Careers Vacancy

IPARD Program Assistant – Africa Operations

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position:  IPARD PROGRAM ASSISTANT – AFRICA OPERATIONS

Location:  NAIROBI, KENYA

Reporting to:  IPARD Deputy Program Director & FSC-IF Regional Director for Africa & Asia

Work Percentage:  100%

 

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

We are Indigenous Peoples; our strategies and our future actions are shaped by ancestral knowledge, practices, cosmovision, values, and respect for Mother Earth and our past. We as FSC-IF are providers of Indigenous-based solutions, and our ancestral knowledge and traditions have driven Indigenous-based solutions for centuries. We are Indigenous Peoples; we are the owners of Indigenous-based solutions to global challenges, and the FSC Indigenous Foundation is the global vehicle to design, manage, facilitate, and scale up Indigenous-led solutions through multi-sectoral partnerships. The FSC Indigenous Foundation has an Indigenous perspective driven by Indigenous values, vision, principles, ancestral knowledge, and traditional practices connected to Mother Earth. FSC-IF is shaped to respond to key challenges and opportunities faced by Indigenous Peoples to achieve their self-development, self-governance, and self-reliance. Driven by this perspective, the way we operate differs from traditional organizational planning because our cultural and traditional way of thinking, acting, and interacting do not fit into a predetermined Western tradition of thoughts, organizational management, or governance.

FSC-IF Mission:

We work to elevate Indigenous Peoples in their contribution to the protection of Mother Earth and recognize them as providers of solutions to global challenges.

FSC-IF Vision:

We envision a future where Indigenous-based solutions and Indigenous-led actions generated within one quarter of the Planet safeguard everyone’s future and Mother Earth.

FSC-IF Governing Principles:

RESPECT AND RECOGNITION: Our actions respect and recognize the cultural, spiritual, traditional, identity, and landscape diversities and customary rights for self-determined development of indigenous peoples and communities.

TRUST: We drive our actions and partnerships by commitment to trust-building and adopting long-term reciprocal, transparent, accountable, and shared values guided by our ancestors and traditions.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: We promote diversity and inclusion in all interactions and across all aspects of our organization. We use our Indigenous cosmovision and practices to prevent any type of racism, discrimination, violence or oppression.

EQUITY: We promote and value actions and efforts to produce more equitable, diverse, and inclusive results and collective benefit-sharing with equal balance and respect to cultural, gender, ecological, and traditional diversities.

We are committed to work driven by our mission of being guided by and supporting Indigenous Peoples’ values of:

  • Respect for Mother Earth – Managing our lands, waters, and ecosystems with great respect to nature and care by recognizing that we only borrow them from future generations.
  • Respect for ancestral knowledge – Keeping our promises to our ancestors to manage nature and the resources provided by Mother Earth in a sustainable and respectful way.

Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance for Rights and Development

The FSC-IF will be the implementing agency for an upcoming five-year USAID Global Development Alliance (GDA) Program: Indigenous Peoples Alliance for Rights and Development (IPARD).

The IPARD will be guided by three key objectives:

  • Objective 1: To organize and convene a Capacity Development Program for Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and stakeholders;
  • Objective 2: To foster an enabling environment for Indigenous Peoples’ recognition, effective participation, and joint decision-making in matters affecting them, and;
  • Objective 3: To promote Indigenous Peoples’ sustainable development based on self-determined economic models.

The IPARD builds on three combined approaches to support Indigenous Peoples to overcome their greatest challenges:

A. Multi-Sectoral Approach (MSA): Under the strategic guidance of the IPARD Steering Committee (SC), FSC-IF will work to convene multi-sectorial actors based on an MSA. This approach ensures that the GDA considers the needs of Indigenous communities across a wide array of sectors. Based on the MSA, FSC-IF will bring Program partners to support the IPARD’s objectives through specific projects that will be developed and implemented over a number of years.

B. Country-Focused Approach (CFA): IPARD’s programmatic strategy is guided by a country-focused approach, driven by specific national contexts related to Indigenous Peoples. IPARD implements a structured process to identify, evaluate and select countries for its programs. FSC-IF works in conjunction with the IPARD Steering Committee, and according to the guidelines of the multi-sectoral approach, in order to select countries and identify key priorities and strategies.

