Job
Senior Program Manager, Africa Regional Office

Print

Organization Name: Global Center on Adaptation ( GCA )
Location: Abidjan, Cote Divoire
Apply email: Not Specified
Start Date: 31 Dec 2021, 04:00 am
Closing Date: 28 Jan 2022, 12:00 am

VACANCY TITLE: Senior Program Manager, Africa Regional Office

LOCATION: Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

INTENSITY: Full time

ANTICIPATED START DATE: As soon as possible

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31 01 2022; 5pm CET

ABOUT GCA

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyse action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure shared learning and collaboration for a climate resilient future. Adapting to impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for livelihoods, food security, water supply, health, security and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate-related threats. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam.

The GCA has an ambitious 2020-2025 business plan with three pillars:

Programs and Action: Food Security; Using Nature for more resilient infrastructure; Water for Urban Growth and Resilience; Climate Finance; Youth Leadership

Knowledge Acceleration: Building adaptation knowledge globally through cutting edge products such as the State and Trends in Adaptation Report and the Knowledge Exchange Platform
Agenda Setting and Advocacy: Formulating policy messages to move the global, regional, and local adaptation agendas forward.

GCA’s work program in Africa is of paramount importance. All the components of GCA’s Business Plan must succeed to support changing the momentum and pace of adaptation in Africa. Guiding GCA’s program in Africa is the Africa-owned and Africa-led Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), co-created with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to implement the vision of the Africa Adaptation Initiative to support African countries on key adaptation initiatives.

The AAAP is contributing to closing Africa’s adaptation gap and supporting African countries to make a transformational shift in their development pathways by putting climate adaptation and resilience at the centre of their critical growth-oriented and inclusive policies, programs, and institutions. It is scaling up successful initiatives fundamental to African nations’ economic development, and prosperity for women and men. The four pillars of the AAAP are: Climate Smart Digital Technologies for Agriculture and Food Security, the Africa Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator, Empowering Youth through Jobs and Entrepreneurship, and Innovative Financial Initiatives for Africa.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Profile

GCA seeks a Senior Program Manager, for the GCA Africa Regional Office, to provide program management support to the implementation of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). The Senior Program Manager will also provide program management support to the different pillar leads of the AAAP including identifying bottlenecks and proposing solutions to these. S/he will also provide leadership and guidance on crosscutting issues and initiatives on the AAAP

Areas of responsibility

Reporting to the Africa Regional Director, the areas of responsibility of the senior program manager for the Africa regional office will include:

Policy and Technical Support

• Provide technical advisory support to the Africa Regional Director on the thematic focus areas of the AAAP. This will range from key sectoral updates, to strategic developmental updates.
• Ensuring the AAAP implementation is aligned with global adaptation policies, including following key outcomes and proceedings from the UNFCCC COP processes that need to be taken into account in collaboration with the Partnership Officers and in support of the advocacy work on the AAAP.

Program Management

• Contribute to the smooth running of the AAAP by working closely with AAAP Pillar leads to identify further business development opportunities in the adaptation landscape and unlocking challenges in existing project pipeline.
• Define Terms of References for in-country scoping missions to identify AAAP support.
• Develop key frameworks, policies and program management tools to guide the work of the Africa Regional Director in overseeing the entire program.
• Ensuring quality of submitted pillar updates and documentation as well as reports submitted by consultants, to support the Africa Regional Director.
• Leading in developing systems and processes for collecting and using donor intelligence for strategic oversight of the AAAP.
• Coordinating and offering guidance on crosscutting initiatives on the AAAP, as demanded.

Strategic Advisory and Support

• Advising on key developments in adaptation and resilience that could enhance the work of the AAAP and identifying strategies for navigating them.
• Develop strategic advice and recommendations to GCA management to enhance the AAAP program operations including supporting the development of key program monitoring and evaluation guidelines and procedures.

Events and Meetings Representation

• Support and represent the Africa Regional Director at meetings, events and workshops as well as support in conceptualizing these through developing ToRs.

Perform any additional tasks requested as assigned

Job requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of a Masters’ Degree Advanced Postgraduate degree in International Development, Business Administration, Economics, Climate Change, Management, or other related fields. A Ph.D. is an added advantage.
• Key project management certification from a recognized project management institution.
• Over 10 years of experience in international development in Africa with at least 5 years in a managerial capacity
• Previous experience working in multilateral financial institutions, international organizations or development agencies and performing such roles as project preparing, appraising, supervising or implementing donor funded projects
• Deep knowledge of climate change issues in Africa
• Authoritative technical experience in one or more of the four pillars of the AAAP
• Experience working on climate change related programs and topics is an added advantage
• Excellent ability to interpret complex information and data in a quick and efficient manner
• Ability to present convincing and coherent analysis to various audiences both internal and external to GCA
• Experience in supporting global and multi-cultural teams of highly skilled professionals
• Hard worker, hands-on experience, can-do mentality, highly professional supportive attitude
• Excellent communications, negotiations and relationship building skills
• Good proficiency in Microsoft Office programs and software

WHAT WE OFFER

With our global headquarters in Rotterdam on the world’s largest floating office, and regional offices around the globe, the GCA offers a dynamic, high-profile and international working environment in a growing organisation. You will be contributing to our global mission on climate adaptation. You will have the opportunity to draw upon the substantial expertise available at the GCA and its partner organizations across the world and you will be given an opportunity to support the shaping of international policies and global action on climate change, working at the highest governmental levels and collaborating with governments on all continents.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply at https://opportunities.gca.org/o/senior-program-manager-africa-regional-office by submitting your CV and cover letter in English before 31 January 2022, 5 pm CET. Kindly mention the date as of which you would be available to start.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT

The GCA celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. GCA does not discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.