Artisanal Gold Programme Officer
Aug 3, 2015
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Partnership Africa Canada
Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) has been working on the question of responsible natural resource governance in Africa for over 15 years, combining a search for innovative solutions with their successful implementation. PAC has taken a multistakeholder approach, working with governments, the private sector, civil society partners and international and regional bodies to promote responsible natural resource governance and sustainable development. This has led to the creation of strong legislative and regulatory frameworks to prevent conflict and support economic growth and development. In undertaking this work, PAC has collaborated closely with civil society organizations across Africa, and several national and regional coalitions have developed as a direct result of PAC’s support.
Building Responsible Mineral Supply Chains: from mine to market
The violent exploitation of natural resources has been a persistent problem in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. From rubber in the colonial period to tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold today, resource extraction has fueled or sustained conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in neighbouring states. The electronic, aerospace, automotive and jewelry industries and many others rely on minerals mined in the Great Lakes Region in the making of their products. In 2010, PAC drew on its expertise with conflict diamonds and proposed a regional certification mechanism for conflict minerals to the states of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), which was rapidly adopted. PAC was also involved in the drafting of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High Risk Areas. PAC continues today to engage with the governments of the region to assist them with the implementation of the due diligence and certification.
Gold is considered the most persistent and high value ‘conflict mineral’ today, with more than half of the artisanal gold mines in eastern DRC having been under illegal rebel or army control. Almost the entire gold production of these mines - 98% according to the United Nations - is smuggled out of the country, implying enormous tax losses to the Congolese government. Efforts to include the artisanal and small-scale gold sector in responsible sourcing mechanisms are therefore critical to preventing further marginalization of artisanal miners and heightened risks of conflict financing and illegal smuggling. Via its ‘Just Gold’ programme, PAC is piloting the creation of fully traceable conflict-free mineral supply chains for artisanal gold from mine site to refiner. Miners agree to sell their gold through identified legal sales chains and to have their production and sales tracked in exchange for access to technical assistance. Community beneficiation including women’s economic empowerment, environmental considerations and sustainability are central to these efforts. Lessons learned from the pilots are also being used at local, national, regional and international levels to address drivers of transnational smuggling including illegal or excessive taxation and weak customs procedures in importing countries.
Artisanal Gold Programme Officer
PAC is looking for a person with experience who can assume from the outset a wide range of responsibilities that are both managerial and technical in nature. The Artisanal Gold Programme Officer will carry out the following tasks in close collaboration with other PAC staff and technical experts in Canada and internationally:
-Directly oversee, guide and support the Just Gold programme teams in countries where the programme is or will be operational, including DRC and Uganda.
-Design and oversee interventions to introduce small scale mechanization equipment and mining techniques to targeted Just Gold project sites.
-Liaise with governments, the private sector and civil society to see to the successful implementation of the Just Gold programme;
-Ensure coordination between Just Gold teams and technical experts, and other gold responsible supply chain initiatives in the Great Lakes Region.
-Develop strategies to address the drivers of the illegal exploitation of gold and other natural resources and see to their adoption.
-Identify technologies, approaches and partners to improve the well-being of artisanal miners and their communities in sites of operation (e.g. environment, gender equality, child labour, etc.).
-Ensure that the programme meets the requirements of the relevant international standards and practices including the OECD Diligence Guidance and the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism Standards.
-Ensure adaptability of the programme to each site and country-specific context.
-Share knowledge about, and promote improvements within, the ASM sector.
-Carry out programme training on a needs basis.
-Develop financing models to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of the Just Gold programme.
-Identify and contract additional programme consultants on a needs basis.
-Communicate programme milestones and their relevance to stakeholders, and maintain donor relations, including contributing to funding proposals and narrative reports.
-Undertake media relations and public speaking activities as required.
Candidates are asked to demonstrate clearly in their applications how they meet the requirements of the position. The successful candidate should ideally have the following qualifications, experience and skills:
-A university degree or equivalent in a relevant field such as engineering, geology, environmental sciences.
-A minimum of five years of relevant work experience including project management.
-Significant field experience in mining communities, including experience working with ASM mining technologies (e.g. jigs, shaking tables, crushers, etc.) in an artisanal or semi-mechanized environment.
-Experience working on artisanal mining issues especially as relates to international development, and preferably with an appropriate working experience in Africa.
-Familiarity or experience with chain of custody or certified sourcing programmes.
-Functional written and spoken English and French.
-Ability to manage a complex workload and respect deadlines with minimal supervision.
-Ability to work in a team.
-Ability to travel internationally, possibly frequently, including in difficult environments.
Other desirable skills and abilities include the following:
-A good understanding of issues surrounding human rights and conflict in Africa, transparency and accountability in the extractive sector, and corporate social responsibility.
-Experience in developing and implementing environmental impact assessments and/or environmental monitoring or environmental mitigation measures, especially with respect to artisanal or small scale mining.
-Experience in project budget management.
-Experience in monitoring and evaluation (e.g. baseline studies; identification of indicators, etc.).
-Experience in public representation, including with the media.
-Experience working in a policy and campaigning capacity at a national and/or an international level, preferably in the civil society sector.
PAC’s headquarters is located in Ottawa. Applicants must either be Canadian citizens, or have permanent residency, or be able to obtain a visa to work in Canada in a relatively short time.
To apply
Send the following information by email to admin@pacweb.org:
-A cover letter explaining your interest in the position addressed to The Selection Committee, Partnership Africa Canada
-The completed Supplementary Information Form (www.pacweb.org/en/about-us/jobopportunities)
-Your curriculum vitae
The deadline for applications is Friday August 21, 2015. Interviews will take place on Friday August 28, 2015. The successful candidate will be asked to begin work on October 1, 2015.