Climate Adaptation and Resilience Expert, Samoa

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

INTRODUCTION TO GGGI

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is a treaty-based international, inter-governmental organization dedicated to supporting and promoting strong, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in developing countries and emerging economies. To learn more please visit about GGGI web page. 

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), in collaboration with the Government of Samoa through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), is supporting the development of a project proposal to the Adaptation Fund.

An initial Concept Note has been prepared and reviewed. Based on the review comments, the project design has been refined to strengthen the climate rationale, geographic targeting, causal logic, complementarity, implementation arrangements, results framework, safeguards and overall alignment with Adaptation Fund requirements.

The revised project architecture is structured around three mutually reinforcing components: (i) integrated ridge-to-reef resilience investments; (ii) climate information, last-mile warning and preparedness; and (iii) locally led adaptation, governance and finance. The final geographic scope and project sites have not yet been determined and will be established through a transparent assessment, screening, consultation and validation process undertaken as part of Concept Note development.

The remaining Concept Note development therefore requires targeted analytical work, stakeholder engagement, site assessment and selection, validation of proposed interventions, development of the Theory of Change and results framework, indicative costing, safeguards and gender considerations, and preparation of the final Concept Note. A national validation workshop is planned for Week 1 of December 2026, following which the Concept Note is to be finalized by the 10 January 2027.

The objective of the assignment is to provide end-to-end technical support to complete the Samoa Adaptation Fund Concept Note, from the current project redesign through the required assessments and stakeholder validation to preparation of a complete, technically robust and submission-ready Concept Note.

The Consultant will be expected to:

• Review and address the technical comments on the existing Concept Note and ensure that the revised project design responds to the identified gaps.
• Undertake the analytical, consultation and assessment work required to determine the final project sites, intervention packages, beneficiaries, targets, implementation arrangements and indicative costs.
• Develop a coherent climate rationale, Theory of Change, results framework and integrated project design consistent with Adaptation Fund requirements.
• Prepare and present the proposed project design for stakeholder validation during the national workshop in Week 1 of December 2026.
• Incorporate the outcomes of the validation workshop and complete the Adaptation Fund Concept Note by 10 January 2027.

The Consultant will undertake the following interrelated tasks:

1. Review and inception

• Review the existing Concept Note, all review comments, the project redesign document and relevant national and sector documents, including the National Adaptation Plan, Community Integrated Management Plans and other available technical studies.
• Prepare an inception workplan setting out the methodology, information requirements, stakeholder engagement approach, assessment activities, fieldwork requirements and detailed schedule.
• Prepare and maintain a comment-response/evidence-gap matrix showing how the substantive review comments will be addressed through the assignment.

2. Climate rationale, vulnerability and investment-gap analysis

• Strengthen the project climate rationale using available observed and projected climate information, hazard, exposure and vulnerability evidence and clearly link these to the proposed adaptation responses.
• Synthesize available information on climate risks affecting ecosystems, livelihoods, food systems, water/WASH, coastal areas, critical infrastructure and community resilience.
• Map relevant ongoing and planned government and development-partner investments to identify complementarity, avoid duplication and establish the specific adaptation gaps to be addressed by the project.
• Review existing Early Warning System and climate-information investments and identify specific last-mile, institutional, sector-service and site-level gaps relevant to the project.

3. Site assessment, screening and selection

• Develop/refine and apply an evidence-based site assessment and selection methodology consistent with the agreed project architecture.
• Identify and assess potential project sites using climate risk, vulnerability, ecosystem connectivity, food/water/livelihood sensitivity, NAP/CIM alignment, community demand, additionality, technical feasibility, environmental and social considerations, land/tenure, ownership, operation and maintenance, and measurable impact.
• Undertake targeted field engagement and stakeholder consultations required to validate the assessment findings and proposed interventions.
• Recommend the final geographic scope and portfolio of project sites based on the assessment and consultation process, with clear documentation of the selection rationale.
• Document any material constraints or exclusion issues, including insufficient climate rationale, duplication, environmental and social risks, unresolved land/tenure issues, technical constraints or lack of credible ownership and maintenance arrangements.

4. Project design and technical assessment

• Translate the agreed three-component architecture into clear outcomes, outputs and activities based on the selected sites and validated adaptation needs.
• Develop integrated intervention packages that address identified climate risks and demonstrate clear linkages between physical/nature-based investments, climate information and preparedness, and locally led adaptation, governance and finance.
• Assess the technical feasibility of proposed interventions at Concept Note level, including alternatives, operation and maintenance requirements, delivery responsibilities and sustainability considerations.
• Apply a nature-based solutions first approach, with hybrid or engineered measures proposed only where justified by the risk context, alternatives assessment and cost-effectiveness.
• Assess potential adaptation-linked finance and private-sector mechanisms, where relevant, including the role of financial institutions and appropriate financing partners.
• Ensure that any proposed community grant, finance, monitoring, project preparation or knowledge mechanisms are proportionate and, where feasible, anchored in existing national systems.

5. Theory of Change, results framework and beneficiary methodology

• Develop the overall Theory of Change, including climate problems, barriers, assumptions, causal pathways, project objective, outcomes, outputs and the linkages among the three project components.
• Develop a Concept Note-level results framework aligned with the applicable Adaptation Fund Strategic Results Framework, including indicators, baselines where available, targets, means of verification and responsibilities.
• Develop a transparent beneficiary methodology that defines direct and indirect beneficiaries, avoids double counting across interventions and uses verifiable population/administrative information.
• Ensure beneficiary data and relevant project indicators are disaggregated by sex, age and disability where feasible.

