The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is implementing an agreement with World Bank and intends to apply part of the funding for supporting these consultants positions in Belarus for the below mentioned activity.

Assignment Title:  1. Field consultant for an analytical study on the value of forest functions for local population

The Consulting services include:

• The Consultant will be responsible for conducting Analytical Study on the Value of Forest Functions for Local Population in the following communities:
  • The Naliboki community – Volozhin district of the Minsk region,
  • the Rossony community – Rossony district of the Vitebsk region. 

• The Consultant will be responsible for collection of all information and data, which will be used in a compiled national and regional summary on Valuation of Forest Functions for Local Population. 
• The Consultant will also verify the data collected in the First stage of the activity. For this purpose the Consultant will come back to the studied villages and interview some of the households again to verify the earlier obtained information. After this if needed, the Consultant will modify the methodology of the study developed in the first stage to be used in the second stage of the activity: the Consultant will prepare a field work report.

An individual with proven research capabilities and at least 5 years of relevant professional experience is required. The following are minimum qualifications:

• Master’s or higher Degree  in Environmental Economy, Forest and Natural resource management or other related subject;
• Prior experience in conducting research on economic valuation of the forest and environmental services or in other related fields;
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the current issues of Forest management and governance in Belarus as well as knowledge and acquaintance with governmental structures and other stakeholders;
• Knowledge and understanding of and working experience with IUCN regulations and guidelines (previous working experience with IUCN is a strong asset) as well as strong inter-personal skills and ability to work in different cultural contexts;
• Proven ability to prepare and write high quality studies for economic evaluation of the forest and ecosystem services or in other related fields;
• Fluency in written and spoken Russian; fluency in English is an asset;
• Computer literacy, including the use of MS Excel, PowerPoint, and Word or similar office applications, acquaintance with the principles of statistical analysis, as well as proficiency in performing internet research to support documents that may be required for program implementation.

2. Consultant for an Analytical Study on the Value of Forest Functions for Local Population

The Consulting services include:

• Analyze all existing information (including data, statistics, reports etc.) dealing with forest ecosystem functionality and/or provision of forest services and goods in Belarus;
• Analyze  carefully all the field data collected and processed by the first national field study consultant;
• At the same time, looking at the latest tendencies of forest management policy development and analyzing the results of the communities study consider what should be changed to help forest dependent communities to enhance their well-being and to ensure non-exhaustion of the forest resources.  
• Consider policy making proposals that would ensure the interests of forest-dependent communities, as well as promotion of regional development based on the more efficient forest resources use; or any other.
• Define the degree of “dependence” of the local communities on the forest resources taking into account climate change risks, biodiversity loss risks, land use regulations etc.
• Contribute to finalizing a comprehensive  county specific analytical study on  the Value of Forest Functions for Local Population in Belarus based on the findings of two stages;
• Participate in the regional conference on forest functionality and present results of the Study to wide range of stakeholders, and
• Participate in the preparation of the publications of the results of the Study. 

An individual with proven research capabilities and at least 5 years of relevant professional experience is required. The following are minimum qualifications:

• Master’s or higher Degree  in Environmental Economy, Forest and Natural resource management or other related subject;
• Prior experience in conducting research on economic valuation of the forest and environmental services or in other related fields;
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the current issues of Forest management and governance in Belarus as well as knowledge and acquaintance with governmental structures and other stakeholders;
• Knowledge and understanding of and working experience with FLEG Programme is an asset;
• Strong inter-personal skills and ability to work in different cultural contexts;
• Proven ability to prepare and write high quality studies for economic evaluation of the forest and ecosystem services;
• Fluency in written and spoken Russian; fluency in English is an asset;
• Computer literacy, including the use of MS Excel, PowerPoint, and Word or similar office applications, acquaintance with the principles of statistical analysis, as well as proficiency in performing internet research to support documents that may be required for program implementation.

The IUCN now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing their services. Interested consultants must provide their CVs with information demonstrating that they are qualified to perform the Services.

A consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in  the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011)

Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours, from 09:00 to 17:00 local time.

CVs must be delivered to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by August 19^h, 2015.

Address: Minsk, 10 Kollektornaya St., office 537

Attn: Marina Belous, ENPI FLEG Country Program Coordinator in Belarus                                                                                                          Tel: +375 29 649 71 37
E-mail: marina.belous@enpi-fleg.org