Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the guidance of the Programme Management Officer, responsible for the project: "Multi-Country Mountain Flagship" under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the consultant shall carry out the following activities:
Conduct an inception phase including a review of project background documents (WWF corridor study, GVTC Transboundary Strategic Plan, UN Decade programme materials, national restoration strategies etc.), and submit an Inception Report outlining the proposed methodology, work plan, and stakeholder engagement strategy.
Synthesize key inputs and assessments to align restoration needs across the GVL with broader policy frameworks and existing data. Deliver a summary mapping of priority themes, gaps, and opportunities.
Hold consultations with key stakeholders, including UNEP, WWF, GVTC, RDB, UWA, and relevant community representatives, to validate proposed priority restoration sites and thematic areas.
Identify and prioritize investment opportunities for restoration interventions across the Greater Virunga Landscape, including degraded corridors, buffer zones, and community-managed lands.
Estimate financial costs and co-benefits of proposed interventions, including ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation value, and social/climate benefits.
Conduct a donor and financing landscape review to identify aligned funding windows, donors, and investment mechanisms. Deliver a matrix of opportunities and recommendations for engagement.
Package the identified interventions into coherent investment bundles, including large-scale and small-scale restoration packages tailored for different funders. Develop associated theories of change, outcomes, and implementation risks.
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced University degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Economics, Ecology, or related fields is required.
A minimum of 7 years of work experience in one or more of the following is required: conservation financing, ecosystem restoration planning and investment, environmental project design for multilateral or bilateral donors, development of donor engagement strategies.
Resource mobilization experience that encompasses past engagement with donors, development banks or philanthropic foundations is required.
Demonstrated track record in preparing successful resource mobilization materials such as investment prospectuses, fundraising pitches, donor proposals or funding applications is desirable.