We are recruiting for THREE positions to be based in three countries – Comoros, Madagascar and Zanzibar. APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND WORK IN ANY OF THE THREE COUNTRIES, COMOROS, MADAGASCAR AND ZANZIBAR.BACKGROUND:The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was founded in 1948 and brings together over 1,400 members (States, government agencies, NGOs and affiliates) and some more than 15,000 scientists and experts from over 160 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. IUCN has approximately 1,000 staff, most of whom are located in its regional and country offices, and at its Headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. IUCN is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from qualified women and men.

The IUCN Eastern & Southern Africa Region and West and Central Africa regional offices host a vast variety and abundance of the world’s biological and natural resources. Covering 49 countries, the two regions contain several centres of endemism where species of birds, mammals and plants reside nowhere else in the world. The regions are also incredibly socially diverse, with a rich mix of cultures, ethnicities, religions and languages and a colourful blend of traditional customs and beliefs with contemporary societal practices.

IUCN is implementing the IslandPlas project “Advancing Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution in African Islands”, which will be implemented in seven island areas comprising Cabo Verde, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe, Seychelles, Zanzibar. The project aims to achieve its impact through demonstrating effective, quantifiable solutions to addressing plastic leakage from island areas. Key stakeholders from government, private sector, informal sector and civil society interlinked in a vibrant collaborative network will co-generate and demonstrate demand-responsive solutions to plastic waste incorporating alignment across policy, business operations, and behaviour change at different levels. Evidence and lessons will be packaged to contribute to the global wealth on Plastics Waste Free Islands ‘Blueprint for the journey to zero plastic waste ’ to inform practice beyond the target Islands.

The National Project Officer will play a key role in the daily management of the IslandPlas project in the respective country of implementation and will therefore manage the IslandPlas project activities that advance sector engagement with role players in the plastics and related sectors, including actors in government, industry, business and civil society and oversees national implementation of solutions and actions to address plastic pollution upstream, midstream and downstream. The National Project Officer will liaise regularly with the Regional Plastics Pollution Manager based in Nairobi Kenya, and relevant regional Offices in the two regions of Eastern & Southern Africa Region and West & Central Africa. The National Project Officer will perform under the supervision of Regional Plastics Pollution Manager and will regularly report to the central coordination manager providing updates on the implementation progresses of the project.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:Oversee overall national implementation of the “IslandPlas: Advancing Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution in African Islands” project in the respective country, in close collaboration with IUCN regional teams;Plan and ensure that adequate measures are in place for effective day-to-day project management and coordination of activities of the IslandPlas project to ensure the highest quality of outputs and outcomes in line with project workplans and budgets;
Liaise regularly with the central coordination team led by the Regional Plastics Pollution Manager, to be based in Nairobi, Kenya;
Provide timely project progress updates and detailed implementation information on implementation of the IslandPlas project to the National Steering Committee meetings;
Coordinate the planning and organization of national project meetings; and create the necessary linkages and partnerships with the relevant national and sub-national institutions in country;
Coordinate and track deliverables of in-country consultants, including ensuring necessary final approvals;
Assess and report on project results from the country based on the relevant measurement indicators and processes in support of reporting to the donor and relevant stakeholders;
Manage the budget and allocation of project resources, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting in liaison with respective national and/or regional finance department/units as necessary;
Assist in provision of relevant communication material and resources from the project to respective Regional and National Communication Officers for showcase of project results in websites and other media;
Identify additional funding sources to further scale up the plastics programme in the region;
Monitor and report on project progress by regularly informing the results monitoring matrix;
Represent IUCN and the project at relevant in-country partner and stakeholder meetings and events;
Connect and liaise with other relevant projects in the respective country and pursue synergies as necessary;
Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.