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Formalization & Trade Officer

Organization Name: Artisanal Gold Council (AGC)
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Apply email: Not Specified
Start Date: 01-May-2021
Closing Date: 23-May-2021

JOB DESCRIPTION

Post title: Formalization & Trade Officer

Project title: STAG: Scalable Trade in Artisanal Gold

Duration: At least Until December 2023, renewable every 12 months (full-time)

Date required: As soon as possible

Duty station: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (with frequent travels to the field)

Salary: Dependent on experience

Counterpart: Artisanal Gold Council (AGC)

Deadline: Until the vacancy is occupied

ABOUT THE ARTISANAL GOLD COUNCIL

The Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) is a not-for-profit organization based in Victoria, Canada. The AGC is dedicated to improving the opportunities, environment, and health of the millions of people involved in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in the developing world. Led by a multidisciplinary team of experts, the AGC is one of the few agencies in the world that has the sustainable development of the ASGM sector as its core mission.

Established in 2007, the AGC is known for innovation. We develop practical solutions to the challenges of the sector based on our deep field experience in artisanal and small-scale mining communities. The AGC employs an integrated approach to our programs focused on improved practices, governance, health, the environment, gender, markets and livelihoods. Overall, we aim to improve livelihoods and professionalize the ASGM sector to help develop it into a key and sustainable part of the global mining sector.

The AGC is a fast-growing organization that is currently implementing projects in over a dozen countries around the world. For more, visit: www.artisanalgold.org

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project will create a replicable, regional sourcing system to scale up trade in responsible artisanal gold thereby benefitting thousands of artisanal gold miners by making their supply chain more resilient and fairer, and benefitting downstream consumers by facilitating their access to responsible sourcing systems and significant volumes of responsible artisanal gold. We will concretely link upstream producers (miners and their communities) with midstream actors (traders and refiners) and downstream consumers (manufacturers) through deploying market accepted due diligence systems. This will involve direct field work, outreach and joint problem solving together with miners, refiners, downstream consumers, and a multi-stakeholder group that will put OECD progressive Due Diligence principles firmly into practice in the artisanal gold sector.

This project will implement a unique, multi-site implementation of supply chain due diligence for artisanal gold (utilizing a Burkinabé custom version of the CRAFT code). It will be the first to be formally recognized by the Responsible Minerals Assurance Program with the aim of being replicated in other geographies in the immediate future. The field work builds on a decade of field experience and existing connections to supply chains and will be bolstered by the creation of a “Progressive Due Diligence Lab” to link upstream ASM gold producers to midstream actors (including European refiners as well as geographies newer to due diligence systems, such as Indian refiners). Progressive due diligence can be thought of as an “engage to improve” strategy as opposed to an improve before engagement approach that typifies the current approach of the formal gold industry and allows a black market to develop and flourish.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Formalization & Trade Officer will assume a high-level of responsibility for the facilitation of formal trade mechanisms from the STAG project sites. He/she will work closely with the mining communities, sensibilizing them on the project goals and the CRAFT CODE & Annex II Risks as well as legalization processes to bring operations into a state that can participate fully in formal business affaires. The Formalization Officer will assist the mining communities in becoming organized into a formal entity(s) that will facilitate transparent and traceable labour and trade operations on the mining sites.

He/she will also be in charge of the facilitation of the logistics of the trade from the mining sites to the capital. The Formalization & Trade Officer will thus be responsible for the design and setting up of a secure trading system that is acceptable and reliable in the eyes of national and international clients/buyers. For this, he/she will build upon lessons learned from different collectors and trading companies in the country and adapt the strategies to the project needs and the local context.

For any activities, the Formalization & Trade Officer will work in close collaboration with the local and national ANEEMAS and other government officials as well as the STAG Compliance Officer and Field Coordinator in order to ensure that mutual support and synergies are created whenever possible.

The Formalization & Trade Officer will be an integral part of the AGC Burkina team and therefore also be expected to contribute to the AGC Burkina team holistically by contributing time and expertise as requested and needed that AGC Burkina may reasonably require in support of the overall AGC work program and mission.

The candidate will be responsible for:

• Establishment of trusted relationships with the mining communities and other relevant local stakeholders and sensibilization on the project activities and goals
• Creation of formal structures and entities with which the STAG project and AGC Burkina Faso can interact
• Contribution to trainings, capacity building, resource development, tools, information and technical support for the implementation of an improvement plan in accordance with the CRAFT CODE & OECD ANNEX II Risks as well as any other AGC Burkina Faso needs
• Establishment of a secure formal transport system for gold moving from the field to Ouagadougou
• Close collaboration with the local ANEEMAS office to enhance the formalization of the project sites
• Production of high-quality reports
• Active participation in meetings and activities with other STAG employees and other AGC employees in order to participate holistically to the overall team and to support each other and create synergies where possible
• Help to develop and foster an organizational culture for AGC Burkina that attracts, retains, and motivates staff; provide leadership to staff, volunteers and partners and ensure a common vision and sense of purpose under which individuals constantly seek to learn, improve their own performance and the performance of the organization
• Refine operational systems and policies to ensure organizational and regulatory compliance and effectiveness in general for AGC Burkina Faso
• Represent AGC and act as spokesperson at public functions, meetings and to the media if and as needed

REPORTING

Regular communication will be established between the Formalization & Trade Officer and the Project Manager and, as appropriate, other AGC staff to ensure that activities are undertaken satisfactorily, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

On a quarterly basis, the Formalization & Trade Officer shall generate and present a detailed progress report to the Project Manager, highlighting the opportunities and challenges encountered during the last three months. Additional reports may be required upon request.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES Ideally, the candidate will have/be:

• Master’s degree or PhD in mining related business development, corporate social responsibility, international development or related field
• Familiarity with the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector, especially formal and informal supply chains
• Significant field experience on artisanal and small-scale mining sites with community-related work
• Experience with gold collectors in Burkina Faso and familiarity with their formal and informal trading strategies
• Experience and familiarity with scientific principles involved in gold including general scientific and numerical principles and a high degree of numerical literacy
• Experience with trading companies, in particular their transport systems from the mine sites to the capital
• Experience with ANEEMAS and other government organs, their general governance approach as well as the work of national and local government officials
• Familiarity with the legislative commercialization framework
• Knowledge of corporate business strategies and governance structures
• Excellent written and oral communications skills and demeanor
• Able to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders from miners to government officials, as well as the ability to concisely present project and activity progress
• Strong commitment to and experience in developing effective relationships with key stakeholders and diverse teams
• Self-motivated, able to prioritize, and work with minimal guidance
• Some experience and a strong interest in economic and social development and experience working with the international community
• Able to work in Ouagadougou with frequent travels to the field

LANGUAGE

Fluency in written and spoken French is essential as well as proficiency or good operational knowledge of English. Knowledge of local languages, especially Dagara and Dioula, are an asset.

HOW TO APPLY

Expressions of interest in the position should clearly demonstrate how the candidate meets the criteria, be submitted in English and include a CV, cover letter and salary expectations. The position will remain open until a candidate is selected. Applications should be directed to careers@artisanalgold.org and abugmann@artisanalgold.org

Job Email id: careers(at)artisanalgold.org