Watershed and Forest Co-Management Specialist

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), covering one-tenth of the country's land area, exhibits varied topography, low population density, and significant forest watersheds. The region's population of 1.84 million includes diverse ethnic groups, with agriculture as a primary livelihood but with challenges such as land dispossession and high poverty rates, well above the national average. Education and healthcare face significant hurdles, with low literacy rates and high infant mortality rates. Access to improved water sources is disparate between Bengali and ethnic groups, highlighting development disparities. Infrastructure development projects such as road constructions aim to address isolation and enhance livelihoods, while energy access remains below national averages, primarily reliant on firewood.
The CHT's unique challenges stem from its remote location, poverty, and limited infrastructure, impacting essential services such as education, healthcare, and water access. Efforts to alleviate poverty through infrastructure development projects like road constructions are underway, but disparities persist in areas such as education, healthcare, and access to clean water. Addressing these challenges requires holistic strategies prioritizing resilient development and ecosystem conservation to improve livelihoods and reduce regional poverty. The CHT experiences relatively low levels of development, including socio-economic progress and degradation of natural resources and forests. The increased biotic pressure on scarce natural resources, including forests and watersheds, the persistence of extreme poverty below the national average, and a lack of socio-economic development and opportunities add to growing tensions and conflicts throughout the region, adversely affecting the country’s economic progress. 
The CHT is highly vulnerable to climate change, adversely impacting its forest ecosystems and ecosystem-dependent local communities. The region's predominantly agricultural economy, dependent on climate-sensitive land-based resources, faces threats from deforestation, forest degradation, and watershed degradation. The unique biodiversity of the CHT, including forests, wildlife habitats, and watersheds, is at risk due to the diversion of forest land for population and settlement growth, inappropriate agricultural practices, and climate change. Traditional practices, such as shifting cultivation, contribute to ecosystem and environmental degradation, compounded by climate-induced challenges such as erratic rainfall, increasing temperature, floods, and water scarcity. Climate change further jeopardizes forests, watersheds, and wildlife habitats, necessitating targeted conservation efforts. A knowledge gap among local communities and institutions hinders effective biodiversity conservation, emphasizing the need for conservation education and awareness initiatives. The illegal wildlife trade, driven by subsistence needs and market demands, poses a significant threat to endangered species in the region.
Conflicts arise between agricultural activities and wildlife conservation, damaging crops, and property. Insufficient focus on forest ecosystem and watershed conservation, coupled with a lack of funding and prioritization from local institutions, poses challenges to comprehensive conservation projects in the CHT. While the 8th Five-Year Plan highlights sustainable agriculture and green growth, there is a need for detailed, localized strategies to address the region's unique ecosystems and watersheds within the Socio-economic context. Bridging these gaps is crucial for preserving the CHT's diverse ecosystems and watersheds and ensuring sustainable development in the face of biotic pressure and climate change.
In collaboration with UNDP and other development partners, the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MOCHTA) has implemented development projects in the CHT during the last decade. The UNDP Bangladesh, with assistance from various development partners, has undertaken a new 5-year project entitled “Ecosystem Restoration and Resilient Development in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (ERRD-CHT)”. The ERRD-CHT Project produces results on four interlinked levels, thereby strengthening the ability of the population to enhance resilience, development, and ecosystem governance that impact people’s lives and livelihoods. The project corresponds with the Government of Bangladesh’s Perspective Plan 2041, which outlines a long-term state vision and the 8th Five-Year Plan.  The project seeks to ensure local communities have more access to inclusive economic and resilient livelihood opportunities and ecosystem services and strengthen their abilities to manage the environment, forest ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity locally. In particular, local women, girls, marginalized sections, and the youth shall be involved in resilient livelihoods and ecosystems, micro-enterprise opportunities, and conservation awareness by developing new skills and entrepreneurship that are hill- and nature-friendly, sustaining ecosystems, biodiversity, and resilient development. Increased civic participation and engagement between the respective communities and institutions shall provide a basis for responsive, participatory, and inclusive governance while enhancing socio-economic and natural resource capital, increasing conservation awareness within the population, and widening the participatory decision-making process. Improving local resilience through an integrated ecosystem management approach will strengthen forest and watershed ecosystems, wildlife conservation, and ecosystem governance.

The main goal and outcome of the ERRD Project are as follows:
Goal: Strengthen gender-responsive resilience and development through improved governance, ecosystems, and adaptive livelihoods with market access.

Outcome: People’s demands for development and resilient ecosystem services are met by strengthening gender-responsive institutions, ecosystems, and communities, including women and youth.

A new five-year project entitled “Chittagong Hill Tracts Watershed Co-Management Activity II (CHTWCA II) with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding, embedded in the ERRD-CHT project, became operational on 16 June 2024. CHTWCA II aims to build resilience by reducing biodiversity threats through an integrated collaborative ecosystem management approach in the CHT. The outcome of CHTWCA II is to strengthen local resilience through an integrated collaborative ecosystem management approach that improves wildlife conservation and the governance of natural resources in the CHT by achieving the following 4 Results:
●    Result - 1 : Strengthened Ecosystem Governance 
●    Result - 2 : Resilient Livelihoods with Market System Developed 
●    Result – 3 : Mitigated Threats to Biodiversity
●    Crosscutting Result - 4 : Reduced Conflict among Communities for Ecosystem Conservation
 

Job Purpose

Under the direct supervision of the DRR, the Watershed and Forest Co-Management Specialist, CHTWCA II will be responsible for technically leading a USAID-funded new project (CHTWCA II), embedded in the new ERRD-CHT project, by focusing on the ecosystem and habitat conservation and governance in identified micro watersheds in the three Hill Districts of the CHT. This includes forest and habitat ecosystem conservation and management planning and policy, biodiversity and wildlife conservation, forest carbon assessment, and mathematical modelling.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

2.) Ensure effective implementation of CHTWCA II by in coordination multiple stakeholders (the GOB and the CHT institutions, USAID and other development partners, and traditional leaders and community institutions (HDCs, Circle Chiefs, Headmen and Karbaries, Co-Management Organizations, Headmen Network, etc.). 
• Work with the USAID Bangladesh Economic Growth Office and its projects, and coordinate with the Agreement     Officer Representative (AOR) to manage and implement the UNDP-USAID Agreement for CHTWCA II. 
• Work with the GOB ministries and agencies, UNDP management and projects, the CHT traditional institutions and communities, local stakeholders, and civil society organizations to successfully implement CHTWCA II.

3.) Advise and support the UNDP Bangladesh Country Office in developing relevant technical proposals and concept papers on mathematical modelling for forest carbon assessment and natural resource management, integrated watershed and forest co-management, resilient ecosystem management and climate change mitigation, habitat and biodiversity conservation, wildlife conservation and crime control, etc. 
• In consultation with the UNDP Country Office team, prepare and present assigned technical and financial proposals and project documents for donor and vertical funds. 
• Provide technical support to other teams and sub-projects under the Ecosystem Restoration and Resilient Development in CHT Project.
• Participate in technical meetings, discussions, and workshops to represent CHTWCA II, UNDP and the ERRD project. 
• Establish linkages with other relevant UNDP and USAID projects for cross-learning and sharing of technical experiences and knowledge. 
• Provide technical assistance and leadership in the development of CHTWCA II documentation, including implementation and annual work plans (AWP), monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plans, integrated watershed management plans (IWMP), the CHT master development plans, gender analysis and strategy, communication strategy, and quarterly and annual progress reports. 
• Provide technical assistance in mathematical modelling for forest carbon assessment and projections under climate change mitigation.

4) Lead the USAID-funded new Chittagong Hill Tracts Watershed Co-Management Activity II technically by ensuring its field implementation, management of HR and procurement services, in coordination with the ERRD-CHT Project Manager, UNDP Country Office team, and relevant CHT institutions and stakeholders.
• Technically lead for day-to-day operations of CHTWCA II through technical and management teams and in partnerships with key stakeholders. 
• Integrate ecosystem conservation, land tenure, communal conflict mitigation, and social cohesion activities.
• Conduct various technical studies and assessments and safeguard development as listed in the UNDP-USAID agreement. 
• Ensure physical and financial deliverables and reporting. 
• Prepare TORs for all technical and finance positions as per the UNDP-USAID Agreement.
• Develop TORs for NGO hiring for 3 Districts and coordinate with Project Procurement Focal and CO Procurement for all procurement under CHTWCA II.

5) Develop the capacity of technical teams and local/national stakeholders of CHTWCA-II

• Provide technical orientations, hands-on demonstrations, and skill development training to the technical staff  and local and national stakeholders of CHTWCA II 
• Provide technical support to MOCHTA in developing strategies and technical papers for CHT, particularly on watershed and forest management.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: Technically lead the USAID-funded CHTWCA II and supervise technical and other personnel in the team. 
 

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

• Business Direction & Strategy :  System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.
• Business Management : Portfolio Management:    Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization's programmes and projects in line with its strategic objectives and capacity Ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives with regular activities for optimal return on investment. Knowledge and understanding of key principles of project, programme, and portfolio management.
• Business Development: UNDP Representation: Ability to represent UNDP and productively share UNDP knowledge and activities; advocate for UNDP, its values, and mission and work with various constituencies.
• Business Management: Resource Management: Ability to allocate and use resources in a strategic or tactical way in line with principles of accountability and integrity.
• 2030 Agenda : Planet: Nature: Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Access and benefit sharing of biodiversity, land, forests, and oceans.
• 2030 Agenda : Planet: Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery     Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Risk Management
• 2030 Agenda: Peace: Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and Responsive Institutions    Land, Natural Resources and Conflict (inc. Environmental Peacebuilding)