6. Gender equality, social inclusion, safeguards and stakeholder consultation

• Undertake a proportionate Concept Note-level gender equality and social inclusion assessment and integrate findings into project activities, targeting, indicators and implementation arrangements.
• Undertake/support the required preliminary environmental and social safeguards screening, including consideration of land/tenure, environmental and social risks, mitigation requirements and follow-up assessments required during full proposal development.
• Plan, facilitate and document project-specific stakeholder consultations with relevant government agencies, communities, civil society, private sector and financial institutions, development partners, women, youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups as relevant.
• Maintain consultation records covering date/location, stakeholder groups, attendance and gender-disaggregated participation where feasible, issues raised, outcomes and how stakeholder feedback has informed the project design.

7. Cost-effectiveness, budget, sustainability and implementation arrangements

• Develop the Concept Note-level cost-effectiveness and alternatives analysis for the proposed intervention packages.
• Prepare a realistic indicative output/activity-level budget based on the assessed and validated project design.
• Apply the Adaptation Fund full-cost-of-adaptation principle and clearly justify the financing requested against the identified climate risks and adaptation needs.
• Assess institutional, technical, financial, environmental and social sustainability, including ownership, recurrent costs and operation and maintenance responsibilities.
• Define the proposed implementation, execution, governance and coordination arrangements, including roles and responsibilities of UNDP, MNRE and other responsible/technical partners.
• Prepare a project risk assessment and mitigation framework covering the main technical, institutional, fiduciary, environmental, social, land/tenure, stakeholder and implementation risks.

8. Validation workshop and final Concept Note

• Prepare the technical materials required for the national validation workshop, including the proposed site selection, project rationale, Theory of Change, components, outputs and activities, beneficiary approach, implementation arrangements, results framework, indicative budget and key risks.
• Present and support facilitation of the in-country validation workshop in Week 1 of December 2026 and document the agreed decisions, comments and required revisions.
• Following the workshop, prepare the complete Adaptation Fund Concept Note using the required Adaptation Fund format and incorporate all validated project design decisions.
• Address one consolidated round of comments from GGGI, MNRE and UNDP and submit the final, clean, submission-ready Concept Note and supporting working files by 10 January 2027.

• The Consultant must demonstrate adequate capability to cover the full technical scope of the assignment, including:
• Climate risk and vulnerability analysis;
• Adaptation project design and nature-based solutions;
• Livelihoods/food systems, water/WASH, coastal/ecosystem resilience and disaster preparedness/last-mile early warning at Concept Note level;
• Climate/adaptation finance and relevant private-sector financing mechanisms;
• Gender equality, disability and social inclusion;
• Environmental and social safeguards and land/tenure risk screening;
• Results-based management, beneficiary methodology and climate-fund results alignment; and
• Project economics, cost-effectiveness, budgeting, operation and maintenance and institutional sustainability.
• The Consultant will report to the designated GGGI Project Manager/Focal Point and will work closely with MNRE, UNDP and relevant government and technical stakeholders.
• The assignment is expected to be delivered over approximately ten weeks. The validation workshop in Week 1 of December 2026 and the final Concept Note deadline of 10 January 2027 are fixed milestones.
• The Consultant is expected to undertake the work with a high degree of independence while maintaining close coordination with GGGI and government counterparts.
• GGGI, MNRE and UNDP will facilitate access to available project documents, government/partner data and relevant stakeholders, subject to availability.
• The assignment is intended to undertake the level of assessment and design required for a robust Concept Note. It does not include detailed engineering design or full feasibility studies unless specifically agreed.
• All deliverables, reports, presentations, data tables, calculations and supporting documents shall be submitted electronically in editable Microsoft Office-compatible formats.
• All outputs must be in English.
• All final documents and working files developed under the assignment shall be provided to GGGI.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in climate change, environmental management, natural resource management, engineering, economics/finance, development studies, disaster risk management or another relevant discipline.
• At least 8–15 years of relevant professional experience in climate change adaptation, climate-resilient development, climate finance and/or development of climate investment projects.
• Demonstrated experience leading the preparation of Concept Notes and/or full proposals for international climate funds. Direct experience with the Adaptation Fund is strongly preferred; experience with the Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility or similar funds will be considered relevant.
• Demonstrated experience integrating climate rationale, technical design, Theory of Change, results frameworks, gender and social inclusion, environmental and social safeguards, economic/cost-effectiveness analysis, implementation arrangements and budgeting into climate-finance proposals.
• Experience with integrated, multi-sector adaptation projects, nature-based solutions, community resilience and/or ridge-to-reef approaches.
• Experience conducting stakeholder consultations and facilitating technical validation processes with government and community stakeholders.
• Experience in Small Island Developing States and/or Pacific Island countries is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English and demonstrated ability to prepare high-quality technical proposals within tight deadlines.

The Individual Consultant will ensure: 

• Availability during the project period.
• Ensure a work plan is developed to meet the deliverables required
• No conflict of interest arises while taking this assignment.

Date to close is Korean Standard Time (KST). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Application, Cover Letter, and CV must be sent in English. A consortium or a firm may not be engaged for the individual consultant assignment.

Total Fees: USD $20,000