TNC’s conservation projects and programmes are achieving tremendous impact on the ground in many countries across Africa. However, the impact of many of these initiatives will be multiplied several fold if their activities are complemented by policy and regulatory support of relevant subnational and national institutions.

This can be achieved through an effective policy and government relations strategy that is focused and targeted at priority institutions and policy processes that directly address the objectives of our programmes. Thus, new programmes would be able to incorporate these policy priorities ab initio and existing projects can be adjusted to benefit from appropriate policy incentives.

Purpose of the study

To undertake a review of the institutional and policy frameworks at national and sub-national level that are likely to enable or disable the multiplication of the impacts of TNC programmes on the ground. This will aim to identify gaps and suggest ways to address these gaps. The study will aim to determine what policies already exist and identify new and/or expanded policies that would be required to meet the ambitions of the respective country and TNC programmes. It would provide an understanding of the policies (including enabling conditions and governance) that are missing for implementation. 

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to:

(3.1) Gain a deep familiarity and understanding of the policy and institutional contexts of TNC projects in the country with a view to identifying the policy levers that impinge on the scale-up and sustainability of such projects and programmes.

(3.2) Undertake the required reviews of existing biodiversity and climate change institutional and policy frameworks at national and subnational levels to identify key gaps that will inform and adapt recommended actions in development of regulations that will enable the scale-up and replication of such interventions.

(3.3) Consult the views of national and subnational level stakeholders on best practices and lessons learnt to inform recommendations regarding needed changes at national and subnational level with respect to institutional arrangements and policy processes that are of most relevance to TNC’s work;

(3.4) Propose specific areas of priority for TNC’s policy influence within the country’s institutional and policy framework that are practical and provide an effective enabling environment for enhanced achievement of TNC’s strategic objectives in the country.

The intern will work in close collaboration with the TNC staff and other stakeholders and will report to the Policy and Government Relations Advisor. This is a short-term assignment that will take about 3 months to completion and the interns will be based in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, or South Africa. Candidates need to have rights to work in these specific countries as no travel or relocation assistance shall be provided.

The intern will undertake the following tasks at national and subnational levels:

1. Undertake a desktop review, interviews, and field visits to gain an understanding of the projects and programmes of TNC in the country to identify the policy entry points. 
2. Undertake a desktop review of relevant legislation, policies, and institutional arrangements for the regulation of biodiversity and natural resources management and prepare a desktop review report that will clearly identify gaps and recommended actions
3. Conduct relevant stakeholder consultation to verify findings from desktop review and recommended actions.
4. Analyse the findings of the study and identify the key policies to be prioritized for policy influence to address the gaps in the existing legislations and policy frameworks.
5. Produce a report on the results of the exercise.