Capacity Building Specialist, Multiple positions

Under the supervision of the Senior Technical Manager, the  Capacity Building Specialist will support the National Biodiversity Initiative’s work to engage with governments and key international stakeholders on biodiversity, climate, and development-related policies and technical guidance. This program supports developing, middle income, and small island nations in their commitments to the CBD, including early action on the post-2020 GBF, NBSAPs, and national reporting. Working in collaboration with UNEP, the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Secretariat, and the GEF Secretariat, this project provides technical and financial support to GEF-eligible Parties to CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity). Depending on the policy cycle, the type of technical support and the amount of financial support delivered to Parties may vary.

CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity) Parties are currently being mobilized to take early action on the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by focusing on four components: national biodiversity planning and alignment, policy frameworks, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and biodiversity finance. These components, among others that may emerge, are aimed at ensuring that CBD Parties have the technical and financial support they require to work towards a robust, fully resourced, NBSAP, including a strong monitoring system, that is fully aligned with the GBF. 

Financial and technical support is provided through two pathways: first, grants made to Parties to undertake national actions, and second, a global coordination grant that will make it possible to provide technical services to ensure national actions are effective, efficient, inclusive, and of the highest technical standards. The project’s Technical Support Unit (TSU) is being administered in coordination with SCBD and UNEP across 140. The project is additionally responsible for administrating national work for the 69 countries that receive GEF funding, which are primarily located in Latin America and Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

The Stakeholder and Capacity Building Coordinator will also support governments to mainstream their commitments to nature, including alignmnet across the CBD, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda, among others. The Mapping Nature for People and Planet project supports governments and other stakeholders to use spatial data in their biodiversity planning and monitoring with the purpose of ensuring policy coherence and the production of robust, science-based national biodiversity policies and NBSAPs. This person will also coordinate this work, and the implementation of other projects as they emerge. 

Responsibilities include the following:

Technical tools, capacity building and policy coherence

• Convene national consultations, liaise with technical experts / government officials / other stakeholders to ensure policy coherence and the mainstreaming of nature-based policies
• Coordinate technical experts and policy makers project in select countries to apply technical tools and guidance that lead to greater policy coherence.
• Work with national counterparts to that technical standards for priority focal areas are streamlined in national policies, such as national biodiversity planning and alignment, policy coherence, monitoring and reporting frameworks, biodiversity finance, and spatial planning;
• Liaise with the Technical Specialists to provide feedback from the supported-countries and enhance technical guidance and its delivery accordingly
• Serve as the main focal point for participating countries, leading on the step-by-step implementation of the project, and liaising with the technical experts;
• Provide support in organizing e-learning and webinar opportunities, liasing with the Learning for Nature team;
• Develop technical guidance documents, tools, and training on biodiversity and policy.
• Develop reports and policy recommendations related to the targets in the emerging post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Conduct literature reviews, knowledge management sessions, compilation of information, and gathering of data on topics pertinent to the projects.
• Develop capacity building material, such as webinars, online courses, identifying relevant topics, dates and speakers for webinars and online courses

Monitoring and Reporting: 

• Coordinate monitoring of activities to measure progress made against expected results.
• Manage the monitoring of progress against agreed results frameworks and performance indicators.
• Gather information and prepare reports on progress of project implementation for internal needs and donors.
• Coordinate timely and quality reporting, including donor reporting.
• Identify and synthesize best practices and lessons learned that are directly linked to the implementation of the project and contribute to their global dissemination.

Promotional opportunities and event management

• Prepare conferences and trainings to engage countries to showcase successful case studies and achieved milestones;
• Serve as the primary focal point and liaise with technical and institutional partners involved in the conference, training or event;
• Coordinate the development of the agenda, mobilization of speakers, and content production
• Ensure logistics, including – but not limited to – interpretation, catering, room layout, and facilitation.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

The assignment is supervised by the Manager of the Global Programme on Nature for Development.

Education

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) preferably in international relations, sustainable development, engineering, environmental management/sciences, law, science, social/political science, business, management, and/or other relevant field with five (5) years of relevant experience is required; OR
• First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) with seven (7) years of relevant experience

Required Experience:

• Relevant experience is defined as experience on at least one of the following topics at a conceptual or practical level: international environmental policy, natural resource management, biodiversity/climate change; human/civil/indigenous/women’s rights; social entrepreneurship/impact investing; local economic development; civil society engagement and education.

Language:

• Fluency in English (read, write, speak) is required.
• Knowledge of additional UN languages is an advantage.