Training Expert - Mongolia

Vacancy code VA/2012/B5103/458

Department/office EMO, International Waters

Duty station Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Contract type Local ICA Support

Contract level LICA-7

Duration 12 weeks with possibility of an extension (60 working days)

Application period 10-May-2012 to 24-Jun-2012

Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.

Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.

This vacancy is closed.

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Background Information - UNOPS

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Background Info - BU IWC

International Waters Cluster The UNOPS International Waters Cluster specializes...

Background Information - Job-specific

General Background The project’s objective is to spearhead integrat...

General Background

The project’s objective is to spearhead integrated natural resource management of Baikal Lake Basin and Hövsgöl Lake ensuring ecosystem resilience, reduced water quality threats in the context of sustainable economic development. The project has three primary components: elaborating a strategic policy and planning framework; strengthening institutional capacity for IWRM; and demonstrating water quality and biodiversity mainstreaming practice, including groundwater monitoring and protection.
This project builds upon a solid, decades-old baseline of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Mongolia on the transboundary waters of the Selenga River and by extension the Baikal Basin itself. To date, international support for environmental conservation and management in the Baikal Basin has not been transboundary in orientation; little support has been provided the two countries in strengthening their transboundary cooperation to manage sustainably the globally significant environmental benefits represented by the incomparable Lake Baikal and its transboundary Basin, at the top of which lies Mongolia’s aquatic jewel, Lake Hovsgol. In addition to this solid baseline of transboundary cooperation are two rapidly growing economic baselines in mining and tourism, with mining being the biggest and fastest growing economic activity in the Baikal Basin and tourism a smaller but also rapidly growing sector in both the Russian and Mongolian portions of the Baikal Basin. Both of these sectors hold much promise in becoming better stewards of the Baikal Basin’s aquatic ecosystems. In the absence of a GEF investment, these barriers are likely to continue hampering an effective transboundary response to the critical threats that are already impacting the ecosystem health and resilience of the Baikal Basin.
Successful implementation of a regional project like “Integrated Natural Resource Management in the Baikal Basin Transboundary Ecosystem”, to a large degree depends on effective implementation and ownership of project-inspired work at the national and local levels.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Lake Baikal and its transboundary basin including Lake Hovsgol represent an unparalleled global benefit in terms of international waters and biodiversity values. While past and current efforts to protect and sustainably utilize the environment and its natural resources are impressive, they are insufficient to the task of addressing the threats to the health of the Baikal Basin’s interconnected aquatic ecosystems. These threats include: climate change, pollution and sedimentation, nutrient loading, and habitat destruction. To address these threats successfully conservation work must move beyond the protected area limits and into the 87% of the Basin that is not protected where natural resource exploitation continues without regard to ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation objectives. Significant barriers hamper both countries’ ability to move ahead both within their national jurisdictions and jointly on a robust transboundary level. These barriers include: policy and regulatory gaps, institutional weaknesses, poor utilization of BAT/BEP relevant to key issues facing the Basin, and low levels of awareness of transboundary BB issues.
Overall, the basic legal and policy frameworks for the conservation and sustainable management of the Baikal Basin are in place. From a transboundary perspective, lacking are specific laws or policies enabling the transboundary monitoring of aquatic ecosystem health both in Russia and Mongolia. The regulatory basis for ecosystem conservation and water-pollution prevention in Baikal has not yet been completed. For example, the regulatory and policy mechanisms needed to implement SAP, as well as sub-basin watershed management plans are as yet uncertain. Several scientific components for SAP development and implementation remain yet to be completed, particularly with regard to the extent of groundwater / surface water interconnectivity in the region, especially along the Selenga River; and accumulation of persistent organic pollutants in the benthic sediments and biota of the Basin’s rivers, deltas and lakes. Neither Russian, nor Mongolian law adequately stipulates clear and practical environmental quality standards for ground water and surface water. The two are inextricably linked in most river systems. The picture of water quality threats from industrial and mining sites remains incomplete; and measures on how best to handle residual pollution problems from abandoned mining sites have not been defined in policies on either side of the border. The EIA procedures do not properly address biodiversity risks; and sectoral programs are operating without standards for minimization or reduction of impacts to biodiversity. Tourism laws and policies focus more upon the economic aspects of tourism development and promotion and give short shrift to detailing guidelines and training on mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem health management objectives into tourism planning and management practices, including utilizing new tools such as certification incentives for environmentally sustainable behavior by tourism operators.
None of the existing bodies set up at bilateral and national levels (the Joint Task Force, and the Baikal Commission in Russia) have the authority, budget and cooperative framework necessary to reduce threats / barriers to water quality and biodiversity objectives.
The EIA process does not adequately address biodiversity conservation considerations. Even though Russia has established national procedures for assessing environmental impacts of economic projects, or any other activity that may have direct or indirect impacts on the environment, and biodiversity is an obligatory part of EIA content, there are still some barriers to fully integrating biodiversity conservation considerations into all phases of mining and tourism sector investment projects. Obstacles to capacity building among involved stakeholders relate in part to peculiarities of public “environmental” awareness in the region.
Basin-specific National Capacity Self-Assessments will be carried out and used to identify highest priority training and management support at the regional and basin level. Training services will be delivered to key stakeholders on the topics of: environmental impact assessment (EIA) development, industrial and mining site inspection, intercalibration of water quality / aquatic system laboratories and training in bioassay techniques, and utilization of geographic information systems (GIS) for mapping threats to ground and surface water resources, enforcement of water quality and biodiversity regulations.
Under the supervision of the Project Manager and Technical Director (PMTD), the Training Expert will assist in inception phase of Output 2.3.: Training program developed and implemented for key actors in an improved and enhanced, long-term transboundary management of the Baikal Basin.

