IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environmental and development challenges.

IUCN's work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global climate, food and development challenges. IUCN supports scientific research, conducts field projects around the world, and brings together governments, NGOs, the United Nations and businesses to develop policies, laws and best practices.

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is a membership union composed of both governmental organizations and civil society organizations. IUCN's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies around the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature, and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. With more than 75 years of experience, it leverages the expertise, resources, and reach of its more than 1,400 member organizations and the contribution of more than 15,000 experts. IUCN is the world's authority on the state of the natural world and the measures needed to protect it. The IUCN Secretariat has offices located around the world and its headquarters are located in Gland, Switzerland.

IUCN in Guatemala has a National Office, where Programs and/or projects are implemented and executed in coordination with members and governmental organizations such as: Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources MARN, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food MAGA, National Council of Protected Areas CONAP and the National Institute of Forests INAB, as well as other government agencies. NGOs that are related to natural resources, among others.

Every four years, IUCN membership adopts a four-year Programme that guides the work of the Union, especially that of the IUCN Secretariat. The Secretariat implements the IUCN Programme through a growing portfolio of more than 400 projects around the world, designed to respond to the priorities of countries, donors and IUCN.

IUCN's Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (ORMACC) covers Central American countries, Mexico, and European overseas island states and territories in the Caribbean. In the region, IUCN has a track record of more than 35 years implementing and executing strategic projects and actions hand in hand with Regional and National Committees of Members throughout 18 countries. Currently, the portfolio of projects in the region includes 21 projects of national, regional and global scope. These actions are coordinated by the Regional Office based in Costa Rica, national offices in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, as well as project offices in Mexico, Panama and the Caribbean. At the regional level, IUCN has more than 140 employees.

Within the framework of the German Financial Cooperation with the Central American Integration System (SICA), IUCN is in charge of executing a portfolio of 4 projects of national and regional scope, including two that were approved by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Development Bank (KfW, by its German acronym) in 2023.

Project "Protection of the Natural and Cultural Resources of the Selva Maya – Phase II":

The Selva Maya comprises part of the territory of Belize, northern Guatemala and southeastern Mexico; it represents one of the most important ecological systems globally. It is considered the largest tropical forest in Mesoamerica and has an area of protected areas of more than four million hectares. The Selva Maya is the habitat of a large number of threatened species and provides important ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, provision of water sources and landscape connectivity. In addition, it is home to a great cultural and archaeological wealth.

Within the framework of Financial Cooperation with the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany – through the KfW Development Bank – granted a financial contribution of 20.5 million euros to implement a second phase of the program "Protection of the Natural and Cultural Resources of the Selva Maya” known as Selva Maya I. The Program, in its second phase, is designed to give continuity to the successful experiences of Phase I, seeking to strengthen the integrated, coordinated, and participatory management of natural and cultural heritage in priority areas for the conservation and restoration of the Selva Maya.

In this way, it is intended to contribute to the Vision of the "Comprehensive Strategy of the Selva Maya 2030" (EISM): "The Selva Maya is, by 2030, a region with natural and cultural identity, where its ecosystem and historical values are preserved, which promote the well-being of its people and offer environmental services of global importance."

The implementation of the project will be coordinated and executed by the institutions responsible for protected areas in each country:

• In Belize, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development (MAFFESD);
• In Mexico, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) will be the lead entity, in particular the Dirección Regional Peninsula de Yucatán y Caribe Mexicano;
• In Guatemala, it is the National Council of Protected Areas CONAP, through its Regional Office in Petén.

The objective of this project is to strengthen the integrated, coordinated and participatory management of natural and cultural heritage in priority areas for the conservation and restoration of the Mayan Jungle.

To achieve this objective, 3 results were established with their respective goals, which must be achieved throughout the 5 years of implementation of the Project:

• Priority Protected Areas (PPAs) have improved the effective management of their natural and cultural heritage.
• Priority areas for conservation and restoration have best practices for conservation, sustainable use and/or restoration.
• Strengthened regional coordination mechanisms for the conservation and sustainable management of the natural and cultural heritage of the Maya Jungle.

The execution of the Project will be the responsibility of IUCN, which assumes the overall coordination, administration, as well as the technical and financial supervision of the Project. IUCN also assumes the monitoring and technical support to the Sub-Beneficiaries, facilitating learning among the actors.
To this end, a Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) will be formed within the ORMACC.

The geographical scope of the work of the Territorial Technical Advisor (Focal Point) will be based in Belmopan, Belize.

This position will provide technical support to the Selva Maya II Project and will be under the supervision of the Regional Coordination of the Selva Maya II Project. The Territorial Technical Advisor (Focal Points) will provide technical support to the Project, being in charge of collaborating and facilitating the technical processes of the Project, for its effective and transparent operation. Provide the technical support required to contribute to the successful development of the approved subprojects in the PPPs and connectivity zones and the actions of the regional result (result 3). They will ensure and contribute to the fulfillment of the three results of the Project established in the results matrix.

