Call for Expression of Interest: Marine Project Assistant for the ResilienSEA and MAMI WATA projects

GRID-Arendal is seeking a consultant to provide communication and logistics support to the Ecosystem and Communities team through the MAMI WATA and the ResilienSEA projects.

The ResilienSEA Project is funded by the MAVA Foundation and it aims to improve knowledge and experience and build capacity on Seagrass management. The pilot countries selected for this project are Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, and Cape Verde. GRID-Arendal acts as the coordinating body of the ResilienSEA Project. Other implementing partners in the project include Wetlands International Afrique (WIA - Dakar) and the Abidjan Convention Secretariat (ABC - Abidjan).

The MAMI WATA project is a collaborative effort of GRID-Arendal and the Secretariat of the Abidjan Convention. It aims to strengthen national and regional action to capture the value of marine and coastal ecosystems through a dual approach, developing capacity through training and applying State of Marine Environment Assessments (SoME) reporting, UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), in a framework for Integrated Ocean Management (IOM).

GRID-Arendal is a small, flexible Norwegian not-for-profit foundation with highly qualified staff that specializes in complex environmental issues. Its mission is to support environmentally sustainable development through the environmental work of the UN and other partners by communicating information that strengthens environmental management capacity and motivates decision-makers to act.

The Marine Project Assistant is responsible for providing communication and logistics support to the Ecosystem and Communities team through the MAMI WATA and the ResilienSEA projects. This position will also assist as needed with coordinating both projects’ outputs; developing communications products and providing support for reporting meetings and events.

Main activities:

In cooperation with both project’s teams, the Marine Project Assistant will:

• write stories of events and activities, including the writing of texts and the collection of photos, based on the most recent workshops of the project;
• help with the development of communication tools (videos, story maps, etc.)
• translate documents from French to English and back, such as relevant Blue Solutions to be added to the MAMI WATA webpage;
• support the Project Administrator in running webinars, including the introduction of speakers to the webinar platform and providing technical support.
• basic management and updating of both projects’ website; upload articles, documents, videos and reports.
• other tasks as requested by the projects’ teams

Required professional qualifications:

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience with a Bachelor’s degree.
• High level of flexibility and adaptability to take up different tasks and responsibilities while working independently
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Fluent in French and English both spoken and written

Preferred personal qualifications:

• Excellent team player and ability to work independently
• High motivation and energy
• Ability to pursue multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment and consistently meet deadlines
• Interpersonal skills and ability to work in an international and culturally diverse environment
• Interest in environmental issues, in particular related to the marine environment

Timeline:

01 July 2020 – 31 December 2020, with a possibility of extension depending on funding.

Estimate of work: The position is part time (40% FTE, approximately 15 hours a week).

Location: The consultant will preferably be located in Norway.

Requirements for submitting an Expression of Interest

Interested candidates should include the following in their application:

• Application should include a cover letter (1-page max) and curriculum vitae (including contact details of at least 2 referees for which similar work has been undertaken)
• Your monthly rate (in Euros) which would be valid for any assignment entered into within the above mentioned the contractual period.

Deadline for applications: 20 May 2020 – 4pm CET

Please send your application by email to: hr@grida.no and mark in the subject “Marine Project Assistant”.

For more information about the position, please contact Head of Human Resources Kari Scheie tel (+47) 9264 4420, or Christian Neumann tel (+47 948 23 838). 

Type: Independent Consultant

Duration: 6 months

Starting date: 2020-07-01

Ending date: 2020-12-31