International Consultants at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights, capacity development and the empowerment of women.

The United Nations Development Programme (Nigeria) announces the vacancy below:

Job Title: International Consultancy to Conduct Training Needs Assessment of Capacity of Institutions to Assess and Mitigate Threats to Biodiversity on Oil & Gas Sector

Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Location: Home based with at least two trips to Port Harcourt, NIGERIA
Post Level: International Consultant
Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 01-Jul-2015
Duration of Initial Contract: 20 Weeks
Expected Duration of Assignment: 20 Weeks

Background
UNDP and the Government of Nigeria signed the Project Document for the recently developed 'Niger Delta Biodiversity Project'. The document engages over a five year period $4,610,000, of which $1,000,000 are core funds from UNDP and $3,610,000 are from the Global Environment Facility. These funds leveraged an additional $9.6 million in commitments from government, Shell Nigeria and the UN through other projects.

This project's goal is to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of globally significant biological diversity in the Niger Delta. The project objective is "to mainstream biodiversity management priorities into the Niger Delta oil and gas (O&G) sector development policies and operations."

The project's three main outcomes designed to achieve this objective are:

• Stakeholders strengthen the governance framework of law, policy, and institutional capacity to enable the mainstreaming of biodiversity management into the O&G sector in the Niger Delta;
• Government, the O&G industry and local communities adopt and pilot new biodiversity action planning tools for proactive biodiversity mainstreaming in the Niger Delta;
• Stakeholders support long-term biodiversity management and the use of these new tools in the Niger Delta by capitalizing the Niger Delta Biodiversity Trust with a collaborative engagement mechanism for local communities, O&G companies and Government at its core. One of the outcomes of the NDBP is to facilitate the process engagement by which Government, the O&G industry and local communities build and pilot new biodiversity action planning tools for the proactive biodiversity management in the Niger Delta.
• An international expert in biodiversity and training needs assessment will conduct a training needs assessment regarding mainstreaming issues in the four pilot Delta States.
• The training programme, drawing upon best practice world-wide will be designed in in key areas of need.
• The international expert is to conduct a series of training workshops, with the intention of training at least 2 Nigerian trainers to continue the process in Nigeria and to provide ongoing support.
• The project is meant to assist in development of capacity for undertaking environmental impact assessment as relate to biodiversity issues in the oil and gas sector.
• He is also expected to develop and conduct the first Niger Delta Biodiversity Leadership Capacity Building Programme.
• The leadership development programme is expected to focus on key policy, education, business, biodiversity-specific and development issues with an emphasis on the practical “how-to”.

Duties and Responsibilities

• To support the project develop its training programme for key Federal and State government agencies to assess and mitigate the risks and threats to biodiversity from the O&G sector in the Niger Delta.
• It is necessary to assess the training needs, design a training programme and develop the training curriculum.
• Therefore the project is hereby seeking a qualified international consultant experienced in training on biodiversity, forestry and environment to carry out the assignments in four Niger - Delta States namely; Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers State.

The Specific Results will include:

• Develop training needs assessment questionnaire, collect information and analyse it to determine(1) target training group and the training subjects/contents; (2) training methods; (3) training levels (basic and/or advanced) for each targeted groups of participants:
• Design the training programme’s curriculum suitable to each training subject/content and training level (basic and/or advanced);
• Provide technical guidance and quality control to the project team on the development of deliverables, stakeholder consultation and analysis for activities within the capacity building component of the project;
• Lead the development of the training need assessment report, training programme and training curriculum;
• Facilitate relevant stakeholder consultations including meetings, workshops, learning activities and other related activities;
• Attend and present findings at meetings, workshops as requested;
• Collaborate with Project Management Unit to implement other related activities to achieve products as required by the assignment.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the National Coordinator of the Niger-Delta Biodiversity Project and overall supervision from the Team Leader, Sustainable Development Unit at the Country Office. In ensuring the quality of the work undertaken, an inception meeting will be held between the consultant/firm/NGO and the National Coordinator to agree on expectation, scope of the work, and a specific work plan on the basis of an inception report. Prior to the consultant/firm/NGO concluding the work, a de-brief meeting will be held to discuss any further issues which requires further follow-up.

The International expert will work with local experts who will be:

• Tasked with working with undertaking a training needs assessment regarding mainstreaming issues in the four pilot Delta States and within two federal Ministries;
• Developing a Biodiversity Leadership Capacity Building Programme to mitigate risks & threats from the O & G sector in the Niger Delta. The Programme will consists of protected area managers, forest rangers and other stakeholders on biodiversity conservation, management, business plan development, biodiversity monitoring, financing mechanism and legal framework.

Competencies
Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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 favouritism.

Functional Competencies
Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Shares knowledge and experience and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to work with minimal supervision;
• Ability to lead formulation and evaluation of development programmes and projects;
• Ability to apply biodiversity concepts to the specific country context, carry out high-quality environmental research.

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;
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
• Abililty to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of programmes.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:

• Postgraduate Degree in Environmental Resource Management, Forestry, Agriculture or related field.

Experience:

• At least 10 years’ experience in protected area management and/or biodiversity conservation and /or facilitating capacity development of protected area management or biodiversity conservation;
• Knowledge of and advisory experience in nature, environment, biodiversity conservation, management and sustainable use of natural resources, protected area management;
• Extensive knowledge in research, tools development, community projects;
• Experience in facilitating dialogues/communications between local communities and national governments;
• Experience in actual management and implementation of natural resource management projects;
• Experience in policy formulation and legislation in the natural resource management sector;
• Experience in policy and legislation in protected area management and/or biodiversity conservation;
• Sound understanding of UNDP/GEF requirements and policies, UNDP/GEF projects is an asset.

Language:

• Fluent in English.

Application Closing Date
8th June, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply online