BACKGROUND

This is a local recruitment. Only Maldivian nationals, individuals with residence status are eligible to apply. The remuneration and benefits package for this position is established with reference to the local labour market and in line with the IUCN conditions of service for Maldives.

The GoM-USAID-IUCN Project REGENERATE project, funded by USAID, is aimed at strengthening the sustainable management of coastal resources, particularly coral reefs, thereby strengthening economic, social, and environmental resilience to the adverse effects of climate change in Maldives. This directly supports the Maldives strategy ‘Climate Change Adaptation fostered through Economic, Environment, and Social Resilience’. It seeks to develop informed citizens, civil society, social capital, and governance structures for stakeholder ownership and responsibility in managing local and national marine ecosystems and ecosystem services.
Maldives has immense diversity of marine life in the coral reefs that surround the atolls. It is estimated that biodiversity-based sectors contribute approximately 89 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 98 percent of exports, 71 percent of national employment, 62% of foreign exchange and 49% of public revenue. Agriculture and fisheries, that are both dependent on the country’s unique natural resources, account for 4.9 percent of GDP. Nature-based tourism is the engine of economic growth, accounting directly for about 24 percent of the country’s GDP. About 1.3 million tourists visited the country in 2016 for its un-spoilt marine environment. Degradation of coral reefs and marine biodiversity will adversely impact the tourism sector, including related services, as well as transport and telecommunications sectors. The coral reefs of the Maldives are the seventh largest in the world and very rich in terms of species diversity and aesthetic appeal. The reefs host over 1,090 fish, 258 of reef building corals, and 350 crustacean species. The coral reefs are the first line of defence for the Maldivian islands against storms and sea-level rise. They decrease wave energy by an average of 97 percent and wave height by an average of 84 percent.

The Marine Conservation Officer will work with IUCN Maldives providing technical assistance to Project REGENERATE as well as the Government of the Maldives to identify the biodiversity’s and resilience of the Maldivian ecosystem for further management. Apart from Government bodies, the marine conservation officer will engage with marine biologist, dive school staffs and NGO’s in order to communicate and manage data collection using already existing and upcoming protocols and providing technical assistance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

•Provide appropriate technical support to in the implementation of projects
•Promote and maintain a suitable environment for teamwork among the national project team, site-level project teams and project partners.
•Contribute to the preparation of the annual workplan, including strategic and/or innovative initiatives to be undertaken/explored, and provide inputs in ensuring mainstreaming and complimenting existing national priorities, international commitments and targets.
•Contribute to the Project’s financial planning and budgeting process.
•Assist the Chief Technical Officer in the day to day implementation of all activities and ensure conformity to expected results, outputs, objectives and work plans;
•Provide technical assistance to consultants and specialists of the Project;
•Monitor and ensure timely and quality outputs of experts and specialists needed by the Project and ensure timely review of outputs of consultants;
•Contribute in the preparation of technical reports; recommending appropriate measures for enhancement of project efficiency and alignment of Project activities with national priorities, international commitments and targets.
•Conduct Project field visits and provide technical and operational support and guidance to site partners, as required;
•Assist in the Project team in advocating Project aims, initiatives, and ensure visibility;
•Assist the Project team in relevant project meetings, workshops, and other related events;
•Maintain effective relationship with RPs, other NGOs, government institutions, donors, other project stakeholders and participate at events for project information dissemination purposes;
•Perform other managerial functions as may be assigned by the CTO relevant to the Project.