This training program will be focused on supporting the implementation of the Baikal / Selenga SAP. Training will target the range of key actors, including:

Staff positions in the organizations most immediately responsible for watershed and basin-wide management of the Baikal Basin’s aquatic ecosystems in both Russia and Mongolia [Baikalkomvod, Buryat Regional Authorities, Baikal PA, Water Agency of Mongolia, Ministry of Nature, Environment and Tourism - Mongolia];
Academic experts in hydrology, aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity, mining, fisheries, and tourism.
Leading civil society organizations with recognized partnership roles in sustainable management.
Leading consultancies/organizations who actually elaborate EIA reports on the Russian side of the Baikal Basin.

The consultants are expected to deliver the following results:

Prepare short review of “self-assessment” methodology.
Develop guidance for self-assessments development and harmonize it with Russian training expert.
Provide training needs assessment (TNA) methodology for countries stakeholders experts based on project document requirements;
Development of a monitoring and evaluation system for supply chain development training;
Conduct training needs assessment (TNA) for stakeholders, based on project document requirements;
Identify participants and the institutes and consultants to carry out training program.
Prepare a Country Training Master Plan;
Assist Project Manager and Technical Director in identifying possible venues for overseas study tour/training/workshop/seminar and in making contacts with identified institutions in preparation for the overseas training activities;
Prepare and hold training workshops for persons carrying out self-assessments
Contribute to the development and maintenance of a monitoring and evaluation system for supply chain development training;
Any other assignment given by the authority during the service period.

Functional Responsibilities

The consultants are expected to deliver the following results: Prepar...

The consultants are expected to deliver the following results:

Prepare short review of “self-assessment” methodology.
Develop guidance for self-assessments development and harmonize it with Russian training expert.
Provide training needs assessment (TNA) methodology for countries stakeholders experts based on project document requirements;
Development of a monitoring and evaluation system for supply chain development training;
Conduct training needs assessment (TNA) for stakeholders, based on project document requirements;
Identify participants and the institutes and consultants to carry out training program.
Prepare a Country Training Master Plan;
Assist Project Manager and Technical Director in identifying possible venues for overseas study tour/training/workshop/seminar and in making contacts with identified institutions in preparation for the overseas training activities;
Prepare and hold training workshops for persons carrying out self-assessments
Contribute to the development and maintenance of a monitoring and evaluation system for supply chain development training;
Any other assignment given by the authority during the service period.

Monitoring and Progress Controls :

Detailed calendar plan for activities at the end of first 15 days.
Guidance for self-assessments development.
Training needs assessment methodology report.
Supply chain development training evaluation system report.
Training needs and participants report.
Report on Training Master Plan.
Training workshop minutes.
Multimedia materials (photo, video, publications made within the framework of the consultancy)

All scientific publications made within the framework of the consultancy must have reference on the project and have to be provided to Project Manager. Please note that the shortlisted candidates will be requested to provide price offers. Price offers will include only consultancy fees. Payment will be made in 3 installments based on the acceptance of the required deliverables by the Project Manager as specified below:

20% payment as a first installment upon the submission of a) detailed calendar plan for activities to be carried out within the framework of the consultancy;
40% remaining payment upon submission of a) Training needs and participants report; and b) Report on Training Master Plan – no later than by 31 September 2012.
40% remaining payment upon submission of the Training Workshop Minutes – no later than by 31 November 2012.

In the case that the conditions of the TOR are not met, the contract may be terminated and the consultancy fee reduced. The consultant shall work under the direct guidance of the Project Manager and Technical Director, and report to the both. The expert will be supported by the Project management unit (PMU), as required.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

a. Education Advance degree (Master or Post graduate) in Education, ...

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Local ICA Specialist Contract level: SB 5 Contract duration:12 we...

Additional Considerations

Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET) Applica...

This vacancy is closed.

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