Regional Project Coordinator – CARIBBEAN REGIONAL FISHERIES MECHANISM (CRFM) SECRETARIAT
CARIBBEAN REGIONAL FISHERIES MECHANISM (CRFM)
SECRETARIAT
CAF/FAO/CRFM/GEF – BE-CLME+ Project: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Regional Project Coordinator
INTRODUCTION
According to the United Nations and the World Bank, the Blue Economy is seen as “both a concept and a practice that aims to promote economic development, social inclusion and equity, development of science and technology, and a continuous improvement of livelihoods. Moreover, the Blue Economy seeks to take into consideration the environmental protection of the ocean, seas and coastal areas, the health of the ocean and its ecosystems, and the sustainability of open ocean resources.” The growing interest of blue economy potential in the Caribbean provides a long-term and cooperative approach for addressing threats to the marine ecosystem and reversing losses of marine ecosystems services that underpin local and national economies.
CARICOM recognizes that blue economy opportunities is in line with the stated goal of ensuring food security having developed a regional food and nutrition security policy and that climate change impacts are a key issue to address for future development for all Caribbean SIDS. Among the key CARICOM priorities involving blue economy planning include: i) improve marine and coastal biodiversity and conserve ecosystem health; ii) scaling up SIDS Marine Protected Areas and Marine Management Areas Initiatives; iii) ecosystem restoration projects especially as it relates to mangroves, sea grass beds and coral reefs; and iv) building economic resilience in fishing communities and building capacity of communities to benefit from broader economic activities e.g. recreational activities, tourism-based activities.
One of the implementing agencies for this project is the Corporacion Andina de Fomento (CAF), also known as the Development Bank of Latin American. CAF is a development bank created in 1970, owned by 19 countries – 17 of Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal- as well as 13 private banks in the region. CAF promotes a sustainable development model through credit, non-refundable resources, and support in the technical and financial structuring of projects in the public and private sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Closely aligned with the broader CARICOM commitments is the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), one of the fisheries specialized institutions of CARICOM. CRFM was established in 2002 to coordinate and promote regional cooperation for sustainable use, management, and conservation of living marine resources and marine ecosystems and is the key regional fisheries body for the Caribbean. CRFM is an inter-governmental organization with its mission being to promote and facilitate the responsible utilization of the region’s fisheries and other aquatic resources for the economic and social benefits of the current and future population of the region. The CRFM has 17 Members States and three bodies – the Ministerial Council, the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, and the CRFM Secretariat. The CRFM has an extensive record of fisheries and marine conservation and management project implementation in the region and will be the Executing Agency of this project.
Another important regional player in fisheries is the Central American Fisheries and Aquaculture Organization (OSPESCA), the aim of which is to encourage the development and the coordinated management of regional fisheries and aquaculture activities, while helping to strengthen the Central American integration process, as well as strengthening global governance and the managerial and technical capacities of members, and leading consensus- building towards improved conservation and utilization of aquatic resources. The area of competence of OSPESCA extends to the national waters, inland waters and EEZs of its Member States, which are: Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. XX Two of the countries participating in this project are members of
OSPESCA: Belize and Panama. The CRFM and OSPESCA work together under a Memorandum of Understanding and a joint action plan to guide cooperation and collaboration between the CRFM countries in the Caribbean and OSPESCA countries in Central America over the period 2020 to 2025.
Another integral regional partner to the successful implementation of this Project is the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC). The general objective of the Commission is to promote the effective conservation, management and development of the living marine resources of the area of competence of the Commission, in accordance with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and address common problems of fisheries management and development faced by members of the Commission. All of the above project countries are also members of the WECAFC. Consequently, in the course of implementation of this project, there may be some synergy activities with some projects that are being implemented under WECAFC intersessional work. The WECAFC also has MOUs with CRFM and OSPESCA.
