Conservation South Africa:
2 x Climate Change and Communications Coordinators
Based in Hoedspruit, Kruger to Canyon and Springbok, Namaqualand
Conservation South Africa (CSA), as a local affiliate of Conservation International, is committed to helping societies adopt a more sustainable approach to development—one that considers and values nature at every turn and improves human well-being through the conservation of healthy ecosystems and the goods and services they provide. Conservation South Africa seeks to influence policy, develop markets, engage the private sector, and support communities to build resilience to climate change through Nature Based Solutions, whilst developing and implementing conservation- based economic growth models for long-term human well-being.
Conservation South Africa is seeking two Climate Change and Communications Coordinators, who will provide expertise in planning, development and implementation of climate finance and climate related policy focused at landscape level but also providing important connections to the national and international level in the Kruger to Canyon and Namaqualand landscapes. The role includes the communication of key messages and lessons from the development and implementation of Nature Based Solutions to climate change, including Ecosystem Based Adaptation and Mitigation.
The position will focus on governance oversight for implementation of climate finance, this includes carbon projects at a landscape level in the Kruger to Canyons, Mpumalanga as well implementation of climate finance in Namaqualand. The incumbent will also provide project management support to all adaptation and mitigation projects in their landscape, including finding linkages, developing key lessons and capacity building programmes and addressing any challenges these projects may have. The incumbent will support the development and implementation of the EbA and EbM learnings at the landscape level and the development of further policy tools and metrics for adaptation at this level in alignment with Conservation International and other local partners. These lessons will then be developed into a variety of communications materials.
In the role, the Climate Change and Communications Coordinator will work closely with the Climate Change and Communications Manager and Technical leads to ensure linkages are also made with CSA Strategy, Research work, Green Economic Development and Sustainable Agriculture activities. They will develop Nature Based solutions as an integral element to CSA demonstrations and policy engagement whilst sharing the messages from this work in clear and succinct ways. The incumbent will also be required to support the Climate Change and Communications Manager with inputs for fundraising proposals as required.
The Main duties of this position are:
Governance, Policy mainstreaming and Project management
Supporting the oversight of governance relating to carbon finance in Kruger to Canyon landscape or climate finance in Namaqualand.
Guide the Kruger to Canyon and Namaqualand landscapes in mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions to climate change at local and district and provincial level, which includes annual inputs into Integrated Development Planning, Local Economic Development and land use planning and working with partners on policy inputs
Drive implementation /application of EbA /EbM Tools and Guidelines including tools relating to carbon finance in the landscape
Present lessons from policy development as particular landscape/District forums as required
Coordinating the development and implementation of all Nature Based Solutions projects in the Kruger to Canyon and Namaqualand landscape
Provide support to Impact coordinator on Monitoring and Evaluation tracking and input
Site visits to projects and problem solving on key challenges
Linking projects with Research, Green Economic Development, Freshwater and Sustainable Agriculture through regular meetings including links with youth and gender empowerment to build the integration of climate change across their landscape activities.
Communications and Capacity building and Funding
Assist in the development of training materials on Nature based Solutions to Climate change for a range of audiences
Facilitate/support capacity development workshops on EbA/EbM with CSA, government, and communities and other key stakeholders including youth and woman
Coordinate logistics for workshops/meetings/events at landscape level relating to climate change
Develop fact sheets, articles, policy briefs, case studies etc based on lessons learnt, with the Climate Change and Communications Manager and other Technical leads and Landscapes on EbA and EbM
Support CSA in developing content for proposals on Nature Based Solutions to Climate Change
Education, experience, skills and abilities:
Required
Honours in Environmental management or some relevant science discipline including social science
At least 2 years’ experience in project management, and must include adaptation and mitigation experience and /knowledge
Some experience in engagement with government and /policy at any level within SA or abroad for at least 1 year
Experience in facilitation of stakeholder workshops with a variety of stakeholders
Experience in development of dynamic communications materials, eg. Fact sheets, articles erc
Experience with managing budgets and some financial management skills ( at least 1-2 years)
A good understanding of South Africa’s policy environment
A good understanding of adaptation and mitigation and knowledge on Nature Based Solutions to climate
Some experience in climate finance or administration of finance at a project level
Experience with giving presentations and workshop facilitation is required
Good writing skills including report writing, articles, fact sheets etc
Preferable
General and Specific Skills (Experience):
Preferable to able to communicate in Afrikaans in Namaqualand and Xitsonga and Sepedi for Kruger to Canyon
Preferable to have some experience with research, especially climate change related
These positions will be on 12 month contracts, to be based in the Springbok office, Namaqualand and Hoedspruit office, Kruger to Canyons. The applicants must have the flexibility to travel to other landscapes and nationally as required for the position.
The salary will be in the range of R15K-R20K cost to company (including benefits) per month.
Please submit your abbreviated CV (no longer than 3 pages) with contact details of 3 referees and a cover letter motivating why you should be selected by 11 January 2020 to:
[email protected] using the reference CSA-CC-NGED for Springbok and CSA-CC-K2C for Hoedspruit. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Candidates who have received no response within 14 days of the closing should kindly assume that their application was unsuccessful. CSA reserves the right not to fill this position.