Technical and Policy Analyst for Safeguarding rural communities and their physical assets from climate induced disasters in Timor-Leste Project

Timor-Leste is highly vulnerable to climate changes, particularly increasing variability of rainfall and extreme weather events. Lives and livelihoods in the remote interior of the country and coastal regions are both highly exposed. Impacts of intensified extreme events include damage and degradation of decentralized small-scale critical infrastructure, particularly water supply and drainage structures, embankments, and feeder roads and bridges. Damages leave rural populations isolated, lacking basic services. In response to this challenge, in 2019, the Government of Timor-Leste (GoTL) with the support of UNDP received funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to implement the “Safeguarding rural communities and their physical assets from climate induced disasters in Timor-Leste” project from 2020 to 2026.   The project is represented by the Secretariat of State of Environment (SSE), under the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, as the Implementing Partner with the main responsible parties/ministries being the Ministry of State Administration (MSA), Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) and the Secretary of State for Civil Protection (SSCP).

The objective of this Green Climate Fund (GCF) funded project is to safeguard vulnerable communities and their physical assets from climate change-induced disasters. It aims to address existing institutional, financial and legislative barriers, increasing the climate resilience of vulnerable small-scale rural infrastructure in six municipalities mainly Baucau, Ermera, Aileu, Viqueque Lautem and Liquica which were selected for the project interventions. 

The project has the below two inter-related outputs that not only aim to achieve the potential impact, but also to create enabling environment/condition for scaling up/replicating the project impact beyond the immediate target areas.

1. Output 1: Climate risk information is developed, monitored and integrated into policies, regulations and institutions to inform climate resilient small-scale rural infrastructure planning and management.
2. Output 2: Climate risk reduction and climate-proofing measures for small-scale rural infrastructure are implemented to build the resilience of vulnerable communities in six priority districts.

The project will address the lack of climate risk information in TL; strengthen sectoral policy and legislative frameworks via embedding climate change (CC) considerations into all sectors that impact the resilience of infrastructure; and build institutional capacity at the central and local levels to enable long-term use of climate risk information, methods and tools in planning for and investing in rural infrastructure as well as the development of Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities.

Furthermore, GCF funding will address livelihood pressures that lead to land degradation via the introduction of climate smart agro-forestry and reforestation in catchments where infrastructure will be developed. This will provide ecosystem-based protection of infrastructure, reduced maintenance requirements in the long-term, and reduced exposure of communities and their assets to climate induced hazards. The preferred solution provides a clear link between activities that seek to address adaptation needs (as per the new CC and Disaster Risk Management laws) and the development of rural infrastructure (as per the Strategic Development Plan). The preferred solution will bring about transformative change in the way in which Timor-Leste plans and develops rural infrastructure in the future and will safeguard infrastructure and livelihoods. Under the specific interventions and activities of Output 2, the total number of direct beneficiaries will reach approximately 175,840 people directly benefitting from the proposed climate resilient rural infrastructure projects.

The Technical and Policy Analyst will provide support during the project’s implementation and specifically towards technical and policy inputs and quality assurance vetting to the project and its counterparts such as MAF, SSCP, SSE and MSA in relation to:

• Formulation of the agroforestry strategy; implementation and quality assurance for catchment management and rehabilitation measures to enhance climate resilient infrastructure and communities, and support monitoring and reporting.
• Policy/regulatory framework and standards integrating climate risk information as well as gender equality and inclusion (especially in agroforestry); climate risk information management and vulnerability mapping.

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Chief Technical Advisor and overall reporting to the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, the Technical and Policy Analyst will provide technical inputs and directly contributes to the implementation of key activities under the ‘Safeguarding rural communities and their physical assets from climate induced disasters in Timor-Leste’. The Technical and Policy Analyst is expected to collaborate closely with the project director, project manager and technical personnel in the Project Management Unit (PMU) and technical personnel in the respective line Ministries (SSCP, SSE, MAF, MSA). While the Technical and Policy Analyst will be based in Dili, s/he is expected to travel to and spend time in the 6 target municipalities.   

