The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) programme aims to contribute to improving the long-term conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, in protected areas and surrounding communities. It is an initiative of the ACP Group of States financed by the European Union’s 11th European Development Fund (EDF), jointly implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC). Building on the first five years of activities financed by the 10th EDF, BIOPAMA’s second phase provides tools for data and information management, services for improving the knowledge and capacity for protected area planning and decision making, and funding opportunities for specific site-based actions.

Major Responsibilities

The position is to work with IUCN’s Regional Office for Western and Central Africa. It will be based in Dakar, Senegal or Yaoundé, Cameroon under the direct supervision of the BIOPAMA regional coordinator. This position contributes to reporting, financial management and overall management of the regional project BIOPAMA. This position will also contribute to ensuring good relations with the implementation partners and the hosts of the Regional Observatories at all times as well as for building synergies with other regional initiatives that are relevant to the action.

Considering that the BIOPAMA program ends after the 2nd semester of 2025, the position will also be responsible to contribute to resource mobilization efforts to bring our results to scale.

The position entails regular interactions with peers from regional partners, national administrations, and regional organisations on complex issues. Regular interactions with external contacts on complex and policy issues. Frequent international and regional travels. Responsibility over work planning, budget and expenses.

Specific Duties

Under the overall guidance of the BIOPAMA regional coordinator, the Project officer is responsible for supporting the effective and efficient implementation of BIOPAMA and other on-going projects/programmes within the Protected Areas and Biodiversity portfolio. More specifically: 1. Project implementation: The post holder will be responsible for the day to day execution of regional component of BIOPAMA;

Specific tasks include:

•  Ensure the implementation of the project in accordance with the project documents, agreed work plans and IUCN procedures
•  Oversee the implementation of contracts between IUCN and the regional observatories (OFAC and OBAPAO)
•  Supervise studies and analysis as required
•  Support the technical assistant for the coordination and field support to the action fund beneficiaries
•  Ensure that IUCN knowledge products and tools are provided to IUCN members and partners as needed, with the required support, in collaboration with IUCN West and Central Africa Regional office, global programs and commissions
•  Ensure that the project and the program’s achievements are efficiently communicated to partners and to the conservation community.
•  Inform on a permanent basis the BIOPAMA regional coordinator of all developments in the execution of the project
•  Provide technical support to IUCN partners and project beneficiaries

2. Administrative and finance management:

•  The post holder will ensure compliance with the donors’ and IUCN’s procedures.
•  Conduct procurement process, interact with service providers, and monitor deliverables
•  Liaise with the regional office’s Finance Officers regarding compliance with donor’s contractual and financial requirements;
•  Support the preparation and submission of financial reports to the donor by providing the finance unit with the relevant project/programme information on a timely basis;
•  Support the BIOPAMA regional Coordinator to regularly review, analyse and monitor the project financial reports and communicate any over/under expenditure observations on a timely basis;
•  Coordinate the procurement process of project assets and ensure all processes are in line with the IUCN Internal Control systems and donor requirements.

3. Monitoring and evaluation

•  Develop the program’s full M&E regional framework in coordination with BIOPAMA’s regional and global.
•  Ensure the timely documentation of indicators. Ensure that all data pertaining to the program’s activities are collected and analysed at sufficient standard
•  Ensure that the project develops and effectively implements an M&E framework, in line IUCN guidelines and procedures as well as that required by the donor
•  Ensure that all the information related to the implementation of projects is adequately filed, organized and updated for easy access;
•  Identify and use lessons to inform future practice; d8clD0v DTNvgO
•  Document and share lessons and experiences, as appropriate
•  Support the contribution of BIOPAMA West and Central Africa to the learning and capitalisation strategy of the programme
•  Contribute to building functional synergies with other projects

4. Resource Mobilization

•  Work closely with the BIOPAMA regional coordinator and other Regional office’s staff staff to support the development of project proposals with a particular focus on leveraging additional funds related to Protected Areas and biodiversity initiatives.
•  Perform other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Requirements

•  Masters degree in environmental law, natural resource management, ecology, sustainable development or other related discipline
•  At least 5 years’ experience with project and program responsibility. 8 years of experience with a Bachelor degree is also acceptable
•  Demonstrated expertise and experience with protected and conserved area management.
•  Strong communication and presentation skills and an ability to prepare appropriate and timely reports to a wide range of audiences and cultures.
•  Extensive and practical knowledge of main environmental agreements and environmental policies
•  Time management skills including an ability to work effectively under pressure and to meet deadlines.
•  Awareness and an ability to acknowledge and respect different cultures, and to engage appropriately with people of different backgrounds.
•  Fluent writing and speaking literacy in both English and French, A high level of competency in those languages is also required. An adequate level of fluency in another language of the region (e.g. Portuguese) would be an additional asset.
•  Desired skills and experience

Experience in the development and implementation of capacity development programmes and training,

•  Experience in biodiversity and/or protected areas information systems, ideally involving terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, at national and/or regional levels.
• Some knowledge and experience in GIS and spatial analysis techniques, tools for on-line publishing of geospatial data and metadata would be an asset
•  General ICT knowledge and experience, internet user interfaces as well as spatial analysis and development of decision support tools, including experience in developing detailed user requirements in collaboration with stakeholders, translation of needs expressed by decision-makers into data and information/analysis needs to develop decision-support tools
•  Demonstrated experience working through and in support of regional and national institutions
•  An extensive existing network in the sector across the WCA region would be a great advantage.
•  Demonstrated excellent interpersonal and networking skills, including the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, and to establish effective working relationships both within and outside the organization with a diversity of stakeholders.
•  A team player who is able to contribute effectively to collaborative issues, and to demonstrate innovation and leadership, as appropriate.
•  A good understanding of IUCN’s mission and a general attitude of being of service to others.