UNEP WB Projects Coordinator of the UNEP - Vienna Programme Office – SCC, who coordinate the implementation of the mentioned project on behalf of UNEP as part of the overall programme and in close cooperation with the UNEP PMU in North Macedonia. • Technical inputs in development of comprehensive/detailed project workplans, including structured dynamics of all project activities, role and responsibilities and milestones, • Drafting Terms of References (TORs) for specific project activities, • Overseeing and providing technical guidance to project partners in accordance with the signed agreements, • Assessing the quality of deliverables produced by local partners and evaluating project outputs, • Maintain regular coordination and quality assurance of expert inputs and products as well as among project partners to ensure coherence and complementarity of project activities, • Inputs for the regular progress reports for the donor and the main project beneficiary/leading executing entity (Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning), • Prepare technical reports and contributions to development of the regular narrative, financial, co-finance and non-expendable equipment reports and/or other reports as may be required by UNEP and/or the donor, • Monitor and inform on the project risks initially identified and suggest possible actions, • Technical contribution for development of knowledge management products, in consultation with MOEPP, municipalities and other relevant stakeholders, • Liaise with government institutions, targeted municipalities, non-governmental organizations and other relevant stakeholder on the project’s behalf, • Contribute to coordinating and arranging the Project Steering Committee (PSC) meetings, ensuring all technical materials are prepared, disseminated on time and discussions are documented, and communicated for subsequent actions, • Technical contribution in development of new LD and BD-related project proposals, • Other technical activities pertaining to the implementation, with a view to achieving project results. Qualifications/special skillsPostgraduate degree (Masters or PhD) in environmental management, environmental sciences, forestry, agriculture, natural resources management, biodiversity conservation, or a related field, is required. • At least five years of experience in projects related with nature conservation, land degradation and/or sustainable development, is required. • Well-developed understanding of sustainable development, nature and biodiversity conservation, and land degradation, is required. • Experience in UN projects implementation, and particularly UN/GEF project experience and knowledge of UN and GEF procedures and guidelines is desirable, • Demonstrated knowledge and experience relevant to awareness to integration of gender to project execution, is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English and Macedonian is required. In addition, knowledge of Albanian and/or other languages in the project target region is considered an asset. Additional InformationNot available. No FeeTHE 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.