Partnership Technical Expert of the Central Asia Climate Information Platform (CACIP)

Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC)

   announces an open vacancy to the position of Partnership Technical Expert of the Central Asia Climate Information Platform (CACIP) 

1.     Background

On November 3, 2015, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved an allocation of US$38 million from the International Development Association (IDA) to finance the first phase of the regional Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin (CAMP4ASB). This approved financing includes US$9 million for Tajikistan, US$14 million for Uzbekistan, and US$15 million for regional activities to be implemented by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC-IFAS) with support from the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) for day-to-day regional coordination and implementation.

The CAMP4ASB aims to enhance regionally coordinated access to improved climate change knowledge services for key stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, communities, and civil society) in participating Central Asian countries as well as to increased investments and capacity building that, combined, will address climatic challenges common to the countries. CAMP4ASB[1] is comprised of three components:

Component 1:   Regional Climate Knowledge Services: To strengthen the knowledge and capacity base for climate action and facilitate regional dialogue and multi-stakeholder engagement for an effective climate response at scale;

Component 2:   Regional Climate Investment Facility: To provide financing and technical assistance to rural communities for climate-smart investments that will generate lessons and experience for scaled-up climate action in priority areas common to all Central Asian countries;

Component 3: Regional and National Coordination: For oversight, coordination, and implementation support at regional and national levels.

Under the Sub-component 1.1. “Strengthening the Information Platform for Central Asia”, the Central Asia Climate Information Platform (CACIP) is developing to facilitate access by stakeholders to public-domain data for climate assessment and decision-making.  This platform will help stakeholders to access, analyze, and visualize public-domain data to support improved awareness, assessment, and decision support. The Platform is expected to make available comprehensive and up-to-date relevant data and information, linking with high- quality datasets from global, regional, and local sources, provide analytical tools and interfaces for the visualization and interpretation of data and information. CACIP is developed by CAREC within the framework of the World Bank funded initiative Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin (CAMP4ASB) led by the Central Asia Regional Environmental Center (CAREC) in collaboration with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

Under the guidance of the CAREC Executive Director and CAMP4ASB RCU Coordinator the Partnership Technical Expert provide an assistance in building and sustaining strategic partnerships to ensure sustainability of CACIP in terms of regular provision of information/data/knowledge, awareness raising and resource mobilization. These activities will be implemented in close collaboration with the project’s national consultants and CACIP Specialist.

2.     Objectives of the assignment

The main objective of the assignment is to provide technical services in building and sustaining new partnerships, signing MoCs with national, regional and international partners toward strengthening and sustainability (incl. financial sustainability) of the Central Asia Climate Information Platform (CACIP). 

3.     Specific tasks 

The Partnership Technical Expert is expected to carry out the following tasks:

1.1. Conduct a comprehensive analysis of potential partners, mapping partners’ strategic areas of interest and explore opportunities for partnerships in the frames of CACIP, including donor community;

1.2. Work closely with CAREC staff to identify funding gaps, prioritize fundraising needs and set fundraising targets; provision of guidance for CAREC CO staff in identification and mapping of current and potential donors on national levels and support for fundraising efforts;

1.3. Develop the 5-years Partnership Strategy and respective work plan (including budget), considering key stakeholder institutions on global, regional and national level that can be potentially a part of an institutional CACIP ecosystem and to be involved into the processes of the portal updating, effective use, monitoring, promotion and provision of financial support;

1.4. Participate in and provide organizational support for conducting meetings with partners and respectful follow-up. This may include preparation of relevant documentations, taking meeting minutes, preparing summaries of discussions, etc.;

1.5. Initiate and provide operational and communications support to the process related to signing the Memoranda of Cooperation with key stakeholder institutions, including NGOs, government bodies, international and academic institutions; 

1.6. Act as the focal point for partner outreach, engagement, and collaboration, as well as make a presentations, ensuring that CAREC's perspectives, policies, priorities, and capabilities regarding CACIP are being sufficiently communicated;

1.7. Provide strategic support to the team to incorporate and guide engagement with partners, including anticipating and providing guidance on responding to partner concerns and priorities, sharing relevant information in a timely manner and consolidating responses, and ensuring adequate follow-up to partner interactions;

1.8. Undertake and keep continuously analysis of donor funding streams and priorities in order to formulate a donor pipeline and strategically target donors and partners for engagement;

1.9. Providing inputs to outreach/publicity material geared towards partners and donors.

4.     Expected experience and qualifications  

·     Bachelor degree with 10 years of relevant experience or Master’s Degree in Environmental Sciences, Climate Change, Social Sciences, or another relevant field;

·     Knowledge of environmental policy of Central Asia countries;

·     A minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience in a relevant field such as in donor relations, resource or project management, or external relations is required, including experience in the development of project proposals, concept notes, and donor reports;

·     Management experience in strategic outreach for high profile organizations or individuals;

·     Excellent planning and coordination skills, and proven ability to work collaboratively and to build relationships with diverse groups of organizations and individuals, relevant institutions, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, including through networking; ability to participate effectively in high-level negotiations with internal and external partners;

·     Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with strong representational abilities;

Personal qualities:

·     Ability to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams;

·     Result-oriented mindset, proactive responsiveness, ability to work under pressure and remotely;

·     Evidence of strong analytical skills, and problem identification and solving.

Communication and computer skills:

·     Excellent knowledge of Microsoft office suite (MS Word, Excel, Power Point) and strong interest in learning new software/applications;

·     Fluency in written and spoken Russian, good command in English. Knowledge of another regional language is an advantage.

5.     Timeline and Reporting

The estimated duration of the consultancy will be October 2020 – April, 2021. Tentative number of contract days: 70 days (part time, 10 days/month). The Partnership Technical Expert shall report to the CAMP4ASB RCU Coordinator.

Detailed Terms of reference 

Interested candidates should send CVs and cover letter to SMustafin@carececo.org not later than October 19, 2020.  

[1] For more details about the project and description of all components and subcomponents, please refer to the CAMP4ASB Project Appraisal Document (PAD)