Regional Project Coordinator for the End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative

JOB DESCRIPTION

• The Regional Project Coordinator will be supervised and will report to both the Regional Project Portfolio Coordinator (line manager) based in the IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (ORMACC) in San José, Costa Rica, and to the Chief of Party for EPPIC (functional manager) based in Washington D.C.
• The Regional Project Coordinator, in close collaboration with EPPIC’s Chief of Party and under his/her supervision, will lead the implementation of this initiative in the three countries in the ORMACC region where the initiative is being implemented, namely Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras. S/he will be responsible for the timely and proper execution of the Central American component of the U.S. Department of State funded project “End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC)”.
• The Regional Project Coordinator will lead the implementation of the initiative in Costa Rica and be responsible for engagement at the national level to deliver the project objectives.
• Additionally, s/he will manage two National Officers for EPPIC based in Guatemala and Honduras. Therefore, the person to be hired must have proven experience in the proper management of personnel.
• The position will also be responsible to engage with key ministries, regional agencies, stakeholders, and international partners, as well as relevant units at IUCN Headquarters and the IUCN Regional Offices for Eastern and Southern Africa, Asia, and North America.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Manage the Central American component of the project “End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC)”.

Sample of specific tasks:

Ensure the efficient use of resources and be accountable for their technical and financial management.

• In collaboration with and under the supervision of EPPIC’s Chief of Party, develop the preparation of the annual operational plans (POA) and respective budget, both for the donor and for ORMACC’s internal monitoring purposes, using the project management tool Smartsheet.
• Contribute to the preparation and ensure the timely delivery of the project reports (technical and financial) with the support of relevant staff.
• Implement, coordinate, and perform quality control of technical and administrative activities.
• Keep the project’s information updated on the IUCN Portal and provide inputs for the different indicators of the IUCN ScoreCard that are relevant to it.

Ensure the effective implementation of the project, in all participating ORMACC countries and in compliance with national laws and administrative-financial procedures of IUCN and the donor.

• Coordinate, promote and follow up with the IUCN ORMACC, the project’s Chief of Party, National Officers, and the assigned national government ministries on the implementation of the planned activities.
• Coordinate periodic meetings with the EPPIC Global Coordination Platform and Consortium Partners, to ensure regional workplans and activity implementation coherence and the adoption of standard operating procedures.
• Coordinate project regional implementing partners activities. This includes effective communication and coordination to ensure that all key stakeholders are adequately briefed on planned results and their roles within the project.
• Identify, guide, and budget any infrastructure or equipment needs for the implementation of the project components together with IUCN Regional Project Portfolio Coordinator and the Regional Manager for Finance and Corporate Services.
• In collaboration with and under the supervision of EPPIC’s Chief of Party, develop terms of reference for project staff, external consultancies, and service contracts, and participate in the corresponding recruitment and selection processes. In collaboration with EPPIC’s Chief of Party, supervise the revision of deliverables to ensure quality control.
• Guarantee the integration, harmony, and teamwork of the IUCN ORMACC, other relevant IUCN offices, and external partners involved in the project.
• Ensure compliance and implementation of IUCN environmental and social standards – ESMS (Environmental and Social Management System https://www.iucn.org/about-iucn/accountability-and-reporting/project-accountability/environmental-and-social-management-systeml) within the project’s implementation framework.

Promote the integration of inter-institutional and multisectoral efforts to leverage funds, synergies, and joint activities with other IUCN projects in the project countries involved.

• Represent the project in specific events and activities carried out by the IUCN and the donor.
• Establish, develop, and maintain links and strategic alliances with institutions and local, national, and international cooperation governments related to the project’s areas of work.
• Stay informed on relevant global policy-making processes (such as the Global Plastics Treaty) and ensure their proper application during project implementation, including through the facilitation and organisation of corresponding capacity-building processes.
• Promote and implement work synergies with other IUCN initiatives, IUCN members, members of IUCN commissions and other partners that are executing actions within the countries and subjects of the project.
• Identify cooperation opportunities and promote the leverage of other funds and resources to strengthen the impact of the project.

Guarantee compliance with IUCN and donor regulations throughout the implementation of the project.

• Comply with and enforce the provisions set out in the Donor Agreement between the IUCN and the United States Department of State.
• With support of the ORMACC Administrative and Finance Hub, timely plan for the financial audits that are stipulated in the donor contract and others that are required by IUCN.
• Ensure the integration of the gender approach and relative institutional policies.
• Coordinate regional participation in the project’s Mid-Term Review and the Final Evaluation in accordance with the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.

Please note: These terms of reference contain the main responsibilities and duties of this position. However, in a constantly evolving organisation 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.

REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in Project Management, Environmental Science, Engineering, Environmental Management, or a related field.
• At least five years of general project management experience and at least two years of specific work experience in addressing plastic waste pollution, identification, and implementation of solutions for recyclable and non-recyclable plastics, policy, and legislative processes.
• At least two years of experience managing international cooperation projects and budget planning. Also facilitating relevant stakeholder meetings / discussions and working with regional and international partners is preferable.
• Knowledge of public administration is necessary.
• Extensive knowledge of and work experience within the Central American region.
• Ability to engage with multidisciplinary teams, regional entities, and government organisations.
• Management of computer tools (online administrative systems, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drives, Dropbox, Wetransfer).
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish is required.
• Reside in Costa Rica.
• Willingness to travel within and outside Costa Rica, as required.

Source: https://hrms.iucn.org/iresy/index.cfm?event=vac.show&vacId=11043&lang=en