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Regional Water and Wetlands Programme Coordinator for central and West Africa

Vacancy #:   5351
Unit:   Water and Wetlands Programme (SN)
Organisation:   International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Location:   West and Central Africa Regional Office, Dakar, Senegal
Reporting to:   Regional Programme Coordinator
Work percentage:   100%
Grade:   SP
Expected start date:   01 January 2022
Type of contract:   Fixed-term (12 months with possibility of renewal)
Closing date:   10 August 2020 (extended)
BACKGROUND
Our mission: “To influence, encourage & assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity & diversity of nature & to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable & ecologically sustainable.”

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1 300 Member organisations and the input of more than 15 000 experts. This diversity and vast expertise makes IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. The IUCN Secretariat works with Member organisations and IUCN Commissions to move the vision of IUCN’s membership into action. The Secretariat includes around 900 staff and projects in over 160 countries.

The IUCN’s Regional Programme for West and Central Africa (UICN-PACO) currently has over 100 staff members working in its offices in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.

The IUCN Regional Water & Wetlands Program Coordinator reports directly to the Regional Programme Coordinator and functionally to the Head of IUCN’s Global Water Programme. He/she will serve as both a senior member of the Regional Programme committee that delivers the technical program of IUCN in Central and West Africa and the IUCN global Water Programme network. The network functions across all of IUCN,s regional offices, and headquarters based team that helps set strategic direction and define priorities for IUCN’s broader engagement on water resources management and conservation.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The general role of the Regional Water & Wetlands Program Coordinator (RWWP) is to lead IUCN’s thematic work on water and wetlands issues to provide crosscutting thematic support and expertise to IUCN country programmes and other regional thematic programmes on water and wetlands issues, and to engage with IUCN’s Members and Commissions, public and private partners at country, regional and global levels to establish and maintain a consistent and innovative water and wetlands conservation programme in West and Central Africa. He / She is responsible for the overall management of RWWP portfolio, ensuring that they are coherent and consistent with IUCN’s “One Programme” approach, align with and build on the IUCN’s global water and wetlands strategy and other relevant organisational business lines, align with and add value to national, regional and global conservation and sustainable development strategies and priorities.

The specific duties of Regional Water & Wetlands Program Coordinator are:

Technical and strategic leadership
- Take a lead role in the development of the Regional Water and Wetlands Programme through providing vision and guidance in developing a well-defined strategic focus in the short, medium and long term, ensuring:
- Provide technical advice, guidance and support on Water and Wetlands conservation and on links between livelihoods and water-based ecosystem services to Country and Project Offices, and to other Regional Thematic Programmes and/or Country Offices and act as the focal point for the Water and Wetlands related issues particularly with Members, Commissions, partners and other IUCN component programmes as required;
- Work closely with IUCN Commissions, Country offices, Project Offices and other thematic programmes to develop and maintain an appropriate project portfolio and funding for implementation of the Regional Programme;
- Work with colleagues across the region, the global network and headquarters programme on water, river basin and wetlands issues to ensure that they function as an integrated team, that there is coherence and consistency in the policy statements, and a high quality of technical and policy advice is given to field programmes and projects;
- Oversee and provide technical support to IUCN country offices for the development and implementation of coherent and programmatically aligned water and wetlands strategies.

Fundraising and partnership relations
- Lead fundraising maintain a consistent and ambitious regional work stream on water and wetlands;
- Engage and maintain good relationships with donor and strategic partners so as to ensure the financial viability of the Regional Water and Wetlands Programme;
- Actively engage with other IUCN units and constituencies to fundraise and develop cross-country and cross-cutting initiatives in response to current challenges and priorities;
- Ensure that IUCN is adequately represented in relevant regional, international fora and negotiations on water, river basin and wetlands conservation management in Central and West Africa;
- Develop and maintain appropriate collaboration and partnerships with relevant organizations on water-related issues of mutual interest and in particular ensure meaningful engagement of local IUCN members in the implementation of the RWWP.

Programme management and oversight
- Oversee the implementation of the RWWP’s portfolio and ensure that various portfolio initiatives are delivered in a programmatically aligned manner;
- Oversee the development and implementation of annual budgets and work plans and provide a timely progress report on programme finances and technical activities in accordance with IUCN’s practices;
- Ensure quality control and assurance of the RWWP portfolio development and delivery;
- Ensure that IUCN’s policies and procedures are fully considered and adhered to within the unit and by clients;
- Participate in joint planning, assessment and communication activities of the Regional Programme and facilitate the development of joint programmes with members and partners.
- Work with colleagues within and beyond the Regional Water and Wetlands Programme to ensure that the unit functions as an integrated team; that there is coherence, consistency and quality in overall programme implementation and reporting;
- Supervise staff and lead capacity development on water related issues in component programmes;

Knowledge generation, management and communication
- Keep track off and ensure the constant updating and management of online information on appropriate IUCN platforms;
- Coordinate the development, consolidation and dissemination of water and wetlands policy relevant knowledge and tools to the Region and other networks in the most effective way;
- Ensure the generation, publication, availability of and access to high quality scientific, technical and policy-relevant knowledge products on water and wetlands;
- Ensure constant provision and contribution of regional knowledge towards IUCN’s global knowledge development and communication;
- Put in place and maintain a programme data and information base system on IUCN online and other authorised platforms;
- Facilitate intra and extra programme learning, outreach and communication on relevant and emerging issues to position IUCN as a reference in water and wetlands matters in the region;
- Ensure coherent and consistent communication of lessons and knowledge to influence and contribute water and wetlands policy and conservation decision and planning nationally, regionally and globally;
REQUIREMENTS
  • The successful candidate should demonstrate the following competencies and skills:
- An advanced degree (at least Master degree) in natural sciences, natural resources management, nature conservation or related fields;


• At least 07 years of relevant work experience on issues pertinent to water and wetlands, water governance, biodiversity conservation and natural resources management;

• Minimum of 5 years of international experience in multicultural working environments;

• Demonstrated experience in fundraising for large and multicounty initiatives, with successful outcomes;

• Demonstrated experience with project and programme development and management;

• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with portfolio management experience;

• Mastery of regional and global water and wetlands issues and policy and strategic frameworks;

• Demonstrated financial planning and management ability;

• Demonstrated skills in network development and network administration and ability to achieve results through networking in cross-cultural situations

• Demonstrated experience in managing multicultural and multidisciplinary teams;

• Demonstrated spoken and written fluency in French and English

• Advanced computer processing skills

• DUTY STATION: The successful candidate will be based in Dakar (Senegal), with frequent travel across Central and West Africa, and other regions.
APPLICATIONS

Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the "Apply" button.

Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.

Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/


About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

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