Mariculture Specialist

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale. 

Water and Energy Cluster

Based in Copenhagen, the UNOPS Water and Energy Cluster provides specialized project management services to partners such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank. Together with partners, the cluster executes projects that support sustainable development by:

• promoting international cooperation to prevent and reverse environmental degradation of international water systems
• enhancing the resilience of communities and eco-systems to climate change
• lowering emissions by bridging renewable energy solutions
• developing Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions to strengthen climate-resilient development

Background:

UNDP/GEF is providing assistance through UNOPS to countries bordering Yellow Sea in support of their efforts to address among others the increasing trends of depleting fishery stocks, loss of coastal wetland, land and sea-based pollution and implementation of the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem Strategic Action Programme (YSLME SAP) adopted by China and RO Korea with support of DPR Korea. One of the assistance programs to implement the SAP is the UNDP/GEF/UNOPS project entitled Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem: Restoring Ecosystem Goods and Services and Consolidation of a Long-term Regional Environmental Governance Framework, or the UNDP/GEF YSLME Phase II Project. One outcome of the project is “enhanced and sustainable mariculture production by increasing productivity per unit area as a means to ease pressure on capture fisheries.

In China, while IMTA is successfully demonstrated in Sungo Bay, Shandong Province, further replication to other mariculture operations are necessary. In this project, several demonstration sites will be identified to replicate the IMTA measured by the areas of replication, increase in productivity per unit area and reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus from the production processes as successfully demonstrated in Sungo Bay. For the replication of IMTA to broader coastal areas in China to be successful, it is useful to conduct training programs and prepare a training module both in Chinese and English for use in training of practionners to be used by this project and other LME programs in Asia and elsewhere. An agreement has been initially reached with Dongchu Island Fishery Company, the partner that has been demonstrating IMTA in the past decades in Sungo Bay with support of Chinese institutions. Along with the demonstration of IMTA in other sites, a study on site selection in Liaoning, Shandong and Jiangsu of the YSLME for further replication will be undertaken, together with a cost-benefit analysis or valuation of mariculture ecosystem services under the business-as-usual scenario and IMTA scenario. To facilitate the quality management of IMTA, BAP will be developed based on the experiences of further demonstration in several other sites in China and experiences in RO Korea. National replication plan for IMTA will be prepared with support of YSLME Phase II Project in collaboration with ocean and fishery authorities of China and RO Korea. A regional IMTA guidelines will also be prepared on the basis of the experiences of YSLME in collaboration with PEMSEA, SEADAC, NACA and IW:Learn through organization and conduct of regional and international workshops on IMTA and sustainable mariculture. Regional training in IMTA will also be facilitated through partnership with IW:Learn focusing on Asia and Pacific region.

As the training module serves as the basis for demonstration and replication, ideally it is best completed in 2017 based on the experiences of the Sungo Bay. An Mariculture Specialist will be hired to prepare the training module in close consultation and collaboration with the Regional Working Group on Sustainable Mariculture of the Project. It is expected that coastal managers, farmers, academia and practionners in the areas of mariculture will be primary users of the training modules.

Outputs:

The output of the assignment will be an IMTA training module in both Chinese and English with a total of 100-150 pages, including boxes, tables and graphs describing the process, essential skills to start and operate IMTA coastal areas. 

Activities include but are not necessarily limited to the following tasks:

• prepare an overall capacity development and knowledge management plan for demonstration, replication and scaling up IMTA in YSLME and elsewhere so as to tailor to the intended users of the audience;
• identify and agree on roles and responsibilities of specialists to be engaged in the preparation of the training modules, in particular the curriculum developer, content specialist, curriculum writer, curriculum editor, graphic designer, etc.
• conduct needs assessment and identify target audience of the training program, current roles, knowledge gaps, and outcomes of the training program
• designing a training course including 1) design of learning outcomes; 2) training materials available and to be developed, 3) trainers and experts to be engaged to facilitate the training and to review materials; 4) identification of training methods; and 5) logistics such as where and when will the training take place.
• Develop the training curriculum and materials, which include the following elements：
  • Background and descriptive information
  • Directions on how to use the curricula
  • Course planning forms and checklists
  • Guidance on tailoring each particular workshop or training course so it matches the needs or wants of participants, or fits a program’s needs
  • Specific, measurable, and realistic learning objectives
  • Clear and complete course content
  • Integrated evaluation plan/tools
• Prepare a special section focusing on ecosystem-based management on cost-benefit analysis of IMTA and economic valuation with a case study on IMTA;
• Finalize the draft for review and recommendation for adoption by MSTP and Interim Commission Council
• Assist in adapting the training modules into an online version for use by virtual EBM-LME academy.

Additional artists, an editor and layout designer will be hired to prepare a booklet for printing and publication as a  knowledge product of the YSLME Phase II Project.

Timing:

The assignment will start on July 3, 2017, draft training modules in Chinese will be completed by September 30, 2017, and English version by November 30, 2017.

• Master’s degree is required with at least 7 years of relevant working experience in the field of mariculture, or fisheries or other related field.  Additional two years of similar experience with a Bachelor’s Degree is considered as equivalent.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.