The Project “BE-CLME+: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus” was conceived to strengthen blue economy opportunities through sustainable healthy coastal and marine ecosystems, address drivers to protect habitats and species, and sustainable biodiversity and fisheries management. The project will be implemented in Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, and Saint Lucia for a period of 4 years from 2023-2027. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and is executed by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the governments of the participating countries. The project’s objective is to promote blue economy development in the CLME+ through marine spatial planning and marine protected areas (MPAs), ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF), and sustainable seafood value chains. The three components are:
• Component 1: Implementing cross-sectoral Marine Spatial Planning (GEF: $3,844,119; Cofinancing: $26,461,550),
• Component 2. Inclusive Sustainable Fisheries Value Chains (GEF: $995,581; Co-financing: 7,746,046), and
• Component 3. Regional Coordination, Project Management & Knowledge Management (GEF: 1,168,300; Co-financing: 5,488,818)
A Regional Project Coordinator (RPC) is needed to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the BE-CLME+ Project. He/she is responsible for the development and implementation of the project workplan and budget, and the day-to-day management of project resources and support staff. He/ She will coordinate the schedule, budget, issues and risks and make sure the project management framework is well-organized and that it runs smoothly. This will include communicating with participating States and stakeholders, CRFM Staff, development partners to make sure everyone is on the same page. He/she will implement the policies, regulations, and procedures approved by the Project Steering Committee and the CRFM Operations Manual. He/she will liaise with CAF, FAO, and CRFM for technical and financial matters, as well as other implementing partners. The RPC will prepare progress reports and provide regular updates to
CRFM’s Management and the Project Steering Committee on all aspects of Project activities. The Project Management Unit will consist of a RPC, a Marine Spatial Planning Specialist, a Seafood Value Chain Specialist, and senior managerial and technical staff from the CRFM Secretariat. The RPC will be engaged as a CRFM Project staff and will report to, and be directly supervised by the CRFM’s Executive Director. He/She will be based at the CRFM Headquarters in Belize City, Belize.
SCOPE OF WORK
Coordination and Managerial Tasks (100% Project Management Unit Coordination)
• Review reports and other products of project Consultants.
• Coordinate and actively participate in meetings with stakeholders.
• Draft technical ToRs in coordination with the Marine Spatial Planning Specialist and the Seafood Value Chain Specialist.
• Direct supervision of the Marine Spatial Planning Specialist and the Seafood Value Chain Specialist to ensure delivery of all project outcomes and outputs.
• Observe project management procedures to facilitate project implementation and ensure delivery of high-quality outcomes.
• In consultation with regional and local partners, prepare the project’s annual work plans and budget allocations.
• Facilitate communications and linkages at regional, national, and local levels.
• Maintain a professional and productive working relationship with CRFM, CAF, FAO, governments of project countries, and all other project partners.
• Participate in Regional Steering Committee meetings and provide secretariat support as required.
• Assist with convening the project’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and ensure the TAC provides timely and effective inputs to project implementation processes.
• Organize regional project workshops, meetings, draft the agenda, and record decisions of meetings as required.
• Participate in the public relations and awareness raising activities for the project.
• Coordinate work among the Project Management Unit (PMU) staff and consultants.
• Supervise the management of the project budget in accordance with the agreed work plan and approved disbursal of project funds.
• Maintain good communications with project partners and others.
• Coordinate committed in-kind and in-cash contributions for the project.
• Coordinate planning, recruitment and supervision of experts/contract institutions as required to undertake tasks of a regional nature in accordance with annual workplan.
• Coordinate consultant teams, as necessary.
• Responsible for the overall delivery of project results, outcomes, and indicators.
• Responsible for preparing the project’s progress reports and Project Implementation Reports (PIRs)
• Participate in the project’s Mid-Term Evaluation and Terminal Evaluation as required by the external evaluators.
• Coordinate and assist with preparation of the Terminal Report.
Relationships
The Regional Project Coordinator (RPC) will:
• Be accountable at the regional level for the achievement of project objectives, results, and all fundamental aspects of project execution.
