Programme Overview
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has contracted NIRAS, in partnership with ONF Andina and GITEC, to implement Pillar 3 of
Territorios Forestales Sostenibles
(TEFOS 3).
The full TEFOS programme reflects a £64m UK International Climate Finance (ICF) commitment (2020–2026) to support Colombia in reducing deforestation in conflict-affected and high-deforestation rural areas.
The programme operates through three pillars:
- Strengthening land registry systems (World Bank).
- Tackling environmental crime (UNODC).
- Promoting sustainable economic opportunities (NIRAS-led consortium).
TEFOS 3
supports sustainable livelihoods in deforestation hotspots by:
- Enhancing community skills in sustainable agriculture and forest management.
- Promoting market access and public-private partnerships for sustainable commodities.
- Supporting conservation incentives such as PES and conservation agreements.
The programme aligns with Government of Colombia priorities and will focus on Caquetá (previously also in Guaviare), specifically the Cuemaní deforestation cluster, which accounts for around 15% of Amazon deforestation in recent years.
Following a shift in geographical focus and shortened contract duration (38 to 30 months), the TEFOS 3 team structure has been re-designed to meet delivery goals within the new timeframe.
Role and Responsibilities
The
Conflict Sensitivity Adviser
ensures that all TEFOS 3 activities are designed and implemented through a conflict-sensitive lens.
This involves analysing how changes in territorial economic dynamics from TEFOS 3 interventions could trigger, worsen, or mitigate armed conflict.
This includes assessing how new value chains could affect power dynamics or benefit illicit actors, and recommending strategies to minimise unintended consequences.
Key responsibilities:
- Analyse:
- Socio-economic tensions (e.g., between project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries).
- Interactions between sustainable livelihoods and illicit economies (illegal mining, drug trafficking).
- Governance impacts of incentive allocation (e.g., PES, Conservar Paga).
- Develop an
initial Conflict Sensitivity Analysis Report
in coordination with the British Embassy.
This report will include: - Contextual conflict understanding
- Stakeholder mapping
- Legal/policy framework
- Conflict risk and mitigation analysis
- Economic-productive risks (e.g., social exclusion, market distortion, armed actor co-optation)
- Provide
quarterly report updates
and a dedicated chapter on the economic sensitivity of TEFOS 3 interventions to conflict dynamics.
- Deliver
monthly reporting
on evolving conflict risks and trends.
- Support TEFOS 3 staff in integrating conflict sensitivity across planning and implementation:
- Advise on potential impacts of project activities on conflict dynamics.
- Recommend conflict mitigation approaches.
- Assess how conflict dynamics may affect delivery.
- Support fieldwork and travel to project sites, including Cartagena del Chairá.
- Update and maintain the
Political Economy Analysis (PEA)
and contribute to its refinement.
- Liaise closely with the
British Embassy Political Team
, serving as a key link between TEFOS 3 and FCDO on conflict-related matters.
- Facilitate
secure grievance mechanisms
for project-affected families to inform future design and delivery.
- Use and regularly update the
Conflict Response (CORE) tool
for conflict monitoring and analysis.
- As part of the
Project Management Unit (PMU)
, collaborate on mitigation protocols in response to conflict or unrest.
- Support updates to the
programme risk matrix
related to evolving conflict conditions.
- Establish a
stakeholder engagement protocol
for TEFOS 3 activities, defining contact points, methods, frequency, ownership, and anticipated challenges.
Expertise Required
- Undergraduate degree (Master's preferred) in Political Economy, Development Economics, Peace & Conflict Studies, International Relations, International Law, or related fields.
- Minimum 5 years' experience
analysing economic dynamics in conflict-affected areas, ideally in the Amazon region.
- Strong understanding of how
sustainable livelihoods interact with conflict dynamics
in fragile territories.
- In-depth knowledge of Colombia's armed conflict history, peace agreement frameworks, regional actors, and grievances.
- Prior experience integrating
conflict sensitivity into development projects
; familiarity with Political Economy Analysis (PEA) is an asset.
- Experience with
local community engagement
and GEDSI (Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion) principles.
- Field experience in the
Colombian Amazon
, especially in TEFOS target areas.
- Demonstrated experience on
donor-funded programmes
, preferably UK-funded.
- Excellent analytical, communication, and technical writing skills in Spanish (and ideally English).
Timeframe and Input
This is a
part-time consultancy
role, with up to
180 days of input
between now and end of 2026 (approx.
12.8 days/month).
Deliverables
- Initial
Conflict Sensitivity Analysis Report - Quarterly updates
to the analysis - Monthly risk reports
- Contributions to
PMU meetings
and risk analysis - Regular updates to
CORE
and
PEA
tools
Reporting Line
Reports to the
TEFOS 3 Team Leader
at NIRAS.
Close collaboration with the Delivery Lead and British Embassy Political Team.