The project is aimed at creating a sustainable base for the reintroduction of tigers in historical habitats, including the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve, preserving the natural and historical and cultural heritage of the Ulytau mountain range and adjacent territories, and promoting tourist sites in this unique region. The project’s main results will be a comprehensive improvement in the state of the river delta ecosystems. Ile and the Southern Balkhash region, strengthening the Ile-Balkhash State Nature Reserve and the Ulytau State National Natural Park being created, developing a network of protected areas and tourism in the Ulytau region, raising the level of environmental awareness of the population and informing all stakeholders, creating a basis for joint management of ecosystems on the territory project activities with benefits for biodiversity conservation and local communities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Biodiversity Portfolio Coordinator, the Project Analyst on Wildlife and Ecosystems will be responsible for high-quality and effective achievement of the results according to the project’s work plans under the biodiversity portfolio and performs the following functions:

Technical Inputs:

• Planning and implementation of the project activities on forest ecosystem and wildlife in accordance with the portfolio projects frameworks.
• Supporting partnerships with government and non-government sector stakeholders. Identifying the key partners from the public and private sectors, and making proposals to expand the range of partnerships. Development and maintenance of a database of contacts and partners across national agencies, local governments, and other organizations.
• Conducting relevant external and internal workshops, meetings in line with a portfolio project’s work plans and preparing well-documented workshop/meeting reports, National Steering Committee meeting reports, and providing inputs to the technical reports in collaboration with local experts.
• Development of mandatory project progress reports, monitoring, and making reasonable proposals for project risks mitigation.
• Supporting coordination with stakeholders including government agencies, CSOs, etc.

Outreach, Communication, and Gender:

• Ensuring effective dissemination of and access to information on project activities and results. Widely disseminating the portfolio projects achievements and support mechanisms for the exchange of information, experience, and lessons learned at the local and national levels. Promotion of the portfolio projects results through the media, including interviews, articles, and other scientific publications.
• Collaborating with UNDP CO Comms specialists on the content of publications, articles, and other informational materials to promote portfolio projects results.
• Development of briefings, speeches, knowledge products, and other relevant documents. Preparation of publications.
• Maintaining close coordination and exchange under the portfolio. Participation in regional and global platforms (offline and online) to share, learn, and apply best practices.
• Promotion of gender equality by reaching, involving, and benefiting both women and men in its activities.
• Providing technical support to the gender component in organizing work on the implementation of the portfolio projects.

Project Implementation:

• Contribution to the planning of the assigned portfolio projects activities according to the project’s frameworks.
• Ensuring timely and rational planning, implementation of activities, and delivery of the portfolio budget.
• Preparing progress reports on the implementation for UNDP Country Office, members of the Steering Committee, and partners in a timely manner.
• Ensuring timely submission of progress reports by responsible partners and service providers and ensuring harmonized reporting by recipients on key performance indicators.
• Development of Terms of References for national and international consultants and companies to be engaged by the project under the respective component.
• Monitoring the work of national and international experts and companies.
• Compilation of data and information and liaison with relevant Ministries and partners as required.
• Performing other tasks requested by the Biodiversity Portfolio Coordinator aimed at achieving project goals and objectives, as well as requests from the UNDP CO.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in forestry, environment, ecology, biology, or other related fields.
• Bachelor’s degree in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the Master’s degree.

Experience:

• Up to 2 years (with a Master’s degree) or minimum 2 years (with a Bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in the field of forestry, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, protected areas, ecology, or other related fields.

Required Skills:

• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced knowledge of spreadsheets and web-based management systems such as ERP financials and database packages.

Desired Skills:

• Experience working in government environmental organizations, including protected areas and forestries.
• Experience within international organizations on issues related to environmental conservation and natural resources management.
• Experience in implementing projects on biodiversity conservation.
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
• Experience working in regions of the country.

Languages:

• Fluency (written and spoken) in Kazakh and Russian is required.