Senior Mangrove Management Expert

CTG overview:
CTG staff and support humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world, providing a rapid and cost-effective service for development and humanitarian missions. With past performance in 17 countries – from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, we have placed more than 20,000 staff all over the world since operations began in 2006.
CTG recruits, deploys and manages the right people with the right skills to implement humanitarian and development projects, from cleaners to obstetricians, and mechanics to infection specialists, we’re skilled in emergency response to crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Key to successful project delivery is the ability to mobilise at speed; CTG can source and deploy anyone, anywhere, in less than 2 weeks and have done so in 48 hours on a number of occasions.
Through our efficient and agile HR, logistical and operational services, CTG saves multilateral organisations time and money. We handle all our clients’ HR related issues, so they are free to focus on their core services.
Visit www.ctg.org to find out more

Overview of position:
In support of the realization of the ambitious Saudi Arabia & Middle East green initiative under the Saudi Vision 2030, the National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification (NCVC) has been tasked with combating desertification, rehabilitating forest vegetation cover, protecting local endangered plant species & managing national parks. This project is designed to support NCVC in increasing necessary institutional, technical & technological capacities to realize its mandate more effectively & efficiently. The enhanced NCVC capacity will be achieved through transforming information technology & digital capabilities, establishing cooperation & strengthening its network internationally & promoting forest conservation practices & increasing environmental awareness to ensure the long term sustainability of NCVC activities at the policy level & on the ground. The project will support the achievement of the ambitious Saudi Green Initiative by designing a model of a tree nursery & seed bank with a road map for establishing a large scale nursery facility to meet the Kingdom’s afforestation goals, along with by aligning policy & standards of tree planting & creating a mechanism to coordinate the afforestation work among different actors. These objectives will be achieved through a whole of society approach, in close partnership with the private sector, academia, youth & other relevant stakeholders to ensure the long term sustainability of the activities across the project lifecycle & beyond. This project will build upon the long standing Standard Basic Framework Agreement (SBBA) which was agreed upon between the Kingdom & our client in 1975. The project expected outputs are:
Output 1: Strengthening international cooperation & network.
Output 2: Promoting conservation practices & strengthening environmental awareness via advocacy & outreach.
Output 3: Model tree nursery design & ecosystem conservation.
Output 4: Transformation of information technology & digital infrastructure.
Output 5: Strengthening institutional & technical capacity.

Role objectives:
The primary responsibility of the Senior Mangrove Management Expert is to lead & coordinate mangrove related initiatives & projects at the National Center for Vegetation Cover & Combating Desertification (NCVC). This role entails providing strategic direction, technical expertise & managerial oversight to ensure the sustainable management & conservation of mangrove ecosystems. The scope of work for the Senior Mangrove Management Expert at the NCVC includes:

Strategic planning:
Develop & implement strategic plans for mangrove conservation & management.
Identify key priorities, objectives & performance indicators for mangrove related projects.

Project management:
Lead & manage mangrove related projects from initiation to completion.
Ensure effective coordination among various stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs & local communities.
Monitor project progress, budget utilization & compliance with timelines.

Technical expertise:
Provide technical guidance on mangrove ecology, restoration & sustainable management practices.
Conduct research & stay updated on the latest developments in mangrove science & conservation.

Capacity building:
Develop & implement training programs for staff, partners & local communities on mangrove management best practices.
Foster knowledge sharing & capacity building within the organization.

Community engagement:
Work closely with local communities to understand their needs & concerns related to mangrove ecosystems.
Facilitate community involvement in mangrove conservation efforts.

Policy advocacy:
Engage with policymakers & relevant authorities to advocate for policies that support mangrove conservation & sustainable management.
Provide technical input for the development & review of relevant policies.

Monitoring & evaluation:
Establish monitoring & evaluation frameworks to assess the impact of mangrove conservation initiatives.
Regularly report on progress, challenges & lessons learned.

Collaboration & networking:
Collaborate with national & international organizations working on mangrove conservation.
Participate in conferences, workshops & other forums to share knowledge & build partnerships.

Based on the detailed responsibilities outlined for the Senior Mangrove Management Expert at the NCVC, the expected outputs & deliverables can be summarized as follows:

Strategic planning:
Comprehensive strategic plans for mangrove conservation & management.
Identification of key priorities, objectives & performance indicators for mangrove related projects.
Documentation of strategic plans.
Reports outlining project priorities & objectives.

Project management:
Successful initiation & completion of mangrove related projects.
Effective coordination among stakeholders.
Monitoring project progress, budget utilization & adherence to timelines.
Project initiation & completion reports.
Coordination records & reports on project progress.

Technical expertise:
Provision of technical guidance on mangrove ecology, restoration & sustainable management practices.
Regular updates on research findings related to mangrove science & conservation.
Development of technical guidance documents.
Preparation of research reports & summaries.

Capacity building:
Implementation of training programs for staff, partners & local communities.
Promotion of knowledge sharing & capacity building within the organization.
Preparation of training program materials & documentation.
Reports on knowledge sharing initiatives.

