Environmental Governance Expert

ADVERT FOR KEY EXPERTS
The EU-China Environmental Governance Programme is a major programme to strengthen environmental governance in China. It will be funded by the European Commission and is due to commence on 1 November 2010 for a period of six years. The project office will be based in Beijing, China.

Environmental Resources Management Limited has been invited to tender for this exciting contract and has formed a strong consortium with Project Management Limited, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, and the Institute of Environment and Resources Law of China University of Political Science and Law.

In accordance with the Terms of Reference, we are seeking to include in our proposal 2 exceptional Key Experts to be at the forefront of this programme for the duration of the contract:

Position Working days 2010-2016

Environmental Governance expert (Senior expert) Minimum 550 (half-time, possibly up to full-time)

The overall aim of the programme is to “contribute to the efforts of the Chinese Government and general public to improve environmental protection in China and promote local sustainable development for the benefit of the people through public participation and accountability in China”. Its main purpose is to strengthen environmental governance through enhanced policy and law as well as improve public access to information and public participation in environmental decision making.

There are 2 components to the project:

Component I – will focus on the local level and will achieve its results through a series of local-level partnership projects, selected following a call for proposals. The main focus will be on the public right and access to information, encouraging modification to implementing rules and regulations which at present may be a barrier to expanding rule-of-law in environmental legislation, making all stakeholders aware of both their rights and their responsibilities and changing the passive culture borne of top-down governance.

Component II – focus will be placed on the national level, providing technical advice to the government’s own initiatives in environmental governance, especially in the fields of access to information, accountability, access to justice, and public participation. To do so it will initiate and facilitate discussion of environmental policy and legislation. It will also draw on the outputs of partnership projects which it will consolidate and draw lessons from. Additionally, it will support activities from Component I and transversal activities at a national level. Furthermore, it will contribute to the continuing EU-China policy dialogue on environmental governance with a view to improving national environmental policy and legislation. It will use the coordinated results of field projects to inform policy.

ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE EXPERT
The Environmental Governance Expert will be expected to work at least half-time (550 days over six years), and possibly up to full-time (to be confirmed), for the duration of the contract and will be based in the project office in Beijing, China. This position will also require considerable travel within and outside China.

The Environmental Governance Expert will contribute to and support the development and implementation of both programme components. In close cooperation with the Project Director and the PSF Team leader she/he will be involved in the drafting of annual work plans and reports and will contribute technical expertises in the identification of priority areas of action.

In particular, the Environmental Governance Expert will assist the PTF in relation to the central government initiatives in improving the policy and legal framework related to environmental governance; will support the coordination with partnership projects and will provide technical assistance in the selection process of the grants, as required.

Qualifications and skills
 University or equivalent degree of at least three years in law, governance, environmental studies or other relevant discipline.
 In depth knowledge of EU environmental governance policies an advantage.
 Coordination and networking capacities.
 Excellent drafting skills.
 Excellent oral communications skills.
 Computer literacy.
 English language proficiency.
 Working knowledge of Chinese language an asset.
 Knowledge of EC procedures highly preferable.

General professional experience
 Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience; of which a minimum 5 in Asia is required.
 Experience of policy development.
 Experience in analysing, developing and drafting legislation.

Specific professional experience
 Working experience of state and local governance in China.
 Experience of development and implementation of environmental legislation at international level.
 Working experience with China’s environmental agenda and policy-making.

Candidates must be available to take up these positions from 1 November 2010 for the number of working days set out above, and will be required to sign a statement confirming their availability. This is a strict requirement of the EC and failure on the part of any Key Expert to comply with this requirement will lead to the cancellation of the award of contract. Candidates are therefore asked to apply only if they are available from the date and for the duration described.

Interested and available candidates are invited to send a CV and covering letter to Natasha Ezekiel – natasha.ezekiel@erm.com . The deadline for applications is Friday 16th July.

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