Kenya: Senior Governance Advisor – Oceans or Natural Resources

Oct 3, 2020 | GIZ Kenya
View Original

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, often shortened to simply GIZ, is a German development agency headquartered in Bonn and Eschborn that provides services in the field of international development cooperation.

The ecosystems of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) are critical for the food security, employment and economic development of ten states in eastern and southern Africa – Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, Comoros, Réunion (France), Mauritius, Seychelles. Some 60 million people rely directly or indirectly on this biodiversity hotspot for fishing, tourism, oil and gas, and other resources. However, increased global demand for natural resources, pollution and a diversity of human activities are threatening the region’s fragile coastal and marine ecosystems. Climate change impacts, including warming of the ocean and related acidification, and increased variability and intensity of weather events are significantly exacerbating the decline in coastal and marine biodiversity.

The Nairobi Convention (NC) was established in 1985 as the legal framework and coordinating mechanism for regional marine protection under the aegis of the Regional Seas Programme established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which now hosts the NC Secretariat. Although the ten contracting parties are committed to achieve the NC goals of improved governance, conservation, management and sustainable development of the WIO, this still remains a significant challenge. Collective leadership between state, private sector and civil society actors at all levels is critical to catalyse improved governance and lasting change for the benefit of all in the context of working towards a prosperous WIO Region with healthy rivers, coasts and oceans.

In 2019, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) initiated a partnership with the NC Secretariat and commissioned GIZ to support its implementation through the Western Indian Ocean Governance Initiative (WIOGI). This three-year project aims to strengthen cooperation among relevant actors at the regional and national levels on the protection and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity in the WIO region.

The project involves actors from different fields and is geared to both meet regional needs and achieve local impact. It is designed to be participatory as well as conflict and gender-sensitive. It focuses on the following, closely-related fields of action:

  • Strengthening regional policy dialogue for regional ocean governance.
  • Enhancing the involvement of the private sector in regional ocean governance
  • Developing an exemplary multi-stakeholder partnership to improve integrated coastal zone management (in the pilot country of Mozambique)

Responsibilities

The project is closely aligned with the objectives, priorities and work programme of the NC

Secretariat and its associated projects. This will result in maximum synergies between WIOGI, the NC and the projects that are already being implemented in the region. The Senior Governance Advisor will support the WIOGI Project Manager and the Nairobi Convention Secretariat to improve regional stakeholder collaboration and private sector engagement for better ocean governance.

Tasks

His/her responsibilities will include:

  • Provide technical and strategic guidance to the Project Manager and collaboration with the Nairobi Convention Secretariat on strengthening multi-stakeholder processes for integrated coastal zone and ocean governance.
  • Design and implement regional multi-stakeholder capacity development and collaboration processes for improved collective leadership on coastal and marine conservation and management.
  • Provide technical leadership in opportunity scoping and project development on integrated coastal zone management and marine governance.
  • Advise and enable multi-stakeholder partnerships to implement integrated coastal zone management interventions, reinforcing participation of the private sector, corporate sustainability, community empowerment and broader governance interventions.
  • Lead resource mobilisation and new donor funding applications.
  • Lead technical reporting to donors, work planning and progress/results monitoring.
  • Lead partners to develop policy and strategy recommendations fostering the participation of the private sector in sound ocean and coastal governance
  • Manage procurement and contracting procedures.
  • Oversee performance monitoring of grantees (e.g. NGOs) and consultants.

Required Qualifications, Competencies And Experience

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced natural resources/oceans governance professional, with ample initiative and abilities to work effectively both as a team player and independently to the highest standards and tight deadlines.

Qualifications

  • Postgraduate degree or equivalent, in Environmental/ Marine/Coastal Zone Management, Natural Resource Governance, or related qualification.
  • More than seven years’ professional experience within an international organisation in the context of ocean governance (preferred) or regional natural resource governance

Professional Experience

  • Ample experience is supporting the capacity development of senior and technical level public, private and NGO actors from a range of countries in areas such as natural resources governance, effective collaboration, project development and multi-stakeholder partnerships
  • Proven track record in designing and delivering projects in a participatory manner, including stakeholder engagement and relationship management, partner capacity building, procurement and contractual processes, work plan development, monitoring and implementation, and technical advisory services3. Experience in private sector engagement on sustainability issues and community empowerment would be an added advantage.

Other additional competencies

  • Proven familiarity with project management instruments, format and processes of international organisations and/or donors, preferably GIZ, would be an advantage.
  • Other key attributes include integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, as well as communication, teamwork, planning & organising, creativity, accountability and commitment to continuous learning3. Strong presentation and negotiation skills
  • Strong MS excel skills, with proven ability to create and manage budgets
  • Excellent professional level written and spoken English, with ample experience in technical report and proposal writing. Knowledge of Swahili and/or Portuguese would be an advantage

Vacancy Reference Number: GIZ/WOIGI/03/09/2020

This post is open to Kenyan nationals, residents, or citizens of countries within the East African Community. GIZ is an equal opportunities employer.

Job Requirements

  • Required education: Post-graduate education
  • Required relevant work experience: 7 years
  • Required languages: Portuguese (Spoken: basic | Written: basic)Swahili (Spoken: fluent | Written: fluent), English (Spoken: fluent | Written: fluent)

Mandatory attachments

Please have a scan or photo of these documents ready when you start the application:

  • Self-prepared CV file - the employer wants to see a CV that you have prepared yourself
  • Education certificate - the official certificate for your highest education