International Institute for Sustainable Development Project Lead, Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre Jobs in South Africa
About IISD
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive.
We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 200 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.
IISD’s Economic Law & Policy (ELP) Program is devoted to supporting the elaboration and improvement of economic governance frameworks and tools that support the achievement of sustainable development objectives. The ELP Program does so by developing research outputs, providing training and capacity support to the relevant stakeholder groups, organizing conferences and dialogues, and various other approaches.
The Position
The ELP Program is currently seeking a Project Lead to support the Scaling Urban Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SUNCASA) project.
The SUNCASA project is focused on engaging local partners and communities to design and implement NbS to support climate adaptation and biodiversity in urban communities and watersheds in sub-Saharan Africa. The project also aims to enhance gender-responsive and inclusive governance of NbS in these urban communities.
The successful candidate will operate with minimal supervision and provide general project implementation, knowledge management, and communications support to the SUNCASA project. This includes coordinating day-to-day activities of the project, ensuring timely delivery of activities and milestones, as well as leading work planning and progress reporting exercises.
In this role, the Project Lead will work closely with IISD staff and the SUNCASA project’s technical delivery, communication, and operations teams ensuring collaboration and optimizing potential for project success. Additionally, the Project Lead is expected to build and facilitate ongoing relationships with the local partners implementing the project in Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Africa.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate’s key areas of responsibility will include but not be limited to:
Project Coordination and Implementation
Oversee the execution of key activities and the day-to-day operation of the project.
Lead the development of annual work plans in collaboration with the project management team and diligently track their progress.
Organize and facilitate the project governance bodies, including partner, steering committee, and technical advisory committee meetings.
Oversee the preparation and review of narrative reports for the project funder.
Work closely with project partners to ensure their full integration into the work program.
Collaborate with the project’s technical delivery team to measure performance throughout the project life cycle, identify areas for improvement, and document lessons that can be shared.
Provide updates on the project progress across all sites, identify potential barriers, and propose solutions.
Oversee the coordination and assignment of responsibilities on project activities.
Coordinate internal project team meetings.
Communications
Document and provide inputs, such as case studies, statistics, and relevant updates, for the development of communications activities, knowledge products, and narrative reports.
Collaborate closely with the project communications team to ensure the project’s web presence and relevant social media accounts are consistently updated with content.
Actively engage in data collection efforts to gather pertinent project information necessary for reporting purposes.
Participate in the planning, organization, and documentation of peer learning events, including identifying and inviting participants, developing agendas, and producing meeting reports.
Work with the communications team to identify and capture content to enhance project visibility and provide comprehensive reports to various stakeholders and media outlets.
Design and facilitate regular internal knowledge-sharing events.
Outreach and Partnership Building
Provide support to the IISD Director of Sustainable Infrastructure in maintaining relationships with government institutions and local partners, occasionally engaging directly in identifying and addressing their support needs.
Serve as the SUNCASA project focal point in selected partnerships or initiatives, representing the project in coordination meetings.
Serve as the first point of contact for SUNCASA and other relevant Nature-Based Infrastructure Centre projects.
Represent IISD and the Nature-Based Infrastructure Centre at international and national forums.
Research and Capacity Building
Support the delivery of primary and secondary research required for the successful completion of the project, collaborating with contractors as required.
Collaborate with project partners and stakeholders to identify capacity-building needs within the project’s scope.
Design capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of individuals and organizations involved in project delivery.
Stakeholder Relationships
Establish and maintain close working relationships with project partners and beneficiaries.
Maintain a comprehensive roster of partner and stakeholder contacts, regularly updating the list for effective communication and engagement.
Identify opportunities for building new partnerships and strengthening existing ones to develop activities aligned with the project goals.
Qualifications
The Project Lead should possess the following qualifications:
Qualifications (Essential)
A master’s degree or higher in a relevant field of economics, law, infrastructure, or
Availability to travel internationally.
Knowledge and Experience (Essential)
A minimum of 10+ years of experience in program coordination or management.
Relevant work experience in the field of sustainable infrastructure, NbS, and/or climate change adaptation.
Experience in coordinating cross-disciplinary teams working across multiple time zones and countries.
Experience developing and managing work plans, budgets, and milestones.
Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office applications, and experience handling web-based communications and management systems.
Experience working in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.
Experience in international development and working in developing countries.
Experience managing implementation projects in a sub-Saharan context.
Skills (Essential)
Demonstrated organizational and planning skills, including an ability to coordinate meetings and events.
Good communication skills and ability to work interactively with stakeholders.
Fluent in written and spoken English.
Analytical capacity and ability to become familiar with new topics quickly.
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; International Institute for Sustainable Development Project Lead, Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre Jobs in South Africa
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