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Post Title: PROJECT ASSISTANT, BDR ASWA
Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature
Background Information;
IUCN, International
Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to
our most pressing environment and development challenges.
IUCN works on
biodiversity, climate change, energy, human livelihoods and greening the world
economy by supporting scientific research, managing field projects all over the
world, and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop
policy, laws and best practice.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global
environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO members and
almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. The IUCN Eastern and
Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) operates in twenty four countries in
the Horn of Africa, eastern Africa, southern Africa and the Western Indian
Ocean. IUCN is inviting applications from suitably qualified candidates to fill
the position of Project Assistant in one of its projects “Building drought
resilience through land and water management” (hereafter referred to as “the
BDR project”). This project compliments the WANI initiative of IUCN.
Water and Nature Initiative The
IUCN Water & Nature Initiative (WANI) develops and demonstrates practical
approaches to the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM). It supports and catalyses national water reforms and builds needed
capacities. The goal of WANI is the ‘mainstreaming of ecosystem services into
water management, planning and policies, to support sustainable use of water
resources for poverty reduction, economic growth and protection of the
environment’.
The Building Drought Resilience
through Land and Water Management Project (BDR) The frequency of droughts in
the Horn of Africa (and by extension Eastern Africa countries including northern
Kenya and Uganda) and their severe effects on household food security
demonstrate that current adaptive and coping strategies require urgent
strengthening. Interventions are needed that will help ensure that as climate
change intensifies the frequency of drought, that vulnerable communities can
adapt, to not only avoid disaster but achieve improvements in food and water
security and well-being.
The project is to demonstrate
implementation of strategies for building resilience to drought in Eastern
Africa (specifically in Uganda and Kenya) using approaches which use and
strengthen the natural environment, and to provide learning needed to scale-up
successful approaches. The project will demonstrate application of a framework
for resilience in practice that is based on cohesive approaches to diversifying
livelihoods and markets, improving natural and engineered infrastructure around
water points, strengthening natural resource governance processes including
water resource management and sharing experiences and learning across sectors
and governance levels. The proposed project will strengthen community,
catchment and local stakeholder capacity to manage and adapt to the impacts of
increasingly severe and frequent drought in the region.
Responsibilities:
Support the Project Officer in
implementation of the project activities in the project operational area.
Project implementation and
management Support the implementation and management of the project, ensuring
performance monitoring and efficiency, effectiveness and quality outputs.
a. Assist in planning and
participation in field work
b. Under the general guidance of
the Programme Officer, provide technical and administrative support and
facilitation to project activities and ensure quality outputs and outcomes.
c. Provide support in the
preparation of activity budgets and accountabilities d. With the assistance and
guidance of the Programme Officer, work as a day to day liaison between the
project and the Finance Officer to ensure up-to-date financial records are
available and financial reports are delivered on time.
e. Provide support to projects
coordinated by other team members on request and in coordination with the
Programme Officer.
f. Assist in organizing meetings and workshops
g. Assist in information management and correspondences and support h.
Communication and dissemination of project achievements by contributing to the
development of communication products such as web stories, briefing notes, etc.
i. Assist in organizing and participating in
project management team meetings
Competency requirements
• A first degree in Water
Resource Management, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Sciences or
related field.
• A Master’s degree would be an
added advantage
• Experience with community participation activities
• Familiarity with water resources or
environmental management programs
• Good verbal and written communication skills
in English
• Working knowledge of Luo language
• Possession of a valid Driving
permit will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated skills in computer
literacy, technical report writing and communication
• Demonstrated ability to work in
a team
• Ability to be innovative and
pro-active
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and
function in a multidisciplinary environment
• Sensitivity to local
conditions, ethics and norms
• Willingness to travel as needed
Closing date: 12 Jul 2013
How to apply:
Applicants are asked to submit
their CV and a supporting letter of motivation and provide the names and
contact details (including e-mail addresses) of three referees. The letter must
be submitted on or before 12th July, 2013 to: earohr@iucn.org
ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL
BE CONTACTED
