Technical Assistant at International Union for Conservation of Nature

General Responsibilities

• The Technical Assistant shall be based in Accra and be responsible for provision of technical assistance for implementation of IUCN projects in the Ghana Project Office and the Mono-Volta Mangroves Forest Management Project managed by the Coastal and Marine programme (MACO) based in Dakar, Senegal.
• He/she shall be actively engaged in the organisation, monitoring and reporting on field activities in the landscape of the Mangroves project (Mono-Volta Landscape).

2. Specific Tasks Include

• The Technical Assistant shall be under the direct supervision of the IUCN Ghana Country Coordinator. In consultation with the Ghana Country Coordinator, and collaboration with the Mangroves project coordinator and relevant project implementing partners in Ghana, Togo and Benin, he/she shall undertake the following tasks:

A. Project Planning, Assessment and Reporting

•  Provide technical support in areas of desk-top reviews and studies on subjects of relevance to the Mangroves project and other IUCN initiatives in Ghana
•  Assist with the production of project technical reports and ensure that they conform with projects’ internal agreements
•  Participate and take notes at project implementation and coordination meetings and finalise meeting reports
•  Provide inputs to partners’ technical and financial reports as well as consultancy reports

B. Field Activities

•  Work with partners and grantees and participate in planning, implementation and report- writing with regards to identified studies and field activities.
•  Assist the Country Coordinator, MACO coordination team, and implementing partners and grantees with mobilising communities at the IUCN project landscapes and provide them with the necessary technical advice/assistance as may be required in order to ensure the implementation of small grants activities.
•  Support with the planning and implementation of monitoring visits to the field to monitor partners’ activities and provide logistical and technical support to partners and stakeholders on the ground.

C. Project Management, Administration and Implementation

•  Assist in the implementation of project budgets according to annual work plans;
•  Assist in the preparation and implementation of workshops, seminars and training activities and provide technical guidance and logistical support to these events at both national and landscape levels
•  Assist with drafting of reports for the Mangroves Project, West and Central Africa Regional Office (PACO) and Forest Conservation Programme semi-annual and annual reports and other IUCN Newsletters/ publications.
•  Assist with filing of financial reports of the Ghana Project Office and preparation of monthly financial reports for submission to the PACO Finance and Administrative Assistant based in Cameroon.
•  Scan all financial justifications/receipts and send to PACO Administrative Assistant
•  Be responsive to any other administrative call from the Country Coordinator, MACO Team and Regional Office (PACO).

D. Networking, Relationship building and Communication

•  Assist in the production of briefs from project outcomes, lessons and contribute to the dissemination of such communication materials.
•  Build cordial relationship with project implementing partners as well as with IUCN staff regionally and globally.
•  Perform any other duties as may be prescribed by the Country Coordinator, the IUCN MACO coordination team and IUCN PACO Regional Forest Programme Coordinator, based in Cameroon.

Expected Outputs

•  IUCN Ghana Projects workplans well implemented without delays
•  Implementing Partners’ activities monitored in Ghana, Bénin and Togo.
•  Semi-Annual reports, Newsletters and meetings reports drafted and submitted on time
•  Prepare and submit a hand-over note and return all company property and data to IUCN when the contract reaches its term.

Timeframe

• This is a full-time vacancy for an initial contract period of 1 year (renewable annually). The successful candidate is expected to report to work five days a week. Hours of engagement shall be from 8:30AM-5:00PM each day.
• In the event that the consultant travels out of Accra for official assignments, he/she shall, in addition to the agreed monthly salary, also be entitled to Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) at IUCN’s approved rates.

REQUIREMENTS

•  A minimum of First Degree in Natural Resources Management/Coastal Management/Forestry (or related subject).
•  At least 3-4 years’experience in implementation and technical and administrative monitoring of projects, preferably with some field experience in coastal and/or forest related issues and community mobilisation.
•  Strong ability in writing concise technical and administrative reports
•  Ability to work and coordinate remotely, and work in a multicultural/multilingual context
•  Ability to travel in Ghana and outside of Ghana regularly
•  An understanding of Climate Change and Natural Resource Management Concepts
•  Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in French is a prerequisite. Fluency in Ewe and/or Ga-Dangbe languages is an advantage.

 Desired

•  Skills in MS Word, Excel and Power Point
•  Ability to learn quickly on the job
•  Proactive, take initiative and willingness to travel out of Accra and Ghana for field work and other engagements