Land Degradation Neutrality Consultant at The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Job Purpose

• The rationale is to provide technical assistance and support to the Federal Ministry of Environment in Nigeria in developing proposals, building capacity, technical consultations, etc. on land degradation and desertification.

Job Duties and Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Programme Officer in charge of the LDN Transformative Projects and Programmes, the overall supervision of the LDN Programme Coordinator and the Managing Director of the Global Mechanism under the guidance of the UNCCD National Focal Point institution, IFRC, NRCS, and AFD as implementing partner/accredited entity to GCF, the consultant will be specifically responsible for the:

• In coordination with the UNCCD National Focal Point institution, IFRC, and AFD, and engaging with other relevant partners, confirm the project idea and alignment with GCF as the main targeted funding source as well as the potential private sector to ensure all partners are engaged from the start of the concept design;
• Ensuring sound liaison with GCF national focal point/National Designated Authority, to secure the project endorsement, and to further develop the project concept in partnership with AFD and all relevant stakeholders.
• Further defining the LDN project concept based on desk reviews and interviews with national institutions and potential technical and financial partners;
• Ensuring the project concept contributes to achieving the LDN targets (SDG 15.3), ideally in the LDN hotspots, and fully integrates the LDN conceptual framework guiding principles;
• Identifying additional funding sources, complementary to the main target funding source already identified, as well as key co-financing sources relevant to the identified project concept, as well as building the project/programme financing arrangements including blended financing mechanism where applicable involving several potential funders;
• Facilitate building partnerships with relevant private sector stakeholders at the national and/or international level and ensure their involvement in the design and implementation of the LDN project.

In the second stage of the assignment, once the project concept is agreed upon between relevant national stakeholders and the project/programme financial arrangements are defined, the consultant will be specifically responsible for:

• Producing a GCF project concept note document according to the GCF template, taking into account the LDN feature checklist as well as paying particular attention to mainstreaming gender, to be reviewed by the Global Mechanism team, IFRC and AFD team, the UNCCD National Focal Point institution and taking into account the outcome of national consultations;
• Facilitating, under the guidance of the UNCCD National Focal Point institution, IFRC, AFD, national multi-stakeholder consultation meetings organised by the National Focal Point institution and/or AFD to foster dialogue and consensus on the project.
• Producing a final GCF project concept note integrating comments from involved stakeholders, particularly the UNCCD national Focal Point Institution, the UNDP, and Global Mechanism.

Requirements
Education:

• Advanced University Degree in Environmental Finance, Environmental Sciences, Agriculture, Forestry, Climate Change, Soil Science, Environmental Economics, Business Development, and Management or related fields.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in natural resources policy project development, resource mobilization, and innovative finance;
• Experience in drafting and preparing project concepts and full project documents, meeting criteria and requirements of the GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund, or other relevant funding sources.

Knowledge, Skills and Language:

• Proven work experience as a technical advisor on projects development and preparation in at least one of the following thematic areas: forest and landscape restoration, sustainable forest management, REDD+, climate-smart agriculture, agricultural development, ecosystem-based adaptation, natural ecosystem management, biodiversity conservation, etc;
• Experience with private sector stakeholders is an asset;
• Solid knowledge of the LDN process in the country of assignment is an asset;
• Fluency in English both oral and written is required.

Core Competencies:

• Communications,
• Collaboration & Teamwork,
• Judgment & Decision Making,
• National Society & Customer Relations,
• Creativity & Innovation,
• Building Trust.

Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Accountability.