IUCN Junior Professional Assistant Job in Kenya

IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, was founded in 1948 and brings together over 1,100 members (States, government agencies, NGOs and affiliates) and some 11,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership.

Its mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

Within the framework of global conventions IUCN has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. IUCN has approximately 1,100 staff, most of whom are located in its regional and country offices while some 150 work at its Headquarters in Gland, Switzerland.

IUCN is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from qualified women and men for the following vacancy:-

Position: Junior Professional Assistant

Location: IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, Nairobi Kenya

Reporting Responsibilities:

Direct Reporting Lines: Regional Coordinator

Reporting Areas: Water and Wetlands Technical, programmatic, management and administrative matters pertaining to the implementation of the team portfolio within the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Programme

Additional Reporting Lines: Programme Officer

Reporting Areas: Project planning, monitoring and evaluation and project management tools; preparation of contracts, memoranda and other agreements

Responsibilities: Support the Team Leader to implement and manage projects or project components and programmatic activities under the Water and Wetlands Project Portfolio in Eastern and Southern Africa and link them with those of the other IUCN thematic and regional components, and the ESARO quadrennial programme.

Duties:

Project management

Support the management of projects, or manage individual projects where appropriate, within the Water and Wetlands Project Portfolio in coordination with the Water and Wetlands Coordinator and other team members, ensuring performance monitoring, efficiency and effectiveness.

With the other team members, develop and administer annual work-plans, budgets, internal agreements, contracts and progress reports as required by collaborating partners, steering committee and donors;Work as a day to day liaison between programme and finance to ensure up-to-date financial records are available and financial reports are delivered on timeEnsure due diligence in the planning, monitoring and evaluation and reporting of assigned project activities;With the other team members, and with prudence and probity, be accountable for portfolio related expenditures in accordance with IUCN procurement procedures;Work with the team leader to ensure that team costs are recovered from the portfolio of project interventions;Ensure the collection, collation, reporting, organization, and archiving of all project data and documents including the update of internal and external knowledge systems (Water Governance website, WANI website, ESARO website, Sharepoint, etc ).Project implementation

Support the implementation of projects and implement individual projects or project components where appropriate, within the Water and Wetlands Project Portfolio in coordination with the Water and Wetlands Coordinator and other team members, ensuring quality outputs and outcomes.

Ensure the timely implementation of assigned projects in accordance with the project documents, supporting agreements (e.g. contracts, MOUs, PAIAs etc), annual workplans and the procedures of IUCN;In coordination with the Coordinator select and appoint consultants following acceptable procurement practices, to carry out specific tasks and oversee delivery of quality products;Provide technical and administrative support and facilitation to project activities and ensure quality outputs and outcomes that meet the satisfaction of project partners and IUCN standards;Manage implementation of project activities with other ESARO and country office staff (e.g. Uganda, Tanzania), according to agreement with those staff by the respective Team Leaders, and maintain positive working relationships across the ESARO programme portfolio;Provide support to projects coordinated by other team members on request and in coordination with the Coordinator;Support collaboration with other IUCN regional and thematic component programmes where appropriate.Support development of communication products (e.g. print, web) in accordance with IUCN’s policies, guidelines and standards;Team Portfolio Development

Some of the projects in the portfolio will be funded project interventions under implementation, others will be early concepts, others developed concepts that are being negotiated with donors.

All of the developing and funded projects combined constitute the Team Portfolio. The Portfolio should be managed in a way that will ensure the sustainability of the Team and contribute to the overall Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Programme.

Working closely with other IUCN regional and thematic component programmes, IUCN members and/or partners, and the Coordinator, support the development of innovative concepts and proposals that address members and/or partners needs and are in line with the IUCN ESARO Programme;Support the communication and dissemination (internally and externally) of portfolio achievements through the development of communiation products (webstories, briefing notes, etc);Help to ensure that the ESARO Project Approval Process is adhered to; monitor and provide information on project evolution; obtain A, B & C numbers and ensure that project related information is up to date in the IUCN Knowledge Network;In collaboration with the Coordinator, use the OABC list as a portfolio development pipeline and a planning tool to manage the team portfolio and ensure portfolio sustainability;Support the Coordinator and other team members in managing the income and expenditure of the Team Portfolio in line with the current needs (ensuring adequate staffing to address programmatic needs and observing that expenditure does not exceed income) and future direction.Contribute to IUCN’s Programme and the IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Programme
Participate and engage in ESARO meetings and other organizational fora as appropriate;Develop close working relationships with the other ESARO Implementation Teams (including Country Offices) and IUCN Members and Commission Members, for the development and strengthening of the team portfolio and vice versa;Contribute to the development of the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Programme as a cohesive organizational unit with an integrated approach to programme development and delivery.
Assist in managing IUCN’s relationship with key project partners
Manage and develop the relationships between IUCN and its implementing partners in coordination with the Coordinator, ensuring that partners are appraised of and satisfied with project progress;Assist in managing, overseeing and developing the relationships between IUCN and its donors, ensuring that donors are appraised of and satisfied with project progress.With prior approval from the Coordinator, represent IUCN at internal and external meetings at local, national and regional levels.Carry out any other relevant tasks as required by, and mutually agreed with, the Coordinator and Programme Officer.Please note: these Terms of Reference (ToR) outline the main responsibilities and duties of this position.

However in an ever-evolving organization such as IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably allocated to them but which may not be a part of their regular ToR. Where any additional task becomes a regular part of the staff member’s responsibilities, the ToR should be revised in consultation between the staff member, line managers.

Selection Criteria

A first degree in Water Resource Management, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Sciences or related field.Master’s degree is an assetProject management skills with strong ability to manage budgets and track financesAbility to take initiative and provide creative solutions to project management problemsExcellent analytical skills and ability to work with little supervision and function in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.A proactive and self motivated individual with good interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to work in a team and capacity to pay attention to detail.General computer literacy and technical writingA strong command of English as a working language is essential: written and spoken Kiswahili and/or Portuguese would be a distinct advantage.Applications

Applicants are asked to submit their CV in English and a supporting letter of motivation along with the names and contact details of three referees, one of whom should be a recent employer.

Applications should be submitted by e-mail before March 11th, 2011 to: IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office. Nairobi, Kenya.

Tel: ++254 (020) 890605-12, 2493561/65/70.

Email: earohr@iucn.org

Applications by email are preferred.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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