General information

Apart from the significantly large contribution of the tourism sector to the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the sector is also one of the most important providers of employment in the country. The tourism sector also maintains critical economic linkages with remote and highly dispersed inhabited islands, and is linked to a diverse range of value chains and opportunities related to agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, construction, transport, communication, energy, water and waste management.

 

The Project Management Unit (PMU) is primarily responsible for raising the public profile of the Project, whose principle stakeholders are the resorts and safari boat owners, investors, operators, Ministry of Tourism (MOT), Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEE), Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure (MHI), dependent island communities, civil and environmental engineers, researchers, architects, and organizations including MATI, MATATO, LAM and DAM, civil society groups, and the general public.

 

With the activities planned for phase 1 coming to a close, there is a compelling need to share the findings and recommendations of the studies undertaken under the project, as well as to increase awareness among stakeholders on the climate change related risks faced by the tourism industry, and on the wide ranging adaptation measures designed to increase the industry’s resilience to climate change.

 

Presently, there is a lack of good and effective communication between government, resorts and communities. The PMU intends to address this issue by strengthening communication and coordination between the ministries, resorts and the communities, and by developing reliable and timely information to cater to various stakeholders.The PMU will do this mainly through strategic communications, including proactive media outreach, and a range of public relations activities.

 

Furthermore, the CSRO will be required to facilitate monitoring of Small Grant programs supported by TAP and liase with individual program managers to comply with reporting formalities and ensuring timely delivery of programme outcomes.

 

Basis for consultancy

The success of any project, business or organization depends largely on how effectively the stakeholders communicate. Today, there is a growing recognition that carrying out good baseline and feasibility studies and publishing the reports is not enough for such studies to influence policy and practice. To increase the probability that the findings and recommendations of the various studies completed under the project influence policy and practice, and benefit the stakeholders, there is an acute need to communicate these findings and recommendations to all stakeholders. Communications designed to influence policy and practice requires different skills and expertise. Likewise, different topics will also require different communications approaches in order to be effective. Developing strong partnerships with the tourism industry, government, knowledge intermediaries and other stakeholders is vital to increase the visibility and success of the project.

 

Effective communication is also vital if the studies undertaken is to have maximum possible impact, and demonstrate its worth at a time when funding for environmental and development projects are at risk. Sharing lessons learnt from best practices as well as from pilot programmes is important to support this work. Since PMU does not have the necessary communication skills and capacity, it has been decided to provide the services of a Communications and Stakeholder Relations Officer(CSRO) to PMU, for a term of one year.

 

Description of work responsibilities

Under the direction and supervision of the National Project Director, this position is responsible for managing communications and public relations activities related to the Tourism Adaptation Project (TAP) and facilitating  monitoring and evaluation of grant programmes.

The communication officer shall manage communications and public relations, including media relations for the Project Management Unit of the TAP and disseminate knowledge products of the project to promote climate change adaptation in the Maldivian tourism industry. The incumbent’s major activities include: preparing and implementing periodic and specific Communications Plans, managing communications messaging for key audiences, co-coordinating Tourism Adaptation Platform’s website content, preparing, in a timely manner, focused, highly readable written materials, ensuring consistent and effective style for all TAP communications products to maximize visibility and “branding”. The ability to work autonomously, efficiently and in a flexible manner within the TAP team is crucial.

Primary Duties or Responsibilities

a)       Develop and implement Communications Plans to convey TAP achievements, best practices & research results (at the level of stakeholder initiatives and for individual TAP programs) to key audiences through a variety of activities, events and communication products which should include:

o    Making project lessons and case studies available via an online portal (e.g. the Adaptation Learning Mechanism);

o    Sharing of project-related reports with other tourism adaptation projects in  island states (such as the UNDP-supported tourism adaptation project in Samoa).

b)       Identify relevant NGOs, associations and representatives from the private sector, communities and government ministries and formulate and implement engagement strategies to ensure engagement and support from all stakeholders.

c)       Edit, review and/or write official publications to communicate key recommendations of the reports to the stakeholders.

d)       Prepare and maintain TAP Facts & Figures: accurate, up-to-date compendium of tables, charts, graphs on TAP funded activities with support from the admin officer.

e)       Provide communications support for joint project investments; special events such as proposed “World Tourism Day” (September 27^th 2013); official visits to Project sites; stakeholder meetings, seminars and workshops.

