Sierra Leone: International Consultant Technical Advisor

Nov 7, 2016 | UNDP
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The UNDP Sierra Leone Country Office through its Energy, Environment & Natural Resource Management (EENRM) Cluster works together with including Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the private sector, NGOs, and local communities to strengthen capacities for environmentally sustainable and climate resilient development. In line with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2015-2018 and UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2014-2017, the cluster implements a diverse portfolio that includes interventions aimed at improved natural resource governance, biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihood diversification, climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as disaster risk management.

The EENRM Cluster is headed by a Team Leader (P4 – vacant) with support from a Programme Specialist (NOC), a Programme Associate (G7) as well as a national Field Officer and four Project Managers. In anticipation of the recruitment of a new Team Leader in the first quarter of 2017, UNDP will be engaging a Technical Advisor (consultant) in order to support delivery of ongoing projects, provide technical oversight in programming activities and annual work planning for 2017, provide inputs for knowledge management and communication processes, and support resource mobilisation for the EENRM Cluster.

Background

Sierra Leone is endowed with extensive natural resources including minerals, forests, marine resources, rivers, one of the largest natural harbours in the world, a Ramsar wetland site of international importance, and several national parks that include Upper Guinean Forest biodiversity hotspots. The country relies heavily on the extractive sector for its economic base, and is among the top ten diamond producing nations. Almost 80% of Sierra Leone’s population works in the agricultural sector, and farming communities rely mostly on subsistence agriculture as their main source of livelihoods.


Environmental governance and natural resource management structures are generally considered weak. Deforestation rates are estimated at 0.7% per year (AfDB 2012), land degradation rates are high, and the country was ranked 173 out of a total of 178 countries on the global environmental performance index (Columbia University CIESIN 2014). Based on a combination of geographic, demographic, governance, and socio-economic criteria, Sierra Leone was assessed as extremely vulnerable (# 3 out of 193) in the 2013 Climate Change Vulnerability Index. Given the strong dependence on natural resources for economic growth in Sierra Leone, a comprehensive, cross-sectoral, and coordinated approach is therefore required to ensure integration of environmental sustainability in national policies, development strategies and actions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the UNDP Deputy Country Director-Programme (a.i.), and in close collaboration with the EENRM Cluster team, the consultant will be expected to perform the following key functions:

  • Provide technical leadership and provide strategic direction.
  • Support resource mobilization.
  • Support knowledge management and development of communication outputs.
  • Provide oversight and support to ensure quality and timely delivery of ongoing interventions under the EENRM portfolio, including the TRAC (UNDP core funding) Programme, a Sustainable Development Goal-Fund Project and four full-size Global Environment Facility (GEF)-financed projects, in coordination with implementing partners.
  • Provide oversight for ongoing consultancies and support the development of TOR for additional consultancies, based on the needs of the various ongoing projects.
  • Provide oversight for annual work planning, budgeting, implementing and monitoring, tracking use of financial resources of all projects in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations.
  • Analyze the 2016 portfolio, and identify strategic Programme areas of cooperation for 2017 through analysis of the political, social and economic situation in Sierra Leone, while ensuring integration of lessons learned and good practices as well as linkages with the PRSP, UNDAF, UNDP Strategic Plan, and CPD.
  • Develop the 2017 Annual Work Plan (AWP) for UNDP core funding and review 2017 AWPs for SDGF and GEF funded projects in cooperation with Project Managers.
  • Research and analyze information on donors; identify opportunities for resource mobilization.
  • Support the development of concept notes and project proposals, if required by DCD-P (a.i).
  • Establish and maintain strategic partnerships (e.g. with donors/private sector).
  • Ensure the effective application of RBM tools; review project logical frameworks and recommend strategies for strengthening of cluster-related M&E processes; monitor progress through monthly team meetings and progress reports; recommend adjustments if required for quality and timely delivery in order to achieve intended outcomes and objectives.
  • Extract lessons learned, and facilitate integration into existing or new interventions.
  • Support the development of communication outputs (photos, UNDP website stories, social media outputs, etc.).
  • Detailed analysis of the 2016 portfolio and development of recommendations for intervention areas in 2017; to be submitted for review approval by UNDP within 5 days of contract signature.
  • Inputs provided for 2017 AWPs by 15 December; final draft 2017 AWPs to be submitted by 21 December 2016.
  • Recommendations to strengthen cluster-related M&E processes, submitted by 26 January 2017.
  • Communication outputs developed (at least one UNDP website story published every two months).
  • Cluster progress reports submitted to the DCD-Programme (a.i.) by end of each month.
  • Final report and handover notes for incoming Team Leader to be submitted by 30 June 2017.

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.

Functional competencies:

  • Ability to identify needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners.
  • Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments.
  • Ability to take responsibility for achieving agreed outputs within set deadlines and strives until successful outputs are achieved.
  • Identifies opportunities to bring forward and disseminate materials for advocacy work.
  • Ability to work in teams.
  • Excellent time management, monitoring and evaluation skills.
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback.
  • Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication.
  • Demonstrates initiative and self-motivation to work independently, as well as, cooperative and collaborative spirit to work in a team.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Advocates for innovative ideas, documenting successes/good practices and building them into the design of new approaches.
  • Builds a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s degree or equivalent academic qualification in natural resource management or closely related field.
  • Experience:
  • Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience.
  • Extensive experience in programme or project management.
  • Hands-on experience in design, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation of donor-funded projects.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues relevant to environmental sustainability mainstreaming, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, etc.
  • Demonstrated experience in collaborating with Government institutions as well as in working at the grassroots level on community-driven development initiatives.
  • Experience working in a development context, preferably on the African continent.
  • Familiarity with the UN system and UNDP would be considered an advantage.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English required, including excellent English writing skills (evidence will be requested as part of the recruitment process).