Job Title Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation Specialist (Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu)
Project Name Pasifika WE-Guardians – Women Entrepreneurs as Guardians of Island Adaptation and Nature-based Business Solutions
Job type Regular, full-time employee
Location of Position Suva, Fiji
Reporting to Field Manager
Remuneration Competitive, in line with market rates.
Indicative LOE/Time Frame July 30, 2024-March 31, 2028, with possibility for up to a 12-month extension, contingent on donor funding. The position is a 12-month period contract with an option for annual renewal based on job performance.
Citizenship Fijian
Language Requirements Excellent command of English and Fijian, both written and verbal
Application Deadline July 19, 2024
Application Instructions:
- A cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should effectively align your skills and experiences with the specific job responsibilities outlined in the position’s description, demonstrating your aptitude and enthusiasm for the role, your daily fee and current availability.
- Click the “Apply now” link to upload your cover letter and CV (Curriculum Vitae).
- Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.
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Project Description:
The Pasifika WE-Guardians – Women Entrepreneurs as Guardians of Island Adaptation and Nature-Based Business Solutions Project seeks to enhance the climate resilience of nature-based businesses led/owned by women, especially women of Indigenous heritage, to climate change amplified extreme weather events in climate vulnerable rural areas of Fiji, Samoa and Tuvalu.
We will implement a ‘climate change adaptation for small business’ based approach that recognizes and helps release the existing climate change adaptation capacities of women to better respond to the impacts of climate change-amplified extreme weather events, such as rapid onset flood and/or drought events, rain event induced landslides, intensified storms and cycles, and intensified storm surges, on nature-based women-led/owned businesses. We will help nature-based women-led/owned businesses develop and implement climate change adaptation solutions that build business resilience including, but not limited to: conservation strategies for coastal ecosystems that act as fish nurseries (i.e. inputs for certain WL/OBs) and storm surge protection; cultivated/harvested species diversification strategies allowing for adaptability of NB value chains (VCs) according to climate conditions; and expanded and diversified market access to build in collective redundancy allowing for rapid response to disruptive climate events.
We will provide complimentary new skills, learning and networking opportunities, establish locally led, climate adapted business improvement areas to help increase the resilience of value chains, improve value chain capture and market access for nature-based goods and services by women, and inform and influence national adaptation and sustainable development policies.
The project will combine local, regional, and international expertise to apply climate change adapted business solutions for nature-based, women owned/led businesses. Implemented in Melanesia and Polynesia, the project will take a gender responsive, community-based approach to promote climate change adaptation and sustainable and equitable resource management through women owned/led businesses acting as ‘nature-based business climate solutions’ in ecosystem-based value chains.
About the work
Ultimate Outcome – Enhanced climate resilience of nature-based businesses led/owned by women, especially women of Indigenous heritage, to climate change amplified extreme weather events, in rural communities of Fiji, Samoa, and Tuvalu.
Intermediate Outcomes:
- Increased adoption of climate change adaptation approaches for nature-based businesses by women, including women of Indigenous heritage, facing the impacts of climate change amplified extreme weather events.
- Increased power and agency of women, including women of Indigenous heritage, to apply CCA approaches to develop and access resilient, nature-based island value chains and markets in the face of climate change-amplified extreme weather events.
- Strengthened effectiveness of government and CSO stakeholders to implement national climate change adaptation policies, plans and strategies in the Pacific Region and internationally supporting nature-based women-led/owned
The Role
The specialist will support the enhancement of climate resilience among small and medium-sized nature-based enterprises (SMEs) led by women in Fiji, Tuvalu, and Samoa. The specialist will implement a series of targeted activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of SMEs to adapt to the impacts of climate change while maintaining sustainable business practices. The specialist’s work will involve education and strategic collaborations with women led/owned businesses, value chain actors, regional and national stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategy Development: Develop and implement comprehensive climate resilience and adaptation strategies tailored to the unique challenges of the project areas.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with local communities, governmental agencies, and international bodies to align project goals with national and regional policies.
- Capacity Building: Enhance the climate adaptation capacities of local women entrepreneurs through training and access to innovative tools and methodologies.
- Business Improvements: Dedicated efforts to improve the climate resilience and environmental sustainability of local businesses.
- Knowledge Sharing: Documenting best practices and lessons learned from project implementation and contributing to knowledge sharing and dissemination efforts. Sharing experiences and insights will help to inform future programming and enhance the overall impact of climate resilience initiatives in the project areas.
- Project Management: Oversee the execution of project initiatives, ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives and compliance with financial and administrative guidelines.
- Technical Duties
- Lead the conduct of any required climate, biophysical, and ecological assessments in project areas.
- Awareness-raising efforts with regional and national authorities as well as capacity building programming at the institutional and regional level (e.g., Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Pacific Island Forum).
- Design and facilitate the implementation of targeted adaptation and resilience-building activities.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation strategies, adjusting approaches as necessary to maximize impact.
Capacity Building Duties
- Develop training programs and materials for local stakeholders on climate resilience.
- Provide technical support and mentoring to project teams and partners.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree or higher in Climate Science, Environmental Studies, or related fields.
- At least 7 years of experience in climate change adaptation and resilience projects, preferably in the Pacific region.
- Demonstrated leadership in managing complex environmental projects with multiple stakeholders.
- Proficient in data analysis, project management software, and relevant climate modeling tools.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work effectively in diverse cultural settings.