Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Closing date: 15 Feb 2017
Project Manager – Artisanal Gold Mining Sector
Under the direct supervision of the Field Operations Director, the Project Manager will ensure proper management of the Just Gold pilot project.
The Project Manager will work in close collaboration with other Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) staff members and technical experts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Canada, the Great Lakes Region of Africa and elsewhere overseas.
The Project Manager will perform the following tasks:
Program: Coordinate the Just Gold program activities and ensure their proper implementation
Field monitoring: Regularly visit the various mining sites to ensure adequate monitoring of activities
Finance: Manage budgets and ensure compliance with the organization’s financial procedures
Logistics: Ensure logistical and administrative procedures are followed, including those that apply to managing vehicles and purchasing equipment
Administration: Supervise the three PAC offices in DRC (Mambasa, Bunia and Bukavu), and make sure legal documents and various tax payments are in order
Human resources: Manage a local team of about a dozen people and conduct performance appraisals
Safety: Oversee safety management and keep the safety plan up to date
Coordination: Ensure the smooth flow of information and good communication between the PAC office teams in DRC
Representation: Represent the organization at meetings with coordinating agencies and national, provincial and local governments in DRC
Communication: Maintain good communication between headquarters in Ottawa, Canada, and field staff
Reports: Help write reports for various funders
Monitoring and evaluation: Monitor and evaluation the project’s impact with PAC tools
Perform other tasks according to the Just Gold project needs and at the request of Management
In their application letter, candidates must clearly demonstrate how they will fulfill the requirements of the position. The successful candidate must have the following qualifications, experience and skills:
University training in international cooperation, management, project management or a similar field
French language proficiency and a good command of English
Work experience in DRC
At least five years’ significant project or program management experience in a developing country (other than home country)
Experience working in a post-conflict context (unstable and unsafe)
Experience working in an isolated area with few services
Experience managing budgets of over $1,000,000
Team management experience
Ability to multitask and manage the expectations of stakeholders and beneficiaries
Ability to work in a team rigorously, and be flexible and understanding
Ability to communicate well, both orally and in writing
Strong adaptability and management skills in a multicultural environment
Project management experience in natural resources governance will be considered an asset
The following qualifications and skills are not essential but are highly valued.
Knowledge of artisanal or small-scale mining in relation to international development
Experience with contractual requirements of government funders (notably Global Affairs Canada)
Experience preparing environmental impact assessments and implementing environmental monitoring or mitigation measures, particularly in relation to artisanal or small-scale mining
Experience in monitoring and assessment (e.g., benchmark studies, performance indicator identification)
Good understanding of human rights and African conflict issues, transparency and accountability in the mining industry, and corporate social responsibility
Experience developing policies and organizing international and national campaigns, preferably involving civil society Knowledge of or experience with technical programs relating to good governance in the mining sector (e.g., due diligence, verification or monitoring, traceability or certification systems)
About Partnership Africa Canada
Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) is a global leader in developing innovative approaches to strengthen natural resource governance in high-risk and conflict regions. For 30 years, PAC has collaborated with partners to promote policy dialogue and solutions for sustainable development.
PAC focuses on:
· Investigating and reporting on the lack of accountability, poor governance, and human rights violations associated with conflict minerals.
· Developing and implementing solutions in collaboration with local partners to improve natural resource governance, including the certification of conflict minerals and clean supply chains.
· Providing capacity-building and technical assistance to support transparency in the mining sector, including the development of industry guidelines.
· Promoting policies and programs that support gender equality and women's entrepreneurship in artisanal mining.
We were co-nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for our work to end the trade of conflict diamonds and our efforts to help establish the Kimberley Process diamond certification scheme. PAC collaborates closely with regional and international initiatives, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
About the Great Lakes programme and the Just Gold Project
Partnership Africa Canada’s Great Lakes Programme started in 2010 when it drew on its expertise in conflict diamonds and proposed a Regional Certification Mechanism for conflict minerals to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). PAC has also been involved in drafting the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High Risk Areas. Today, the programme engages at a multi-stakeholder level to support implementation of the Regional Certification Mechanism, as well as the other tools adopted by the ICGLR to end the illegal trade of conflict minerals—including a Regional Database to track the flow of minerals, and supporting the formalization of artisanal gold mining.
The Just Gold project aims to develop an independent, equitable and sustainable system that brings legal, conflict-free and traceable gold from artisanal mine sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo to international markets. The Just Gold project creates incentives for artisanal gold miners to channel their product to legal exporters—and eventually responsible consumers—by providing technical assistance to miners in return for legal sales. Miners are taught better exploitation techniques and offered Just Gold project equipment, in return for which any gold produced, must be tracked and sold through legal channels. The Just Gold project aims to implement mine site safety and environmental mitigation measures, as well as increase understanding women’s rights and increase women’s benefit to resources.
In the current model being tested, the Just Gold Model Trading House (Maison d’achat modèle) acts as the legal conduit for Congolese artisanally produced gold by purchasing it at competitive prices, packaging it, and selling gold to a partnered legal exporter (comptoir).
The project is designed to be financially sustainable, with the margin from gold sales paying for operating costs, traceability, and the ongoing maintenance of the project equipment. A percentage is also invested into a locally managed community development fund, with a goal to promote local natural resource governance and increase benefits from resources to all members of the community.
The Just Gold project aims to implement mine site safety and environmental mitigation measures, as well as increase understanding women’s rights and increase women’s benefit to resources. The project is at the advanced pilot stage, with a pilot fully operational in Ituri province and groundwork being set for initial technical assessments in South Kivu. The Great Lakes Programme is based out of Ottawa, with offices in Kampala (Uganda), Kinshasa, Bunia and Mambasa (Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo) and Bukavu (South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo).
How to apply:
Send the following information by email to jobs@pacweb.org:
A cover letter explaining your interest in the position addressed to the selection committee at Partnership Africa Canada
Your curriculum vitae
The completed Supplementary Information Form (www.pacweb.org/en/about-us/job-opportunities)