THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONALS OR THOSE WITH THE RIGHT TO WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA ON LOCAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT


The IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty four countries in the Horn of Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. The Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Programme undertakes a series of core actions with a view to realizing its overall intersessional results in relation to the IUCN Core Programme Area (Conserving Biodiversity) and thematic programmes. Since its creation in 1948, IUCN has been engaging the private sector to help conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. In this context, the Global Business and Biodiversity Programme (BBP) was established in 2003 to influence and support private partners in addressing environmental and social issues. The Programme's key priority, based on a strategy approved by the IUCN Council, is to engage the business sectors that have a significant impact on natural resources and livelihoods.

Reporting to the Regional Technical Coordinator for Biodiversity, Economics and Business; the Programme Officer is responsible for developing and managing a portfolio of Programme and projects activities within the Biodiversity, Economics and Business Thematic Area (BEB) in ESARO. The Programme officer will carry both: i) An administrative and management role of the Thematic Programme and projects activities within the region portfolio to ensure effective delivery of the Portfolio of work; and ii) A technical role vis a vis the Thematic Programme and projects activities, especially in terms of projects implementation.

Reporting to and working closely with the Regional Technical Coordinator for Business, Economics and Biodiversity, the specific responsibilities of the Programme Officer (BEB) are to:

1. Provide administrative, technical and managerial support for the programme in the Biodiversity, Economics and Business Thematic Area in ESARO:

1.1 Assist in providing strategic and technical support for the development of the Biodiversity, Economics and Business Thematic Programme and its portfolio in ESARO;
1.2 Assist in establishing new projects/programmes within and aligned with the thematic area in the region;
1.3 Assist in establishing new business and other strategic relationships within the ESARO region with key stakeholders regarding the Biodiversity, Economics and Business Thematic Programme. This may include national government ministries, regional economic commissions; private sector and donor coordination bodies;
1.4 Assist with the operational management of established partnership(s) and project(s), especially the Black Mountain Mining Partnership;
1.5 Support the Technical Coordinator in his/her work across the region;
1.6 Support linkages between the IUCN Global Business and Biodiversity Programme (BBP) and ESARO initiatives;
1.7 Support and build capacity in the Regional Office and countries of the region in relation to Business and biodiversity and private sector engagement for conservation;
1.8 Work closely with the regional office, IUCN Members, Commissions and other stakeholders in the region, especially the organizations with which the Regional Office may have or develop specific cooperation for business and biodiversity;
1.9 Develop proposals to be submitted to interested (private sector and other financing agency) partners; and
1.10 Support the financial sustainability of the programme, including fundraising, networking, gathering intelligence etc


2. Support project management and implementation (BEB)

2.1 Ensure the timely implementation of projects in accordance with the projects’ documents, supporting agreements (e.g. contracts, MoUs, Project Activity Implementation Agreements etc.), annual work plans and the procedures of IUCN; , especially the Black Mountain Mining Partnership;
2.2 Ensure that project/programme budgets are utilized and monitored in accordance with IUCN internal controls and donor agreements;
2.3 Lead and ensure the collection, collation, and reporting of all project data and documents, and lead or assist with the submission of technical progress reports according to the agreed formats and deadlines
2.4 Maintain appropriate and effective (timely, respectful and professional) communications with all IUCN and programme stakeholders;
2.5 Provide capacity strengthening to team members and project partners to improve capacity to deliver on project activities and objectives;
2.6 Support the financial sustainability of projects;
2.7 Ensure that all projects develop and effectively implement M&E frameworks and systems, in line with the overall Component M&E framework; and
2.8 Contribute to developing capacity for M&E within the programme and projects within the Thematic portfolio.

3. Provide technical backstopping and support Programmatic initiatives (BEB)

3.1 Develop strategic and operational workplans for the delivery of projects and other programmatic initiatives, ensuring integrated collaboration between IUCN’s thematic portfolio’s as appropriate;
3.2 Contribute directly to the delivery of technical outputs, ensuring high quality, relevance and technical accuracy;
3.3 Identify, establish and build relationships with strategic partners (including, but not limited to Members and Donors) relevant and necessary for Programme delivery and growth;
3.4 Support the Technical Coordinators in developing and implementing strategies for learning and knowledge generation from ongoing initiatives for sharing with the wider Regional Team as well as the broader IUCN Constituency;
3.5 Support the documenting and sharing of lessons and experiences in the thematic areas.
3.6 Ensuring the production of technical and communication material for internal and external purposes.


4 Other Duties
Carry out other relevant tasks assigned by, and mutually agreed with, the line manager