The person hired must guarantee the incorporation of rights, social, ethnic and gender equity approaches, and respect for diversity in all actions and activities carried out.

SPECIFIC TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Work closely with the Project Coordinator, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and Financial-Administrative Officer for an efficient technical work of the execution of follow-up activities to the country's sub-beneficiaries.
2. Carry out on-site visits to the territories and sub-beneficiaries to accompany, advise and guarantee the execution of the project.
3. Attend and provide technical guidance to the technical staff of the Project and executing organizations.
4. Support in the design and follow up and supervise the correct implementation of the general operational plan (POG) and annual operational plan (POA) in close coordination with the Regional Coordinator, the national instances of protected areas and with the co-administrators of the areas prioritized by the Program, the IUCN Guatemala office and the IUCN regional office ORMACC
5. Ensure the execution of the activities established in the programme and operational plans in a timely manner, in accordance with the policies and requirements of IUCN and KfW.
6. Coordinate with the designated officials of the institutions of protected areas, as well as with the co-administrators of the protected areas prioritized by the Program in the preparation of Terms of Reference for the different measures defined in the POAs.
7. Facilitate the hiring of consultancies and follow up during their implementation process, if necessary.
8. Plan, design and implement coordination meetings, training activities, exchange sessions and other activities necessary within the framework of the Program.
9. Prepare presentations in relation to the work in their charge and others that are entrusted to them and that are related to their experience and professional training.
10. Coordinate, report and attend meetings – at the request of IUCN represented through its office in Guatemala to report and follow up on the progress of the program.
11. Support the coordination of strategic and technical actions with the Regional Coordinator to develop actions to strengthen coordination between the three countries and at the level of the Central American region.
12. Ensure the integration of the gender approach and institutional policies relating to indigenous peoples.
13. Coordinate and facilitate, together with the Regional Coordinator, the Grants Officer and the MEL Officer, the process for the development of the tool for follow-up, monitoring and evaluation of the subprojects.
14. Carry out coordination and follow-up actions, with the national institutions of protected areas, co-administrators and other sectoral institutions, on the activities and measures planned to improve the effectiveness of the management of protected areas, functional connectivity and restoration of the PPP.
15. Identify initiatives that allow for the creation of synergies with other programmatic activities, programs or projects, as well as with public institutions (e.g. forest offices/services, Secretariats or Ministries of Agriculture, Institutes/Secretariats or Ministries of Tourism, municipalities), private sector, existing NGOs and follow up and transfer them to the Regional Program Coordinator for review and approval, prior to IUCN approval.
16. Provide technical support and supervision to the implementation of activities carried out by NGOs, companies or local actors hired by the Program.
17. Support the Regional Program Coordinator in the activities for the achievement of the planned results and goals.
18. Contribute to the preparation of the project's technical reports (monthly, half-yearly and annual).
19. Contribute with the Monitoring and Evaluation specialist in the collection of information for the preparation of the baseline and the monitoring of the pressures and impacts of the Program, supporting the implementation of management effectiveness evaluations at the level of prioritized protected areas and the evaluation of landscape management effectiveness, as well as other information necessary to evaluate indicators related to the strengthening of governance mechanisms and platforms that improve participation, access, and benefit-sharing and to the strengthening of technical and strategic institutional capacities at the level of the Region.
20. Keep the Regional Project Coordinator informed about the progress of the Program, alert about risk situations and opportunities for improvement.
21. Suggest strategies, solutions, approaches, including corrective ones that ensure the achievement of the Program's results and impacts at the landscape level.
22. Comply with specific IUCN guidelines and policies in administrative, travel and field trips, using IUCN's own system, in close coordination with IUCN administrative and financial staff for this purpose.
23. Ensure adequate communication, dissemination of activities and results of the program in support of the Communication Officer and in accordance with the policies, standards and documents provided in this regard.
24. Ensure compliance with and implementation of IUCN environmental and social standards – ESMS (Environmental and Social Management System https://www.iucn.org/es/esms-sistema-de-gestion-ambiental-y-social) within the framework of project execution. In case the World Bank Group's Environmental and Social Standards (EAS) are stricter than the ESMS and in case an aspect is not covered by the IUCN ESMS, the World Bank Group's EAS applies; additionally, the General and Sectoral Guidelines on Environment, Health and Safety of the World Bank Group and the recommendations of the feasibility study in this regard will be taken into account.

Please note: These Terms of Reference contain the main responsibilities and duties of this position. However, in an ever-evolving organization like IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to perform other tasks that are reasonably assigned to them but are not part of their usual terms of reference. When any task becomes a regular part of the staff member's responsibilities, the ToRs should be changed in consultation between the manager, the staff member and the Human Resources Unit. Any of the three can start the consultation.