BACKGROUND:

The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty-four countries in the Horn of Africa, eastern Africa, southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. IUCN engages directly in implementation of the SADC TFCA Programme through IUCN ESARO’s innovative biodiversity conservation programme. The Biodiversity programme draws on evidence-based and best practice approaches to enhance the conservation and management of biodiversity and ecosystems in Eastern and Southern Africa. IUCN operates through a “One Programme” approach working closely with IUCN members and Commissions to engage in a diverse set of biodiversity conservation actions ranging from the implementation of field projects to influencing policy and institutional frameworks at local, national, regional and global levels. The Biodiversity programme is focused on enhancing management effectiveness, governance and equity of protected and conserved areas, strengthening multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement to improve biodiversity conservation at landscape and seascape level, and supporting effective local community engagement in biodiversity conservation. The thematic programme also contributes to building the capacity of IUCN Members and partners, as well as the ESARO Secretariat to tackle new and emerging biodiversity conservation challenges in the region and to implement relevant international conventions, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) , Convention on Illegal Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. The programme also links closely to relevant work and regional priorities of Regional Economic Communities, the African Union and the United Nations Environment Assembly.

IUCN ESARO is the Project Executing Agency (PEA) for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) Financing Facility. IUCN ESARO seeks to recruit a highly qualified Technical Advisor to help with executing SADC Secretariat’s role in the implementation of the SADC TFCA Financing Facilities. A summary of the SADC TFCA Financing Facilities is as follows:

SADC TFCA Financing Facility;
The development and establishment of a regional and sustainable Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) financing mechanism is a major component of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) TFCA programme (2023-2033). The SADC TFCA FF aims to reach an operational funding volume of approximately EUR 100 million in the medium to long term by leveraging funding from various International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) and other innovative sources of funding. The TFCA FF was established with initial funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW Development Bank. To date, the German Government through cooperation with SADC Secretariat, has committed up to EUR 44 million to the SADC TFCA Financing Facility.

The SADC TFCA Financing Facility (FF) is intended to foster closer collaboration between stakeholders supporting TFCAs and provide the basis for longer-term and more sustainable funding opportunities to develop all TFCAs.

Training Facilities and Programmes for Wildlife Managers and Rangers in the SADC region;
Following negotiations between Germany Gvernment and SADC Secretariat, EUR 11 million was committed to promote implementation of workplace related training programmes for protected area managers and rangers in SADC TFCAs. This programme is aimed at strengthening capacities of personnel in SADC TFCAs to help implement existing SADC programmes for TFCA management. The SADC TFCA Training Facility will be a grant-making mechanism intended to provide skills-based training for Wildlife Managers and Rangers in TFCAs. The Training programme was officially launched on the 28th of May 2024.

The SADC TFCA Advisor is expected to support SADC Secretariat to coordinate implementation of the SADC TFCA Programme including the TFCA Financing Facilities.

Assist the Senior Programme Officer for Natural Resources and Wildlife in executing the role of SADC Secretariat in implementation of the Regional Financing Facility for SADC TFCAs and the Regional Training Programme for Wildlife Rangers and Managers as defined in the Project documents;
Provide advisory services to the SADC Secretariat on technical matters pertaining to the Implementation of the SADC TFCAs Programme.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Senior Programme Officer for Natural Resources and Wildlife, the Technical Advisor-TFCAs shall perform the following duties:
Technical and Advisory support to the SADC TFCA Financing Facility and Training and Capacity Building Programme
To oversee and supervise the implementation of Regional Financing Facility for SADC TFCAs and the Regional Training Programme for Wildlife Rangers and Managers in the context of TFCAs Programme in order to ensure compliance with the approved policy framework, in particular:
Technical representation of SADC Secretariat in the Project Steering Committee (PSC) of the Financing Facility;
Provide strategic advice to the PSC on matters pertaining to the implementation of the Facility in particular the alignment of the Facility work plan with SADC priorities and strategies;
Provide guidance and support to the Executing Agency in its role as outlined in the Implementation Agreements in particular drafting budget and work plan and working documents for approval by PSC, shortlisting of proposals, peer reviews and full proposal development as well as technical reports to the PSC;
Oversee Monitoring and Evaluation (ensure function linkages between the TFCA Facility indicators and the SADC TFCA M&E Framework);
Support mobilization of additional resources from other interested parties in order to expand the facility

Programme development and implementation;
Provide support to the development and harmonization of policies and legislation for TFCAs in a regional context;
Facilitate the carrying out of cost benefit assessments of TFCAs as well as proposed models of cost and benefit sharing;
Collect and disseminate information, and enable information flow within and among TFCAs and in a regional context;
Support the elaboration and development of regional community based integrated natural resource management and marketing strategies in TFCAs;
Promote and monitor partnerships between the private sector, public sector, and civil society for the benefit of TFCAs.

Networking and cooperation;
Co-operating with and ensuring regular contacts, and dialogue with relevant organizations: non-governmental bodies and persons within the TFCAs environment as well as with other relevant projects or institutions in order to enhance and achieve sustainable development of TFCAs,
Conducting public relations work and cooperation within SADC, and
Communicating and channelling interests and aspirations of the SADC and exchanging ideas and information for the benefit of natural resources and Wildlife at large.

Knowledge management;
Facilitate functions of TFCAs Network in support of SADC TFCAs Programme implementation including development of policy documents, publications and research
Other responsibilities:
Represent the FANR NRW Unit in missions or meetings when requested to do so, and
Undertake any other tasks relevant to and in the interest of the SADC Secretariat.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES;

Organizational relations;
The position will be seconded to SADC Secretariat and shall be housed at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana under the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Officer NRW Unit. In the conduct of his/her work, the incumbent will further liaise with other Senior Programme Officers in the FANR Directorate as well as other Directorates within the SADC Secretariat Headquarter.

Reporting;
The incumbent will report to the Senior Programme Officer NRW Unit. He or she shall abide by SADC rules and procedures.

Office space and logistical support;
The SADC Technical Advisor (TFCAs) will be allocated office space within the FANR Directorate at SADC Secretariat, Gaborone. The incumbent will receive other logistical support and services from and through the FANR Directorate.