National Outreach and Capacity Building Expert

Background

The Government of Timor-Leste, through its National Directorate for Biodiversity under the State Secretary for Environment, is implementing a medium-size project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project is entitled "Establishing the National Framework and Operational Capacity for Implementing the Nagoya Protocol in Timor-Leste." The objective of this project is to establish the national ABS framework and the operational capacity for implementing the Nagoya Protocol in Timor-Leste, to deliver fair and equitable benefits from the utilization of genetic resources to its people and, ultimately, to advance conservation and sustainable use of globally significant biodiversity in the country. The project's objective is to establish the conditions enabling sustainable access to the genetic resources of Timor-Leste while protecting legal and customary ownership and traditional knowledge.

The country became a party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2003, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2006, and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2007. In 2011, it published its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and its Fourth National Report to the CBD. In 2015, it published its Fifth National Report to the CBD, as well as a revised edition (2015) of the NBSAP 2011-2020. The government of Timor-Leste is, therefore, committed to addressing the environmental and conservational challenges facing the nation and to achieving global environmental benefits. Although Timor-Leste has not yet acceded to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (a supplementary agreement to the CBD), the country has taken important steps towards its implementation. In particular, the NBSAP includes Strategic Action 16 on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), and the recently approved Biodiversity Decree Law (2017), in its Chapter 7 on "Genetic resources and traditional knowledge," lays the legal foundation for the development of the national ABS framework.

Objectives of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is for the Outreach and Capacity Building expert, with support from the Vice Primeiro Ministro, Ministro do Turismo e Ambiente, Direção Geral do Ambiente (DGA), Direção Nacional Biodiversidade Timor-Leste, to lead the process of building awareness and capacity of stakeholders to support and handle project communication functions. The expert will work closely with project proponents to oversee the needs to outreach to the key stakeholders and perform the full cycle of capacity-building process, with the outcome to increase the level of awareness and understanding of the provisions, opportunities, and requirements under the Nagoya Protocol, including on traditional knowledge.

Scope of Work/Expected Output/Timelines

Under the overall supervision of the National Project Coordinator, the Outreach and Capacity Building Expert's responsibilities will be to:

Summary of Key Functions:

The Outreach and Capacity Building expert will define actions to build awareness and capacity on ABS issues, tailored to the needs of different stakeholders (government agencies, research institutions/academia, indigenous and local communities, private sector, media; women and youth). The expert will regularly involve in surveys, planning, analysis, providing education/communication materials, hosting workshops and training, and functions of communication to stakeholders and mass media.

Context and Tasks:

1. Conduct systematic surveys and hold a consultation workshop to identify stakeholder participation, awareness and capacity building needs, as well as the baseline awareness levels and will perform an assessment of the levels of awareness and capacity through a survey at inception, mid-term, and end-of-project.
2. Based on consultations with stakeholders, develop an outreach and institutional development plan defining actions to build awareness and capacity on ABS issues, tailored to the needs of different stakeholders (government agencies, research institutions/academia, indigenous and local communities, private sector, media; women and youth).
3. Lead the implementation of the outreach and awareness activities as defined in the outreach and institutional development plan. (National outreach campaign implemented on the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol, the evolving national ABS framework, and the role of ABS for genetic resource-based innovation and adding value in meeting the SDGs).
4. Lead the implementation of the training activities as defined in the outreach and institutional development plan. (Targeted training carried out for 50 staff of the Competent National Authority, the Competent Sector Authorities, the National Focal Point, and related research agencies on the national institutional, regulatory, and implementation framework for ABS).
5. Prepare training and awareness materials and translate them into the Tetum language. (An outreach and institutional development plan on ABS issues prepared in Tetum language based on needs assessments).
6. Support the development of measures to ensure that the capacity-building activities are sustained after the project ends.
7. Support appropriate community facilitation, communications, and capacity building related to helping build awareness among communities on the importance of sharing any benefits among both women and men; and on the important role played by women in preserving and passing on traditional knowledge - in close collaboration with the lead technical partners on each of these aspects.
8. Responsible for handling project knowledge management and managing the ABS Timor-Leste project website.

Functional Competencies

1. The ability for teamwork.
2. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiating skills.
3. Self-management, emotional intelligence, and conflict management.
4. Extensive information exchange contacts with national and international agencies involved in local and international studies of biodiversity and access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources, in particular.
5. Sound policy understanding of global development concerns, biological diversity conservation, and genetic resources.
6. Analytical and strategic thinking/results orientation.
7. Knowledge sharing.
8. Experience in participating in and following the project cycle, creative capacity solving problems.

Recruitment Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in communication, sociology, sustainable development studies, natural sciences (such as Agriculture, Biodiversity, water/energy/food/forestry), and/or other relevant fields.

Experience:

• At least four years of working experience in a sustainable development or conservation project with a role related to outreach, capacity building, or communication.
• Familiarity with access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources and traditional knowledge, and knowledge of biodiversity conservation is preferred.
• Experience in managing and coordination with national counterparts, partners, or donors.
• Knowledge of biodiversity conservation and protection and access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources is preferred.
• Experience working in rural areas and collaboration with indigenous people and local communities and government officials.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages.
• Ability and willingness to travel within and outside Timor-Leste.
• Excellent English writing and presentation skills. Knowledge of Portuguese, Tetum, and/or Bahasa is advantageous.

More information & full ToR: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A0WlC-dYweCO_FLqej1bRf9dHdw5SYTK/view?usp=sharing