Senior Programme Officer, Ocean Resilience Full-Time

Background

Job description

1. Project management (LMMA-WIO)

• Lead the implementation of the LMMA-WIO project, ensuring that the activities are delivered in accordance with approved project plans;
• Provide financial planning and management oversight for the LMMA-WIO project, ensuring that project budgets are efficiently maintained and reporting requirements are adhered to;
• Identify the needs and prepare TORs for specific technical inputs (consultants) and oversee the recruitment and management of consultants and delivery of quality outputs;
• Monitor the progress of the project in relation to milestones set out in annual work plans and identifies issues that need urgent attention;
• Lead the development of quarterly and annual reports as per donor(s) requirements.

2. Strategy and policy direction

• Develop a medium-term integrated marine action/business plan for Mozambique;
• Coordinate and support conservation and research activities that are relevant to management that improves the resilience of coral reefs in the face of climate change;
• Field Monitoring and supervision of project activities and partners, ensuring that field-based activities are efficiently and effectively implemented in accordance with agreed project plans, with the full participation of all project stakeholders;
• Develop strategies for a network of locally managed marine areas or marine protected areas;
• Advice the country representative and marine technical coordinator on all matters relevant to the marine sector in the country;
• Facilitate targeted policy analysis to inform decision-makers at various level of leadership and governance.

3. Technical support

• Undertake technical leadership of all activities related to seascape conservation including; carrying out biodiversity and ecosystem assessments (coral reefs and seagrass), social vulnerability and livelihood resilience and participatory development of management plans;
• Increase capacity of local stakeholders and communities to enhance marine resilience and biodiversity conservation, through localised awareness, training, site specific action plans and implementation of actions for sustainable resource uses;
• Coordinate the design, planning and coordination of capacity building workshop and events (capacity building trainings, workshops, MPA exchanges) to government and communities;
• Support promotion and capacity building on alternative livelihoods

4. Resource mobilization and communication

• Identify opportunities for resource mobilization and participate in preparation of grant proposals as required;
• Ensure strong coordination/collaboration with partners, district authorities and local community leaders through regular coordination meetings/program reviews, joint field visits and planning;
• Liaise closely with site communities, district and provincial offices and relevant government departments to ensure synergy and support for site activities;
• Dissemination of programme results to inform policy makers

5. Other responsibilities:

• Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Requirements

• An advanced degree in marine sciences, environmental studies, natural resources management, or a related field.

 Work Experience

• At least 5+ years of proven experience with:
• Relevant working experience in relation to marine areas and an up-to-date knowledge of the current thinking on biodiversity conservation, with particular reference to the establishment and effective management of protected areas systems at national and site levels;
• Familiarity with established and emerging biodiversity conservation approaches, and methodologies and processes – Marine Spatial Planning (MSP); Fisheries Management; Resilience thinking; Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation etc;
• Knowledge of the institutional and legal framework of marine, coastal and climate related issues and policies of Mozambique;
• Familiarity with practical species conservation and ecology, with specific knowledge relevant to the region would be an advantage;
• An in-depth understanding of the ESARO region, particularly the coastal states;
• Demonstrated fundraising, budgeting and programme planning abilities and past performance, including experience of development and successful marketing of project proposals with donors, and subsequent delivery and reporting;
• Experience with result based portfolio and project cycle management, monitoring and evaluation methodologies and principles and facilitation skills

Language requirement

• Excellent verbal and communication skills in English and Portuguese a must.

Core Competencies

• Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out the work of IUCN in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team;
• Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds;
• Professionalism: Promote the organization’s interests, objectives and values in a diligent and professional manner;
• Accountability: Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions, promotes the IUCN One Programme approach.

Functional Competencies

• Adheres to IUCN ESARO core values of Transparency, Inclusiveness, Professionalism and Accountability;
• Computer literacy in relation to office and online communication tools;
• Strong interpersonal, management and supervisory skills and experience, with demonstrated experience in managing teams an added advantage;
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating the establishment of networks and multi-stakeholder participatory processes;
•  Ability to interact with different stakeholders from diverse cultures;
• Committed to continuous learning and proactive and mature attitude towards self-development;
• Willing to travel frequently within the region.