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 16,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

IUCN analysis shows that in order to control the release of plastic from different sources to stop plastic pollution, different sets of solutions are required with geographical specificities.

Africa and Asia share a common set of determinants on plastic pollution that relates to the mismanagement of waste. While waste management is a huge public health and economic issue that already attracts a large amount of public sector investments, approaches to how the plastic component of that waste is managed, particularly in terms of mitigating coastal and marine plastic pollution tend to be lost among other broader considerations and are therefore not dealt with directly.

In order to contribute to closing the plastic tap in two key regions of the world, IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme has launched a 4-year initiative funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) with the Marine Plastics & Coastal Communities hereafter MARPLASTICCs project.

The MARPLASTICCs’ medium-term outcome is that governments, industry and society in Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia regions are equipped with knowledge, capacity, policy options and plans of action to contain and reduce marine plastic pollution. While plastic pollution is only one element of a broader waste management agenda, there is nevertheless a unique opportunity to position this issue with governments, business and society in both regions and to enable dialogue and synergies. Central to such dialogue is greater and more precise knowledge including:
• The source, volume and nature of plastic waste – where are the main points of entry into the system and where does it end up?
• What are the environmental social and economic implications of unregulated and unmanaged plastic pollution on aquatic and other ecosystems and on the livelihoods and health of the people, both women and men, who depend on them?
• What are the most promising and socially and economically acceptable options to significantly reduce plastic pollution? What are the most promising options to enlist the local private sector as an ally in such measures?

The MARPLASTICCs project is executed by the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme in collaboration with the IUCN Regional Office. It is seeking 4 main outputs:
• Understanding the state and impact of plastic pollution in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia regions;
• Local and regional capacity building to facilitate national action to control plastic pollution in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia regions.
• Supporting national and regional policy frameworks and legislative reform processes to address plastics in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Asia regions.
• Engaging and mobilising business actors in support of effective management and reduction of plastic pollution.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

The MARPLASTICCs Regional Officer, will play a key role in the daily management of the MARPLASTICCs project in the region. The position requires good communication as well as excellent organization skills to ensure that the programme is implemented and managed according to best practices.

The MARPLASTCCs Regional officer will perform under the supervision of the MFF programme Manager, Knowledge and Sustainability and the Senior Programme Coordinator, Regional Seas, GMPP. He/she will report regularly with the Central Coordination team based in IUCN HQ, providing updates on the implementation progresses of the project, and the other relevant IUCN Programmes staff at IUCN Headquarters and consultants.


SPECIFIC DUTIES
• Oversee implementation of the MARPLASTICCs in the region ensuring daily programme management and coordination of activities;
• Liaise regularly with the central coordination team and report on progress;
• Support the facilitation of the MARPLASTICCs Steering Committee with updates and detailed information on project implementation;
• Support the organization of regional meetings needed for the implementation of the project;
• Liaison with consultants and organise routine payments and expense claims;
• Support and provide inputs for the technical reporting to the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA);
• Coordinate with the IUCN Finance Unit to ensure reporting requirements are in compliance with the donor/project agreement;
• Assist the Communications Officer at IUCN HQ with communications materials, project webpages and event preparation;
• Assist in identifying potential funding sources for follow up IUCN’s activities on plastics in the region;
• Regularly update the project monitoring matrix for the activities in the region;
• Represent IUCN at relevant meetings in the region;
• Connect and liaise with other relevant projects in the region;
• Carry out other relevant tasks as may be assigned.