Result of Service

Effective and timely project implementation and achievement of the planned results (i.e. overall project coordination from engagement of project partners, management, guidance and technical inputs to generated project deliverables, project reporting, as well as liaison with the Ministry and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate smooth project implementation and promotion). In the National Project Coordinator role, the consultant will work closely with various project partners to maintain a thorough understanding of project dynamics and knowledge products, events, documents and deliverables, as well as identifying the most important and key deliverables, as well as a knowledge of the project vision and goals. The consultant is also expected to monitor trends in the country, other similar projects, government and donor initiatives and stay well-informed of related developments to ensure the timeliness of the content produced for a successful project communications management. Success in this role will be determined by implementing effective strategies to keep relevant stakeholders informed and drive national and international interest on the values of the Albanian Alps contributing to the sustainable development as well as protection of the National Park

Work Location

Tirana, Albania

Expected duration

3 Months - Part-time

Duties and Responsibilities

Organizational Setting: The United Nations Environment Programme 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. 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. UNEP Vienna Programme Office supports the execution of a GEF funded project titled “Achieving biodiversity conservation through effective management and enhanced resilience to climate change in the existing protected area of the North Albanian Mountainous Region”. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the management effectiveness and sustainability of the Albanian Alps protected areas system and increase resilience to climate change. Recognizing the important role protected areas have in contributing to biodiversity conservation, Albania has made efforts in establishing and expanding its protected areas network. The Albanian government has demonstrated its commitment and efforts towards protected areas network expansion. Thus, in January 2022, the country further approved several decrees revising the boundaries of existing protected areas, and designated several new ones, resulting in more than 21% of Albania’s surface covered in a range of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) protected area categories. Acknowledging the immense biological importance of the Albanian Alps territory, a decision was made to seek the inclusion of the entire landscape under the National Park (NP) status, to apply more systematically integrated biodiversity and rural development planning and management at landscape scale. As such the “Albanian Alps” National Park (AANP) with a total area of 82,844.65 ha, was one of the new protected areas established in 2022. The ‘new’ AANP, in the northern Alps mountainous region of Albania, was established under the DCM no. 59 of January 26, 2022, and encompasses three former protected areas, namely, National Park Thethi, National Park Valbona Valley and Strict Nature Reserve Gashi River. The project results will be achieved through the implementation of the following components: - Component 1: Establishing an enabling environment for effective management of the Albanian Alps National Park (to include activities such as, valorisation, supported sustainable financing and management, capacity needs assessment and enhancing), - Component 2. Strengthening the practical experience and “know-how” of the Albanian Alps NP stakeholders to address threats (practical experience and putting into practice some of the identified NP management actions), - Component 3. Facilitation of national-level integration and expansion of sustainable PAs within a broader national PAs framework. (Insights and successful practices from the Albanian Alps documented and shared with key national stakeholders to encourage broader implementation at the national level.) Specific Tasks and Responsibilities: - Provide overall technical coordination of activities under the project’s three components and ensure consistency with the approved Project Document, work plans and applicable UNEP and GEF requirements. - Coordinate activities implemented under agreements with project partners and monitor their work plans, outputs, budgets, schedules and reporting obligations. - Maintain an updated project implementation and monitoring tracker covering activities, responsibilities, outputs, deadlines, constraints and follow-up actions. - Organize coordination meetings with UNEP, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, project partners and consultants, and follow up on agreed decisions and actions. - Conduct the partner due-diligence procedures and prepare or revise Terms of Reference, technical specifications and partner agreements required for project implementation. - Guide and supervise project partners and national consultants and review their deliverables, providing comments and recommendations for revision or acceptance. - Monitor progress against the project results framework, annual work plan and milestones, and identify delays, implementation constraints and corrective actions. - Maintain the project risk register and promptly inform UNEP, the Ministry and, where appropriate, the Project Steering Committee of significant risks, delays or difficulties. - Liaise with relevant national and local institutions, municipalities, protected-area authorities, local communities, civil society, academia and development partners. - Organize and document stakeholder consultations, meetings, workshops, training sessions and monitoring visits in Tirana and the Albanian Alps territory. - Ensure compliance with UNEP Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures and maintain records of identified risks, mitigation measures, stakeholder concerns and follow-up actions. Provide technical inputs to project knowledge-management products and coordinate their review, consultation and validation with relevant stakeholders. - Prepare project progress, implementation and financial reports and support the mid-term evaluation and follow-up to accepted recommendations. - Coordinate Project Steering Committee meetings, prepare the required documentation and follow up on agreed decisions and actions. - Maintain an organized project filing system; contribute to new project concepts and proposals related to land degradation, climate change and biodiversity; and carry out other relevant managerial and technical tasks within the scope of the assignment. - Other managerial and technical activities pertaining to the project implementation, monitoring, reporting and sustainability, as requested by UNEP and within the scope of the assignment. Reporting Lines: The consultant will be engaged for the purposes of the GEF7 project implemented in Albania “Achieving biodiversity conservation through effective management and enhanced resilience to climate change in the existing protected area of the North Albanian Mountainous Region” and reports to the Head of UNEP Vienna Programme Office and the Associate Programme Management Officer under UNEP Vienna Programme Office.

Qualifications/special skills

Advance university degree (Master or equivalent) in environmental studies, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, resource management or a related field is required. A first-level degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in any of the above-mentioned fields of studies with two (2) additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. A PhD degree in the relevant fields will be considered an asset. - Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in natural resource management protected areas and related project implementation and/or project management, with a proven track record of achieving results, required. - Prior UN projects management experience, and particularly UN/GEF project experience and knowledge of UN and GEF procedures and guidelines is desirable. - Familiarity and understanding of sustainable development, including financial and institutional sustainability, is desirable. - Proof of successful accomplishment of contract/s with similar nature is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English and Albanian is required.

No Fee

THE 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.

National Project Coordinator - Albania – Level B - Part-time