Community engagement:
Collaboration with local communities for mangrove conservation.
Increase in community involvement in mangrove conservation efforts.
Reports on community engagement activities.
Documentation of community involvement.

Policy advocacy:
Engagement with policymakers & relevant authorities.
Provision of technical input for policy development & review.
Preparation of advocacy reports & documentation.
Development of technical input documents for policy development.

Monitoring & evaluation:
Establishment of monitoring & evaluation frameworks for mangrove conservation initiatives.
Regular reports on progress, challenges & lessons learned.
Development of monitoring & evaluation frameworks.
Preparation of periodic progress reports.

Collaboration & networking:
Collaboration with national & international organizations in mangrove conservation.
Participation in conferences, workshops & forums.
Maintenance of records of collaborations.
Preparation of participation reports & documentation.
Expected outputs & deliverables may be subject to adjustment & refinement during the project based on evolving needs & circumstances.

Project reporting:
The Sustainable Mangrove Management Specialist will work at the General Directorate of Forests under the direct supervision of the National Project Coordinator & indirect supervision of the General Manager of the Forests at NCVC & the National Project Officer at our clients side.
This advisor consultancy will be implemented under the total supervision of NCVC, which is according to the NCVC act no. (8) By law, is responsible for the design, establishment, operation & supervision of national parks, whether terrestrial or geologic parks, including but not limited to infrastructure, services, mapping, signposting, education services & the imposition of fines for violations of national law or its regulations.

Key competencies:
PhD (is preferred) in mangrove ecology, forestry, environmental science, or a related field with a minimum of 7 to 10 years of relevant work experience is required to demonstrate a profound understanding of mangrove ecosystems.
A comprehensive skill set is essential, encompassing project management, proficiency in sediment & water analysis, stakeholder engagement & a solid foundation in ecological & environmental sciences.
Contribute effectively to the sustainable management & preservation of mangrove ecosystems, ensuring a holistic approach to the challenges & opportunities within this critical field.
Significant work experience in mangrove management, conservation & restoration projects.
Proven track record in senior or leadership roles within environmental organizations or government agencies.
Expertise in mangrove ecology, including a thorough understanding of species, habitats & associated biodiversity.
Proficiency in Geographic Information System (GIS) & Remote Sensing for mapping & monitoring mangrove ecosystems.
Familiarity with climate change impacts on mangroves & expertise in adaptation / mitigation strategies.
Strong project management skills for planning, executing & monitoring mangrove conservation & restoration projects.
Ability to develop & implement monitoring & evaluation frameworks for projects.
Experience in conducting outreach & education programs to raise awareness about mangrove ecosystems.
Understanding of environmental policies & regulations related to mangrove conservation & management.
Ability to advocate for policy changes that support mangrove conservation.
Track record of research & publications in reputable scientific journals related to mangrove ecology or the relevant domain.
Ability to work collaboratively with teams.
Familiarity with digital tools & platforms relevant to forest management & monitoring.
Adaptability to emerging technologies in the field of forest management & monitoring.
Flexibility & adaptability to changing environmental conditions & evolving best practices in mangrove management.
Fluency in Arabic & English.
Strong experience in scale up solutions & simplifies processes, balances speed & accuracy in doing work.
Offers new ideas / open to new approaches, demonstrate systemic / integrated thinking.
Goes outside their comfort zone, learns from others & supports their learning.
Adapts processes / approaches to new situations, involve others in change process.
Able to persevere & deal with multiple sources of pressure simultaneously.
Is a natural facilitator / integrator, bringing people together, building /maintaining coalitions / partnerships.
Facilitates conversations to bridge differences, considers in decision making.
Knowledge of intergovernmental bodies (General Assembly, ECOSOC, UNDESA, etc.), including respective mandates, ways of working & negotiation processes.
Ability to take decisions in a timely & efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise & resources.
Strong experience in conservation & sustainable use of biodiversity, land, forests & oceans.
Strong experience in reduced emissions from deforestation & forest degradation.
Strong experience in green economy & green growth.
Strong experience in economic transformation, policy & planning.
Effective & efficient delivery & implementation of programs & projects.

Team management:
This role has no team management responsibility.

Further information:
Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.
The expected duration of the work is 12 months.
The post is anticipated to start on 15th March 2024 & end on is 14th March 2025.
The completion of deliverables & milestones will be spread out throughout the duration of the project, with specific timelines provided in the deliverables table.
The timeline for review & feedback on deliverables will be communicated by the Project Manager at the NCVC.
Any adjustments or extensions to the duration of the work will be mutually agreed upon by the Senior Advisor & the NCVC, considering the project’s progress and requirements.
This assignment will be based in NCVC Riyadh.
Our client will cover the around ticket to / from the duty station.
If unforeseen travel outside the consultant’s duty station city is requested by our client & not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by our client in line with applicable rules & regulations & upon prior written agreement. In such cases, the consultant shall receive living allowances not exceeding the United Nations (UN) Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rate for such other location(s).
A written approval from our client & relevant authorities will be required to facilitate the consultant’s travel to any locations than stated on this ToR on official missions where necessary.