Chief Technical Specialist

The Chief Technical Specialist (CTS) provides overall technical leadership, strategic guidance, and quality assurance for the project 'Accelerating PNG's Sustainable Blue Economy through Strengthened Governance and Investment in Marine Areas'. The CTS is responsible for ensuring that conservation, sustainable blue-economy development, private-sector engagement and access-to-finance interventions are technically sound, commercially informed and coherent across all outcomes and geographies.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic technical leadership and quality assurance for the project implementation.
• Lead technical oversight across all project outcomes ensuring alignment with international best practices and local market conditions.
• Prepare and review technical documents, reports, and knowledge products.
• Provide technical guidance on ecosystem assessment, marine protected areas management, marine spatial planning, and nature-based solutions business models.
• Lead or guide market and value-chain assessments for conservation-positive opportunities.
• Ensure business and financing models include biodiversity safeguards, gender and social inclusion, and transparency.
• Guide project monitoring, risk management, reporting, and adaptive management processes.
• Oversee implementation of project M&E plan and appraisal of results framework.
• Establish and monitor market and finance indicators related to project outcomes.
• Manage project risks and update risk register.
• Design and deliver capacity building and training for project team and partners.
• Support coordination, partnerships, knowledge exchange, and participation in technical and investment platforms.
• Provide technical leadership on nature-based business models, blended conservation finance, and public-private-community partnerships.
• Guide development and review of business cases for blue economy and nature-based solutions.
• Provide technical inputs to policy and regulatory frameworks for sustainable blue investments.
• Engage with PNG Biodiversity and Climate Fund and other partners for blended investment structuring.

Requirements

• Master's Degree with 7 years of experience OR Bachelor's Degree with 9 years of experience.
• Experience in conservation, sustainable blue-economy development, private-sector engagement, and access-to-finance interventions.
• Ability to provide technical leadership and strategic guidance in marine biodiversity, marine protected areas, marine spatial planning, natural capital accounting, and nature-based solutions.
• Experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and adaptive management processes.
• Knowledge of GEF, UNDP and Government of PNG requirements and standards.
• Ability to build capacity of project teams and national partners in technical and programmatic aspects.
• Experience in private sector engagement, deal origination, and grant administration.
• Strong communication and coordination skills with multiple stakeholders including government units, private sector, and international partners.
• Knowledge of English is required; knowledge of Tok Pisin or other official PNG languages is desired.

Skills

• Conservation
• Sustainable Blue-Economy Development
• Private Sector Engagement
• Access-to-Finance Interventions
• Technical Leadership
• Strategic Guidance
• Marine Biodiversity
• Marine Protected Areas
• Marine Spatial Planning
• Natural Capital Accounting
• Nature-Based Solutions
• Project Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Adaptive Management
• GEF Requirements
• Compliance with UNDP Standards
• Government of PNG Standards
• Capacity Building
• Deal origination
• Grant Administration
• Stakeholder Coordination

Languages

English