f)        Co-ordinates Tourism Adaptation Platform’s website content.

g)       Manages media relations to ensure strong and effective project visibility.

h)       Attend ongoing Communications activities such as responding to inquiries, maintaining calendar of events and communications mailing lists and evaluating the impact of key communications tools.

i)         Assist the PMU to conduct an international tourism adaptation workshop with participation from other SIDS in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.

j)        Identify case studies for presentation in knowledge sharing events;

k)       Assist PMU to plan and conduct knowledge transfer workshops with government representatives, tourism industry stakeholders, financial, insurance and re-insurance providers and multilateral institutions (UNDP, WB, ADB);

l)         Prepare summary report of findings from the knowledge transfer workshops and disseminate the report through the tourism adaptation platform.

m)     Work with the National Project Manager and PMU to ensure invovlement of relevent stakeholders in consultancies, workshops and seminars carried out under TAP project.

n)       Support PMU in monitoring of small grants programmes and liason with grantees and programe managers.

More specifically, the CSRO will implement the following main responsibilities:

1. Monitoring of TAP small grant projects

• Facilitate PMU with small grants scheme implementation.
• Liaise with TAP grantees regarding project reporting and performance,
• Arrange grantee periodic meetings and performance review schedules
• Arrange projects monitoring field visits and collating data and information for project documentation.
• Publicize grant projects through mass and social media and other sources identified in communication plan.

 

2. Communications about project activities and results.

 

• Design and facilitate printing and disseminate project brochure,
• Design and publish project quarterly newsletter
• Review and continually update MTAP website and other social networks.
• Assist with publishing project technical reports.
• Ensure appropriate dissemination of technical reports

 

3. Public awareness campaigns

 

• Translate project results into stakeholder and public awareness materials.
• Coordinate campaigns to raise stakeholder and public awareness on key issues, in close cooperation with NGOs and evaluate impact of campaigns.
• Prepare awareness materials for each of the studies completed under the project.

 

3. Other

• Establish communications style and standards.
• Assist in activities related to conferences, seminars, training courses etc.
• Ensure design quality of all project outputs.
• Support other activities requested by NPM.

 

Outputs

The CSRO shall provide the following outputs:

a)      Awareness materials (brochures, leaflets and other communication materials) for each of the studies completed under the project.

b)      Assist in Organizing and conduct in training workshops for stakeholders.

c)      Prepare workshop reports.

d)     Quarterly newsletter.

e)      Maintain MTAP and other social networks created under the project.

f)        Develop Small Grant projects monitoring schedules, organise M&E visits and compile reports

 

Evaluation Criteria

The applications received will be evaluated using the following criteria and other relevant criteria as may be considered appropriate by evaluation / review committee:

 

• Relevant qualifications.
• Relevant work experience (experience in related work or profession).
• Knowledge of environment and climate change, livelihoods, and project management.

 

Contract and duty stations

 

The CSRO will be contracted by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) for 12 calendar months and possibility of extension up to end of project upon successful performance, and will report to the NPM. The CSRO will be based at the Project Management Unit within MTAC.

 

Qualifications/ Requirements

 

• University graduate degree in environment or media, public affairs or other related field.
• Excellent inter-personal communication, negotiating and networking skills.
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Dhivehi.
• IT skills – word processing, desk-top publishing, and communications software.
• Experience of web-site management would be an advantage.
• Sound policy understanding of the tourism context in Maldives;
• Extensive business contacts with national and international agencies involved in local and international studies of climate change, in general, and adaptation, in particular will be useful.
• Previous work experience in the country on issues relevant to the project.
• Ability and willingness to travel within and outside the Maldives.
• Demonstrable skills in office computer use – word processing, spread sheets etc.
• Previous work experience in communication and awareness activities will be an advantage.
• Working in similar projects with government, NGOs, and other key stakeholders in Maldives will be an added advantage.

 

Applications

 

Interested candidates should submit a letter of application with a full CV, including a copy of a valid ID card and names of two referees to the following address.
Mr. Moosa Zameer Hassan,

National Project Manager,

Tourism Adaptation Project

Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture,

5^th Floor, Velaanaage,

Male’, Republic of Maldives.
Email: zameer@www.tourism.gov.mv