• Present project status reports to the CRFM Management and the Regional Steering Committee
• Maintain an excellent working relationship with the TAC.
• Be accountable to the CRFM for the achievement of project objectives, results, and all technical aspects of project execution.
• Maintain regular communication with regional and national project partners interested in furthering the project outcomes.
• Supervise the work of project support staff.
• Supervise the work of consultants and project partners.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Outputs of the Coordination and Managerial Tasks
• Project Management Unit is fully functional.
• At least 2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings held each year with corresponding minutes prepared and submitted.
• Scheduled project activities completed successfully.
• Project activities coordinated with other relevant projects at national and regional levels.
• Ensure timely and quality technical outputs by the Marine Spatial Planning Specialist and the Seafood Value Chain Specialist
• Presentation and dissemination of project relevant information nationally and regionally
• Annual operational plans including procurement plan and annual budget prepared and submitted on time to CRFM, FAO and CAF
• Quarterly and bi-annual technical reports (Progress Reports, Project Implementation Reports) prepared and submitted to the Executing Agency completely and timely.
• Regional, National, local and site level workshops and other monitoring meetings convened as needed.
• Plan the recruitment and supervision of experts/contract institutions as required to undertake tasks of a regional transboundary nature in accordance with annual workplan.
• Assist CRFM, CAF-GEF Task Manager, FAO and the independent evaluator (to be appointed by CAF and FAO) with the Mid-Term Evaluation and the Final Evaluation of the project.
These documents will be submitted to the Technical Advisory Committee for review and to the Project Steering Committee for approval, with No Objection from the FAO and CAF.
QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
Qualifications
• Doctorate or Master’s Degree or equivalent with professional experience in Project Management, Business Administration, Marine Management, Fisheries Science, Coastal Zone Management, or Marine Science, with college courses/academic level or certification in project management preferred.
• A good understanding of marine biodiversity, marine protected areas, climate change, marine spatial planning, fisheries development and management, ecosystems-approach to fisheries management, monitoring and evaluation
General Professional Experience:
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in administration and management
• Demonstrable experience in the management of regional and transboundary projects
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Programme/Project Cycle Management of marine fisheries, and coastal and marine ecosystems conservation initiatives especially in the establishment and management of coastal and marine protected areas and fisheries value chain development.
• Demonstrated experience in influencing, developing, and implementing coastal and marine resource development, management and conservation policies, strategies and plans ideally in the Caribbean and Latin American region.
• Strong communication and presentation skills in English, and an ability to prepare appropriate and timely reports to multiple audiences including donors, government, community, and private sector and
• 2-3 years of experience supervising and motivating others including multi-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent liaison, coordination, organization, and management skills.
• Demonstrated experience in the management of staff and consultants.
• Experience working with regional or international partners.
• Ability to work with senior government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local communities.
• Understanding of the key components of the blue economy and their relationships to the fisheries sector
• Fluency in written and spoken English and strong communication skills.
• Good understanding of Spanish. Spoken and written Spanish would be considered an asset.
• A robust understanding of environmental and social safeguards and gender issues
• Familiarity with procurement and reporting procedures of development partners such as the UN Agencies and multi-lateral banks such as the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), etc.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The successful candidate will be employed on a contractual basis (fixed-term) and stationed at the CRFM Secretariat, Belize City, Belize. Employment will be over a four-year or 48 months period. The initial contractual period shall be for one year, with option for renewal for three years, based upon satisfactory job performance in accordance with the contractual and human resource policies of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) the Project Executing Agency.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be submitted in English Language with full curriculum details, including nationality, date of birth, work experience, educational qualifications, summary of professional skills and/or expertise, language proficiency, list of professional publications, contact information (including email addresses) of three referees (at least two of whom must be familiar with the applicant’s work), and other relevant information, should be addressed to:
Executive Director, CRFM Secretariat
Belize City, P.O. Box 642, Belize and send by email to: secretariat@crfm.int
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