Duties and Responsibilities
Organisation Setting UN Environment is the leading global environmental 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. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. The project F218 “Building resilience in the landscapes of Kigoma region, Tanzania” was approved by the Green Climate Fund Board on 24 October 2023. UN Environment Programme (UNEP) acts as the GCF-accredited entity for this project, the Government of Tanzania, acting through its Vice President’s Office (VPO), is the lead executing entity, and the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is the co-executing entity. The project will also be implemented in collaboration with key Tanzanian government agencies including District Councils, the President’s Office of Regional Administration and Local Government, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the National Environmental Management Council and the Tanzania Forest Service, as well as NGOs working in the region, promoting an approach that is participatory, gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive and socially inclusive. The project has a 5 year implementation period with a total budget of $23.6 million, among which $19 million is a GCF grant and $4.6 million is in-kind co-financing. The project proposes four interconnected outputs that will conserve and restore 42,000 hectares of land and deliver direct adaptation benefits to 570,340 people (of which 64% are host community from villages within a radius of 15 km from Nduta, Nyarugusu and the closed Mtendeli camp and 36% are refugee population from Nduta , Nyarugusu camps. • Output 1 will involve the development of participatory and climate-resilient land-use plans (C-LUPs) in host community villages neighbouring the refugee camps. The plans will integrate ecosystem-based adaptation interventions supported by outputs 2 and 3. • Under Output 2, Community Based Forest conservation interventions (30,000 ha) will be reinforced by agroforestry (10,000) and afforestation (in 2,000 ha), providing sustainable alternative sources for energy needs, thereby reducing pressure on the natural forests and allowing them to regenerate. Investments in forestry systems and flood and erosion control measures will contribute to restoring the ecosystem's flood attenuation capacity and reducing flood risk exposure. • Output 3, will support climate-resilient agriculture in order to sustain or improve yields under various climate conditions, secure income and reduce pressure on the forest ecosystem. The alternative livelihood interventions in beekeeping and mushroom production will operate symbiotically with the forest interventions under Output 2. • Under Output 4, the results of the planning processes and physical interventions implemented under Outputs 1–3 will be used to demonstrate the economic, environmental and social value of this model, support revisions to key policies processes, and promote up-scaling of the EbA model to similar landscapes Duties and Responsibilities The part-time international Social & Environment Safeguards expert consultant will provide technical guidance, capacity building and direct support to the Project Management Unit (PMU), including a national gender and safeguards officer, and implementing partners, to ensure the project's compliance with environmental and social safeguards. The specific allocation of working hours and schedule will be mutually agreed upon. Key functions: • Provide guidance and support to the national Gender and Safeguards Officer and the Project Manager,as well as implementing partners, in overseeing the implementation and management of the project's safeguards instruments and gender action plan (GAP). • Update the ESMS with findings from the conflict sensitivity assessment and renewed screening of safeguards risks. • Develop an ESS Monitoring Plan for tracking emerging risks and compliance with the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) by all project stakeholders; • Coordinate the development of site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans, guidelines, designs, and other project outputs to ensure environmental and social safeguards and mitigation measures are embedded, implemented and monitored as appropriate; • Development of project guidance, awareness materials and tools to comply with the ESMS and ESMPs • Support the effective operationalization and management of a project-specific Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) with a sensitive approach to SEAH cases and including local redress mechanisms at different levels, United Republic of Tanzania (URT),UNEP Stakeholder Response Mechanism and the GCF Independent Redress Mechanism. • Support the effective operationalization and management of the project SEAH Protocol, including the provision of training and guidance to comply with GCF Gender policy and SEAH policy. • Conduct annual project visits to Kigoma in collaboration with the PMU,and the Gender and Safeguards Officer to; o Oversee adherence to the approved ESMS and applicable Tanzanian, UNEP and GCF policies by executing entities, implementing partners, project personnel, and consultants. o Screen project activities to identify new potential social and environmental risks o Monitor the implementation of the safeguards and conflict risk avoidance, minimization and mitigation measures. o Provide training on environmental and social safeguards monitoring and management to project personnel, implementing partners and stakeholders, including GRM and SEAH protocols o Monitor the implementation of the GRM o Monitor the implementation of the SEAH prevention measures. o Monitor the implementation of the GAP. • Report findings of annual safeguards missions and propose adjustments to the ESMS and site-specific ESMP as needed based on the continuous risk screening, safeguards monitoring results and grievances recorded. • Carry out agreed revisions of the ESMS and site-specific ESMP. • Review the semi-annual reports on the project's environmental and social safeguards prepared by the national Gender and Safeguards Officer and provide inputs to the Annual Performance Reports and other technical reports; • Contribute to addressing Government, UNEP and GCF queries on environmental and social safeguards • Provide information and updates on environmental and social safeguards in Government, UNEP monitoring missions, and mid-term and terminal evaluations. Compliance requirements: • Refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the United Nations and shall not engage in any activity which is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Government, United Nations or the mandate of UNEP • Ensure compliance with the Anti-Fraud and Anti-Corruption Framework of the United Republic of Tanzania United Nations Secretariat, as well as the Green Climate Fund Policy on Prohibited Practices • Ensure compliance with the Government, UN and GCF policies on sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment at all times; • Implement project activities in compliance with the Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and its annexes. • Implement project activities in compliance with the relevant safeguard requirements set out in the Government, UNEP Environmental, Social and Economic Sustainability Framework (hereinafter referred to “ESES Framework”), and in the Green Climate Fund’s Environmental and Social Safeguards. Reporting lines: The consultant will report to the UNEP Climate Change Adaptation Unit (CCAU) Task Manager Paz Lopez and the Project Manager of the Project Management Unit for this project.
Qualifications/special skills
An advanced University education (MSc or PhD) in natural resource management, biodiversity,climate change adaptation, ecosystem management or a related discipline such as disaster risk reduction, environmental science, agriculture and water resources management. A minimum of 7 years in a senior technical position involved in institutional strengthening and capacity building and in providing technical support to climate change adaptation and/or environmental projects is required. Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience managing environmental and social safeguards, with a focus on ecosystem rehabilitation and/or climate change adaptation is required. Proven experience in developing social and environmental safeguard instruments is required Experience with Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility, Adaptation Fund or similar donor-funded projects is desirable