Summary of key functions:

• Technical and policy inputs on the project
• Knowledge Management and capacity building
• Partnership development and advocacy

Technical and policy inputs on the project:

• Support the drafting of technical and policy briefs pertaining to the project interventions (especially related to agroforestry) for counterparts in the respective line ministries particularly SSE, SSCP and MAF.
• Seek out and recommend new approaches for consideration in the project implementation particularly those activities that contributes to the achievement of the country’s specific targets and milestones as set out under both national and international frameworks including the SDP, NAP, INDC to the UNFCCC, SDGs, LDN targets.
• Design the baseline study including the methodology for promoting agroforestry and restoration of degraded forest areas: challenges, opportunities, baseline initiatives by government, NGOs, and local communities of the proposed project sites.
• Provide technical inputs to prepare the agroforestry strategy and work plan and methodological design of detailed interventions for agroforestry and reforestation, including model systems for implementation, species selection, options for crop selection, improvement in land use and farming practices, and adoption of appropriate technology and methods applicable to the landscape and location under consideration in the target municipalities.
• Develop detailed action plan and review and provide technical inputs to concept notes for activities, with activity costing for promoting agroforestry and forest restoration within the selected project sites and ensure adequate consultations with government and non-government stakeholders to maximize stakeholder buy-in and ownership of both process and deliverables.
• Assess potential barriers in introducing agroforestry and reforestation in the targeted sites and identify opportunities for addressing these challenges.
• Contribute to annual work plan preparations and sequencing of the technical deliverables as per the respective sectorial action plans
• Provide technical support to  Government counterparts (specifically in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) on the allocations and reporting on their respective annual co-financing commitments under the project.
• Support and provide quality technical advice to national counterparts

Knowledge Management and capacity building

• Provide inputs into the capacity development plan of the project, particularly in the area of agroforestry, organize and facilitate relevant trainings to sharpen skills of relevant staff in the project management unit, line ministries and project partners.
• Support in data accessibility and sharing and promote linkages among various line ministries with relevant data systems.
• Apply result-based management approaches and tools, to establish performance targets and monitor project results in agroforestry component.
• Provide inputs including relevant data and information for the project’s periodic corporate and donor reports
• Provide synthesis of good practices and lessons learned from relevant and project related interventions, share in knowledge-based platforms, and identify opportunities for scale-up

Partnership development and advocacy

• Cultivate relationships with key counterparts in the respective line Ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of State Administration, Secretary of State for Civil Protection and technical experts that champion Timor-Leste’s climate action agenda to advocate for UNDP Timor-Leste’s expertise and innovation in climate action.
• Foster partnerships with relevant Government Agencies, UN Agencies, development partners, private sector and civil society organizations to enhance collaboration in relation to climate information services and application of nature-based solutions for climate adaptation.
• Jointly with the government, foster and mobilize partnerships and resources that contributes to implementation of development solutions in the sectoral areas assigned to his/her portfolio, and in line with the co-financing commitments and partners’ priorities.
• Organize and participate in meetings and consultations at the national and municipality level stakeholders, and advocate for adoption of the project interventions and results
• Advocate and foster inclusion of climate change considerations into national, sub-national and local level planning and implementation of socio-economic and infrastructural development initiatives.
• Conduct research on donors’ engagements and identify and recommend on possible areas of cooperation and complementarity relevant to the project outputs and outcome.
• Ensure good collaboration and coordination between UNDP and all project stakeholders, identify and report on any developments that might impact the collaboration among project partners.

Education:

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in development, Public Policy, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Forestry, Environmental Science, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, or related field.

Experience:

Minimum 2 years for master’s degree or 4 years with a bachelor’s degree of relevant experience in:

• Technical expertise in one or more of the related fields of sustainable development, climate change, agroforestry and reforestation, and/or disaster management.
• Providing quality assurance on project implementation and results-monitoring and reporting.
• Design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects in the areas of resilience to climate change and sustainable management of ecosystems.  
• Technical and policy analysis, applied research and provision of policy advisory services in the areas of development planning with Government and International Agencies
• Collaborating and working with a diverse groups or stakeholders including Government institutions, development partners, academia and civil society
• Proficient usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.
• Demonstrated continuous learning in at least one of substantive areas highlighted in the job description.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English and Tetum required. Working knowledge of Portuguese would be an advantage.

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

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