C. Indigenous Project Management Approach (IPMA): Based on its networking capabilities with Indigenous leaders and organizations around the world, the FSC-IF will use an IPMA as a results-driven mechanism to promote continuous dialogue, consultation, and feedback with and from Indigenous Peoples. Through a Forum with Indigenous leaders, the FSC-IF will act as a bridge between high-level, Program partners, national governments, and the private sector and Indigenous Peoples. FSC-IF will invest in developing common approaches and methodologies linked to the IPMA and M&E to ensure the strategic cohesion of multi-level partnerships.

Through these three approaches, IPARD aims to empower Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and catalyze an enabling environment where Indigenous Peoples can pursue their development.

OBJECTIVE:
The FSC-IF seeks an IPARD Program Assistant – Africa Operations to support the implementation of a subset of activities under the three IPARD objectives to reinforce IPARD’s focus on Africa. As a Program Assistant for the IPARD Program in Africa, the selected candidate will provide support to the IPARD Deputy Program Director & FSC-IF Regional Director for Africa & Asia for a number of Program and administrative tasks to support the objectives of IPARD.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Collect and prepare data and (background) information in the areas of IPARD IF’s activities at the country, regional and global levels.
  • Review and edit information requested and present it in the appropriate format.
  • Maintains logs, files, and update records in the prescribed format for subsequent use as indicated.
  • Prepare background material, presentations, working papers and tables for briefings, review sessions, meetings, webinars, and other events.
  • Organize meetings and prepare information prior and after the meeting (e.g., ppts, minutes, following up on decisions etc.).
  • Provides support to the procurement process, prepares purchase requisitions, prepares templates for evaluation committees, supports with Terms of Reference preparation, as well as Memorandums of Negotiation, documents procurement processes and related tasks in order to fulfill the necessary mandatory compliance steps in each process.
  • Prepares short reports on different subjects related to the three IPARD IF objectives.
  • Under supervision of the IPARD Deputy Program Director & FSC-IF Regional Director for Africa and Asia, assist and maintain good communication with African IPO, partners, and other key stakeholders.
  • Provide administrative support with consultants or sub-grantees such as following schedules for the delivery of products, organizing visits, meetings, sending reminders on behalf of the IPARD Deputy Program Director & FSC-IF Regional Director for Africa and Asia.
  • Organizes Program meetings and any other meetings with counterparts including IPOs, government, donors, private sector, NGOs, and other stakeholders, taking minutes of the meetings when requested.
  • Provides support for organizing training for IPO, governments, private sector, other stakeholders.
  • Performs other related duties as required for the smooth implementation of the program.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working in similar position at a regional or international organizational level, coordinating projects at national or regional and international levels with focus on Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous women.
  • Experience working with International NGOs is desirable.
  • Professional in social and or environmental sciences, or related fields, with at least 3 years of experience with Indigenous Peoples projects and programs.
  • Good command of knowledge in associated dominant narratives in the climate change space; including but not limited to climate positive growth, climate finance, global goal on adaptation, loss and damage etc. all in line with indigenous peoples and Indigenous cultural landscapes.
  • Demonstrated cultural awareness and sensitivity to the diversity of values, views, and approaches to issues relevant to the FSC-IF.
  • Candidates must commit to working in accordance with IF’s mission, vision, governing principles, and IPARD’s management approaches outlined above.
  • Strong oral and written communication in English, presentation, and negotiation skills.
  • Demonstrated experience in handling such environments and software as MS Office, communication platforms (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, and others), and other software.
  • Good interpersonal communication and coordination, organizational, and planning skills.
  • Ability to respond adequately and efficiently to pressure meeting deadlines.
  • Being a member of an Indigenous Communities or Peoples would be an added advantage.
  • Post graduate degree would be an added advantage.
  • French, Portuguese or Spanish language skills would be an added advantage.

How to Apply

Please submit your application by October 30, 2023 (5:00pm Panama) to recruitment.fscif@fsc.org:

  • CV (2 page maximum)
  • Cover letter (one page maximum) including: (a) your motivation; (b) salary proposal); and (c) two professional references (name, position, organization, email, and phone