Executive Manager (m/f) African Eco-Labelling Mechanism
Country of assignment and location: Nairobi, Kenya
Project / Field of activity
The African Union (AU), UNEP and UNECA in cooperation with the African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ARSCP) and African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) have launched the development of the African Eco-labelling Mechanism (AEM) funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and implemented by GIZ.
The AEM aims at promoting intra-African and international trade, and enabling African economies to adapt and contribute to the mitigation of climate change.
AEM is in the process of creating a crosssectoral Pan African eco-label known as Eco Mark Africa (EMA) which will be awarded to organizations meeting the criteria defined in the eco-labelling standards.
The AEM will define a clear set of sustainability criteria for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and tourism. In these sectors, EMA certified producers will have to comply with environmental, social, economic and climate-relevant requirements. EMA will be based on a certifiable sustainability standard as well as a recognition system for other sustainability- or eco-labelling schemes.
The AEM Secretariat has been set up and is hosted at ARSO, and the AEM governance structures comprising of an Executive Board and Technical Board are being established.
Through Sector Working Groups, the EMA standards for certification and recognition are currently being developed, according to local and regional needs, as well as international requirements.
Defining a viable strategy to ensure long-term financial self-sufficiency of the AEM and the marketing of Eco Mark Africa in cooperation with national and international partners will be other decisive tasks of the project. Finally, the project aims at developing the capacity of African accreditation and certification bodies and facilitating access of producers to certification.
Responsibilities
As Executive Manager, you will be a member of the project team that develops and institutionalizes the AEM in close cooperation with relevant national, regional and international organisations.
You will play a key role in ensuring the project's success and in achieving the objectives agreed with BMU and the AEM Executive Board.
You will be responsible for the implementation of the programme strategy and for the promotion of the AEM across the continent and internationally. Together with the partner organisations as well as other members of the project team, you will lead the project so as to ensure the long-term sustainability of the AEM programme.
In this context, you will work closely with the Sounding and Executive Boards Members, AEM programme coordinator, the project manager of GIZ’s Kenya Office and colleagues from GIZ headquarters in Germany who will support the project implementation, particularly as regards developing the standards and benchmarking system and drawing up a marketing concept.
You will play the key role in raising support for the AEM from political institutions and economic networks. You will be required to report progress of project implementation to the AEM Executive Board biannually.
To ensure the long-term viability of the AEM program it is highly desirable that you develop a commitment to the AEM beyond the project phase.
You will commit yourself to add value the African original products in the areas of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and eco-tourism by encouraging the African producers to recognize and endow their products with the AEM standard.
Qualifications
You have a Master’s degree in, economics, environmental or agricultural sciences, or in a similar area, and have gained at least ten years of experience as an officer, and/or advisor or manager.
You have comprehensive expert knowledge on voluntary sustainability standards and you are soundly acquainted with environmental and climate protection.
You have finely tuned communication skills, are an excellent networker, excel under pressure, and act sensitively in an intercultural environment.
Proficiency in English is a must and fluency in French is an asset.
Duration
The position is for one year and renewable depending on performance and deliverables.
Application deadline: 21st February 2012 – Close of Business
Applications (together with detailed curriculum vitae, copies of academic certificates and references including day time telephone contacts) should be sent to (recruitem@ecomarkafrica.com).
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Country of assignment and location: Nairobi, Kenya
Project / Field of activity
The African Union (AU), UNEP and UNECA in cooperation with the African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ARSCP) and African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) have launched the development of the African Eco-labelling Mechanism (AEM) funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and implemented by GIZ.
The AEM aims at promoting intra-African and international trade, and enabling African economies to adapt and contribute to the mitigation of climate change.
AEM is in the process of creating a crosssectoral Pan African eco-label known as Eco Mark Africa (EMA) which will be awarded to organizations meeting the criteria defined in the eco-labelling standards.
The AEM will define a clear set of sustainability criteria for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and tourism. In these sectors, EMA certified producers will have to comply with environmental, social, economic and climate-relevant requirements. EMA will be based on a certifiable sustainability standard as well as a recognition system for other sustainability- or eco-labelling schemes.
The AEM Secretariat has been set up and is hosted at ARSO, and the AEM governance structures comprising of an Executive Board and Technical Board are being established.
Through Sector Working Groups, the EMA standards for certification and recognition are currently being developed, according to local and regional needs, as well as international requirements.
Defining a viable strategy to ensure long-term financial self-sufficiency of the AEM and the marketing of Eco Mark Africa in cooperation with national and international partners will be other decisive tasks of the project. Finally, the project aims at developing the capacity of African accreditation and certification bodies and facilitating access of producers to certification.
Responsibilities
As Executive Manager, you will be a member of the project team that develops and institutionalizes the AEM in close cooperation with relevant national, regional and international organisations.
You will play a key role in ensuring the project's success and in achieving the objectives agreed with BMU and the AEM Executive Board.
You will be responsible for the implementation of the programme strategy and for the promotion of the AEM across the continent and internationally. Together with the partner organisations as well as other members of the project team, you will lead the project so as to ensure the long-term sustainability of the AEM programme.
In this context, you will work closely with the Sounding and Executive Boards Members, AEM programme coordinator, the project manager of GIZ’s Kenya Office and colleagues from GIZ headquarters in Germany who will support the project implementation, particularly as regards developing the standards and benchmarking system and drawing up a marketing concept.
You will play the key role in raising support for the AEM from political institutions and economic networks. You will be required to report progress of project implementation to the AEM Executive Board biannually.
To ensure the long-term viability of the AEM program it is highly desirable that you develop a commitment to the AEM beyond the project phase.
You will commit yourself to add value the African original products in the areas of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and eco-tourism by encouraging the African producers to recognize and endow their products with the AEM standard.
Qualifications
You have a Master’s degree in, economics, environmental or agricultural sciences, or in a similar area, and have gained at least ten years of experience as an officer, and/or advisor or manager.
You have comprehensive expert knowledge on voluntary sustainability standards and you are soundly acquainted with environmental and climate protection.
You have finely tuned communication skills, are an excellent networker, excel under pressure, and act sensitively in an intercultural environment.
Proficiency in English is a must and fluency in French is an asset.
Duration
The position is for one year and renewable depending on performance and deliverables.
Application deadline: 21st February 2012 – Close of Business
Applications (together with detailed curriculum vitae, copies of academic certificates and references including day time telephone contacts) should be sent to (recruitem@ecomarkafrica.com).
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
