INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS – HERITAGE MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING EXPERT

Parent Sector : Culture Sector (CLT)

Duty Station: Amman

Job Family: Culture

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : 6 months, extendable

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 26 April 2024 (midnight Paris time)

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

1 BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES AND JUSTIFICATION

Under the direct supervision of the Culture Unit Project Officer, the assigned consultant shall fulfil the role Heritage Management and Planning Expert.

1.1 Project Overview

The assignment falls in the framework of the UNESCO project “Local Communities and Sustainable Tourism in Petra and Wadi Rum” (here-after The Project), funded by the Government of Italy (AICS).

The Petra Archaeological Park, a World Heritage site since 1985, is the largest contributor to Jordan’s tourism industry and economy. Managed by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA), and the Petra Archaeological Park (PAP), the site is in constant demand for preservation and management measures, and the recent increase in tourism, growing unregulated commercial activities, and occurrence of natural disaster events represent an additional threat to its conservation.

Local communities living in and around the site have over the years become increasingly dependent on exploiting the growing number of visitors to Petra as their main source of livelihood. This is mainly through hospitality services and sometimes through unregulated commercial activities inside the site directed towards visitors. The latter is adding to the already existing tourist pressure on the site and leading to conflictual relations with the local authorities.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

As international tourism returns to its pre‐COVID‐19 rate, and with the added pressure of increasing climate change impact, cultural heritage sites need, more than ever, sustainable strategies to ensure their long‐term protection, which should ensure the involvement of local communities at all levels, as main beneficiaries, but also main guarantors of these sites’ protection.

The overall purpose of this project is to ensure the sustainable conservation of World Heritage Sites of Petra and Wadi Rum while offering local communities the possibility to take part in the preservation of the sites through small cash‐for-work activities, enhance their capacity in tourism and hospitality‐related activities, and raise their awareness on the importance of their role in the safeguarding of their own cultural heritage.

The project will also contribute to improving site presentation and ensuring the continuation of tourism activities, thus supporting the tourism‐based economy on which local communities’ livelihoods depend almost entirely.

Long Description

2. PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Within the framework of the Project, and under the direct supervision of the Project Officer in the Culture Unit of UNESCO Jordan Office, the Consultant will provide specialized expertise to the project activities by providing technical support toPetra local authorities (PDTRA and PAP) in:

• developing an Integrated Territorial Master Plan (ITMP), required to facilitate sustainable economic, social and environmental development, and based on a detailed assessment of the cultural and natural assets of the property and its surroundings, and the social and economic needs of the resident and tourism communities.
• updating the Integrated Management Plan developed by UNESCO in 2019, to include in the document a strategy for the participation of local communities to the management of the site.

Long Description

3. DUTIES/TASKS AND EXPECTED OUTPUT:

As part of the assignment, the Consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks:

1. Research and literary review: Conduct a thorough research/assessment of the initiatives already taken by the Local Authorities for the implementation of the Integrated Management Plan since is publication in 2019, as well as current projects being carried out at PAP, and any other documents as deemed necessary.
2. Closely coordinate with the national and local authorities to capture and understand all elements essential to the elaboration of an ITMP for the Petra Archaeological Park.
3. Propose a methodological and technical approach that will lead to the update of the Integrated Management Plan ensuring that local community are actively involved in the management of the site, and to the development and future implementation of the ITMP.
4. Where necessary, indicate ad-hoc studies to be conducted and international or local experts qualified for the tasks to be involved in providing further assistance to the national and local authorities within these specific topics.
5. Coordinate the update of the Integrated Management Plan and the preparation of the ITMP with the relevant national and local authorities and ensure constant communication and regular consultation between the different stakeholders involved (UNESCO, DoA, PDTRA, PAP).
6. Develop a proposal for the ITMP and the update of the Integrated Management Plan for Petra.

4. TIMETABLE AND DELIVERABLES

The total duration of this assignment is tentatively 6 months, from ( May 2024 to 18 October 2024) , and is subject to extension based on the needs and extension of the project.

The list of reports below presents the main deliverables/milestones related to the work assignment to be carried out under the contract. The consultant shall submit to the UNESCO Jordan Office the following reports in English:

i. Inception report, inclusive of a narrative report describing the activities undertaken so far (agendas and minutes of meeting, summaries of discussions, etc.), a tentative timeline for the assignment, and presenting the results of the research/assessment conducted as part of the activity described under Duties/ Tasks and Expected Output 3.i.
ii. Progress Report #1, inclusive of a narrative report describing the activities implemented during the reporting period (agendas and minutes of meeting, summaries of discussions, etc.), and the methodological and technical approach as described under Duties/ Tasks and Expected Output 3.iii.
iii. Progress Report #2, inclusive of a narrative report describing the activities implemented during the reporting period (agendas and minutes of meeting, summaries of discussions, etc.), and the drafts for the ITMP and update of the Integrated Management Plan.
iv. The final ITMP and update of the Integrated Management Plan.
v. Mission reports on the field missions undertaken during the assignment to be provided to UNESCO within 2 weeks from their implementation.

5. COORDINATION

Throughout the duration of the project, the consultant is expected to:
i. Coordinate with the UNESCO Jordan Project Officer in all stages of the work, from the planning phase to the implementation of the agreed activities, taking place in Amman and Petra;
ii. Closely coordinate and liaise with the national and local authorities, primarily the Jordanian Department of Antiquities, the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority, and the Petra Archaeological Park in all stages of the work.

6. FIELD ACTIVITIES

Throughout the duration of the contract, the consultant shall undertake up to five missions (up to 25 days) to Jordan (both Amman and Petra), to conduct the following activities:

i. Hold briefing meetings with the national authorities (Petra Development and Tourism Authority, Petra Archaeological Park, and Department of Antiquities of Jordan) to provide updates on the activities undertaken and consult on relevant decisions;
ii. Undertake field missions to the World Heritage Site of Petra to meet the national and local authorities, the local stakeholders, and the local community, as needed for the elaboration of the ITMP and the update of the Integrated Management Plan.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

Accountability (C)

Communication (C)

Innovation (C)

Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C)

Planning and organizing (C)

Results focus (C)

Teamwork (C)

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For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Master’s Degree or higher in Heritage Conservation, Heritage Resource Management, Architecture, Territorial Development, Sustainable Tourism, or similar fields.

Work experience

• Minimum of 10-year experience in relevant subject areas covered in the Terms of Reference and more specifically concerning: management planning for complex World Heritage sites where a delicate balance between tourism development, preservation of a fragile environment and involvement of local communities shall be achieved;
• Practical experience in developing/implementing modern approaches and procedures in the management of publicly owned heritage sites (preferably with a focus on non-moveable archaeological/antiquity resources), and understanding the interaction between heritage preservation and tourism development;
• Proven record of similar assignments and demonstration of experience in similar projects through concrete project examples.

Languages

• Excellent writing and reporting skills in English and in Arabic.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience

• Knowledge and application of best international public sector models in preserving and maintaining heritage and cultural sites, as well as presenting them to the public and visitors;
• Proper understanding of integrated planning for cultural/archaeological heritage sites and landscapes, including also knowledge of various policies and legal requirements for best management;
• Experience working in a multicultural environment, preferably in the Middle East and Gulf Countries;
• Familiarity with the UN common system, knowledge of UN financial rules and regulations.