Spatial Planning Expert

Result of Service
Establishment of a National Protected Areas Network.
Work Location
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Expected duration
‎24 months
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global
environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes
the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable
development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative
advocate for the global environment. The West Asia Office of UNEP delivers
advisory services and capacity building support to countries to achieve
environment and sustainable development objectives. This consultancy
announcement is meant to solicit applications for rostering purposes to serve
as the pool of expertise that UNEP West Asia Office is creating within the
framework of the long-term strategic partnership and the Saudi Environment
Sustainability Programme with the Ministry of Environment, Water and
Agriculture of Saudi Arabia.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager in UNEP West Asia Office
and in coordination with the National Centre for Wildlife (NCW) and the
respective department in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in
Saudi Arabia, the expert will carry-out, inter alia, the following duties and
responsibilities:

‎1. Provide technical advice and guidance on the development and application
of state-of-the-art spatial planning techniques and tools associated with the
development and finalization of the protected areas system plan for Saudi
Arabia, thus ensuring the adequacy and alignment of the NCW database with
relevant national and international databases and knowledge platforms
including the new Terrestrial Eco-regions of the World (TEOW).
‎2. Adjustment of terrestrial eco-region boundaries and ecosystem type
boundaries, aiming at seamless nesting of ecosystem types within terrestrial
eco-regions. This will involve checking the boundaries of the ecosystem type
units against the new Terrestrial Eco-regions of the World (TEOW) map, to
ensure that the best of each map is retained.
‎3. Refinement of ecosystem type unit boundaries using satellite imagery and
remote sensing tools. The current boundaries of the NCW ecosystem types are
often coarse and angular; in cases where they are meant to reflect landforms
and vegetation boundaries, remote sensing tools will refine them greatly.
‎4. Refinement of ecosystem type unit boundaries, where needed, using the GIS
geology layer that has newly become available to the NCW.
‎5. Specific refinements will include:
o Refinement of the boundaries of the 'Asir Escarpment crest and 'Asir
Escarpment crest juniper woodlands.
o Refinement of the boundaries of the wadi units.
o Consideration to differentiate the Hijaz Hills and Mountains ecosystem type
into northern and southern units.
o Consideration of whether some sedimentary ecosystem types - and the
Najran-'Asir plateau ecosystem type - should be differentiated into plains and
plateaus/outcrops
‎6. Conversion of remaining points in the biodiversity hotspots layer to
polygons. This pertains mainly to juniper woodlands and some wadis that have
not yet been digitized.
‎7. Rationalization of the boundaries between terrestrial and marine ecosystem
types, as needed, in collaboration with the consultant on marine protected
area planning.
‎8. Guidance on refining a map designed as an overlay on the Ecosystem Types
Map, that sets out the NCW vision for future conservation planning to meet and
surpass the targets of the Saudi Green Initiative and the CBD for ‎2030,
increase connectivity (including latitudinal, altitudinal, and marine depth
connectivity for improved resilience to climate change), and to fill gaps in
ecological representation and biodiversity hotspots.
‎9. Provide on-the-job mentoring coaching and training for NCW and partners
staff on the application of state-of-the-art spatial planning technologies and
tools thus ensuring the institutionalization of the key technical competencies
and capabilities within national entities.

Outputs / Work Assignments (Deliverables):
‎1. An inception reports.
‎2. Technical guidelines and scientific reports.
‎3. Monthly and quarterly reports.
‎4. Training manuals and courses.
‎5. Capacity building programme for National Centre for Wildlife.
‎6. Final report on spatial planning protected areas.
Qualifications/special skills
Master's degree or PHD in biodiversity, ecosystems, protected areas,
environmental science, natural sciences, or related fields is required.
Minimum of ‎10 years of professional technical experience in the field of
protected areas is required.
Knowledge of protected areas in Saudi Arabia is an asset.
Experience working in West Asia is desirable.
Languages
Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic is required.
Additional Information
This consultancy announcement is meant to solicit applications for rostering
purposes to serve as the pool of expertise.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT
PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED
NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS' BANK ACCOUNTS.