Executive Manager African Eco-labelling Mechanism

Project / Field of activity
The African Union (AU), UNEP and UNECA in cooperation with the African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ARSCP) and African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) have launched the development of the African Eco-labelling Mechanism (AEM). The German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU) has provided funding for the initial phase of the institutionalization of the AEM within the framework of the Task Force on Cooperation with Africa founded in the course of the Marrakech Process. The implementing agency for this Project Phase of the Mechanism is GIZ in close cooperation with ARSO. The AEM Secretariat has been set up and is hosted by ARSO. AEM’s governance structures comprising of an Executive Board, a Technical Board and Sector Working Groups are being established. One of the main project objectives is to develop an African sustainability standard on which Benchmarking and a certification process with an Eco-label will be based on. Another main task will be to define a viable strategy to ensure long-term financial self-sufficiency of the AEM. The marketing of the eco-label in cooperation with international partners will be another decisive task of the project. Finally, the project aims at developing the capacity of African accreditation and certification bodies and facilitating access of producers to certification.

Responsibilities
As Executive Manager, you will be a member of the project team that develops and institutionalizes the AEM in close cooperation with relevant regional, continental and international organisations. You will play a key role in ensuring the project's success and in achieving the objectives agreed with BMU in line with the Marrakesh Process. You will be responsible for the implementation of the programme strategy and for the promotion of the AEM across the continent and internationally. Together with the partner organisations as well as other members of the project team, you will lead the project so as to ensure the long-term sustainability of the AEM programme.

In this context, you will work closely with the Executive Board, AEM programme coordinator, the project manager responsible for the contract and cooperation at GIZ’s Kenya Office and colleagues from GIZ headquarters in Germany who will support the project implementation, particularly as regards developing the standards and benchmarking system and drawing up a marketing concept. You will coordinate and support economic and political networking for AEM. You will be required to report progress of project implementation to the AEM Executive Board biannually.

To ensure the long-term viability of the AEM program it is highly desirable that you develop a commitment to the AEM beyond the project phase.

Qualifications
You have a Master’s degree in political or social sciences, economics, environmental or agricultural sciences, or in a similar area, and have gained at least ten years of experience as an advisor or manager. You have comprehensive expert knowledge on voluntary sustainability standards and you are perfectly acquainted with environmental and climate protection. You are perfectly acquainted with the diverse cultural backgrounds on the African continent, you have finely tuned communication skills, are an excellent networker, excel under pressure, and act sensitively in an intercultural environment.
Proficiency in English is a must and fluency in French would be an asset.

African candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Duration
June 2011 until March 2013

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