Overview
The Chief Technical Specialist (CTS) will provide overall technical leadership, strategic guidance, and quality assurance for the project 'Accelerating PNG's Sustainable Blue Economy through Strengthened Governance and Investment in Marine Areas'. The role ensures high-quality implementation aligned with international best practices and capacity building for national partners.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead technical oversight and ensure high-quality implementation aligned with international best practices.
- Provide substantive technical leadership and oversight across all project outcomes.
- Prepare and/or review all major technical documents, terms of reference, analytical reports, baseline assessments and knowledge products.
- Review and provide high-quality technical inputs on deliverables produced by consultants and sub-contractors.
- Ensure consistency and coherence of technical approaches across the three target geographies.
- Provide technical guidance on ecosystem assessment, MPA management effectiveness, MSP framework design, mangrove/coral reef/seagrass conservation and restoration strategies, and NbS business model development.
- Provide technical guidance on the design and implementation of natural capital accounting (NCA) exercises.
- Guide project monitoring, risk management, reporting, and adaptive management processes.
- Ensure that the indicators included in the project results framework are monitored annually.
- Oversee and guide the implementation of the project M&E plan.
- Oversee and guide the design of surveys, assessments and monitoring protocols.
- Provide guidance to Technical Officers and Community Mobilizers for conducting field-level M&E activities.
- Carry out project site visits to appraise on-the-ground progress and validate written reports.
- Manage and monitor project risks, identifying critical issues and proposing mitigation measures.
- Guide and assist the Project Manager in adaptive management processes.
- Guide and assist the Project Manager in preparing for, participating in, and responding to the mid-term review (MTR) and terminal evaluation (TE) of the project.
- Strengthen capacities of the project team and partners through technical training and support.
- Design and deliver on-the-job training for the Project Manager, PMU staff and CEPA counterparts.
- Build national capacity in NCA methods and application, ecosystem-based fisheries management, marine spatial planning and sustainable blue economy business models.
- Provide strategic input to strengthen the capacity of national partners to sustain project results after the close of GEF funding.
- Provide technical advocacy among key stakeholders at national and sub-national levels.
- Support coordination, partnerships, knowledge exchange, and participation in technical platforms.
- Liaise with the BGI Integrated Program global coordination platform, GEF-funded projects active in PNG and the Pacific region, and complementary initiatives.
- Participate in national, regional and international fora as appropriate.
- Capture lessons learned during project implementation.
- Coordinate with the Communications Officer to provide technical inputs to the development of knowledge products.
- Provide technical inputs to the development and dissemination of outreach materials.
- Participate in project board meetings, technical steering committees and other project governance mechanisms.
- Provide strategic guidance on resource mobilization and financing opportunities.
- Support engagement with development partners, financial institutions, private sector actors and other investors.
- Provide technical inputs to the development of concept notes, investment cases, funding proposals and blended finance opportunities.
- Facilitate coordination with relevant government agencies and partners to align project investments with national blue economy priorities and financing frameworks.
Required Experience
- Minimum of 7 years (with Master's degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor's degree) of progressively responsible experience in Marine biodiversity conservation, Marian Protected Area (MPA) management, marine spatial planning and/or sustainable fisheries management, with demonstrated in-country experience in the Pacific Islands region and/or Papua New Guinea.
- Project advisory and backstopping support to GEF-funded or similar international development projects, including technical quality assurance, results-based management and PIR reporting.
- Stakeholder engagement and capacity building with government counterparts, civil society, indigenous and local communities, and private sector partners.
- At least 5 years of demonstrable experience in an advisory or CTS role with a major international organization.
- Proven Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling web-based management systems.
Qualifications
- An advanced university degree (Master's degree) in Marine Biology, Ocean Governance, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Ecology, or a closely related discipline is required, or
- A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree) in the above fields in combination with two additional years of relevant experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced degree
