IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples’ organisations, and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems, and improve people’s well-being.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

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 perform under the supervision of Coastal and Marine Programme Coordinator and the Regional Regional Plastics Pollution Manager and will regularly report to the central coordination manager providing updates on the implementation progresses of the project.

The position will serve in the role of National Officer for Cape Verde for IslandPlas : Advancing Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution in African Islands. H/she will aid the implementation of the Project in Cape Verde and will be responsible for engagement at the national level to deliver the project objectives, in coordination with the Marine and Coastal Regional Coordinator for West and Central Africa and the Senior Programme Manager for IslandPlas, East Africa Programme.

These terms of reference contain the main responsibilities and duties of this position. However, in a constantly evolving organization like IUCN, staff members are expected to show flexibility in their approach to work and be willing to undertake other tasks that are reasonably assigned to them but not part of their normal terms of reference. When a task becomes a regular part of the staff member’s responsibilities, the terms of reference should be changed in consultation with the manager, the staff member, and the Human Resources Unit. Any of the beforementioned can initiate the consultation.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
i. 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;
ii. 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;
iii. Liaise regularly with the central coordination team led by the Regional Plastics Pollution Manager, to be based in Nairobi, Kenya;
iv. Provide timely project progress updates and detailed implementation information on implementation of the IslandPlas project to the National Steering Committee meetings;
v. 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;
vi. Coordinate and track deliverables of in-country consultants, including ensuring necessary final approvals;
vii. 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;
viii. 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;
ix. 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;
x. Identify additional funding sources to further scale up the plastics programme in the region;
xi. Monitor and report on project progress by regularly informing the results monitoring matrix;
xii. Represent IUCN and the project at relevant in-country partner and stakeholder meetings and events;
xiii. Connect and liaise with other relevant projects in the respective country and pursue synergies as necessary;
xiv. Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.