Ref.
2025/EP/12812
Job offer type
Experts
Type of contract
Service contract
Activity sectors
Global threats and organized crime
Deadline date
2025/03/17 11:44
Duration of the assignment
Beaded expertise
Contract
Freelancer
Duration
18 mois
Project co-director (M/W)
Département Paix, stabilité, sécurité - P2S > Pôle Menaces globales et criminalité organisée
Published on : 2025/03/10
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
SOMALIA
KENYA, TANZANIE, YEMEN, MADAGASCAR, COMORES, SEYCHELLES...
Mission description
1) General objective of the mission
The Project Director will be responsible for the overall management of the project and the achievement of results. He will in particular ensure the right level of representation and information exchange with the main external stakeholders such as partner countries and partner administrations, regional maritime surveillance center and other relevant international players (implementing partners IMO, UN, and other initiatives….) , as well as within the project team;
2) Specific objectives
- Definition of the strategy of the project and adaptation of the project and the work-plan regarding the evolution of the context;
- Management of the team : setting priorities, coordination and distribution of tasks;
- Representation of the project
3) Description of the tasks to be assigned.
- In collaboration with the project co-directors, definition of the strategy of the project and adaptation of the project and the work-plan regarding the evolution of the context;
- Promotes the project and his concept to the stakeholders and represents the project in high level meetings
- Steering the project's operational and budgetary planning in coordination with the project manager and the technical experts responsible for the thematic blocks: identifying priorities, phasing activities, monitoring the procurement plan, multi-year budgeting, etc;
- Prioritising actions, structuring the intervention and making the necessary trade-offs to achieve the objectives of the logical framework;
- Monitoring operational and budgetary planning: setting up planning monitoring meetings with the project manager, developing monitoring tools, sharing monthly operational objectives with lead experts and the project team;
- Anticipating and identifying bottlenecks in implementation, reporting them to the project manager and the head office project manager, and proposing solutions to resolve and/or mitigate them.
4) Expected Results
- The project respects the objectives defined in the terms of reference.
- The team is well organized and each component evolves in coordination with the other component activities undertaken.
Project or context description
The maritime security situation in the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Western Indian Ocean has become increasingly complex due to geopolitical conflicts, illegal activities, and serious threats to the safety and security of navigation. The Red Sea, in particular, has witnessed escalating security threats, primarily driven by Houthi attacks on commercial vessels. Between November 2023 and August 2024, over 130 ships were attacked in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
This has heightened risks to human life, traumatized seafarers, caused delays, increased shipping costs, and posed significant threats to the global supply chain. Piracy off the coast of Somalia has also resurged after a decade of containment. The risk of further deterioration in the security situation remains significant.
The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are vital shipping lanes upon which the global economy depends. Threats in this area not only affect regional economies but also disrupt the global economy and hinder progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. The denial of these routes has forced many ships to transit via Southern Africa, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions, shipping costs, and global supply chain disruptions.
To address this maritime security crisis, the EU-funded Regional Cooperation for Maritime Security in the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean project will strengthen regional capacities and cooperation, particularly through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and Jeddah Amendment (DCoC/JA) framework, in line with the DCoC/JA’s eight-point action plan. The action will focus on operationalizing the DCoC/JA’s Information Sharing Network (ISN, component 1) and on strengthening the coast guard capacities of Yemen and Djibouti (component 2).
The approach will utilize existing regional mechanisms, including the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC) and the Regional Coordination Operations Center (RCOC), contributing to integrating them into the DCoC Information Sharing Network as agreed during the 2023 Cape Town High-Level Meeting. This integration will enhance information sharing, coordination, and the effective prosecution of offenders.
The DCoC Secretariat, supported by the IMO’s Maritime Security Section, will lead the implementation of this action, building on achievements and lessons from previous EU funded initiatives. In its efforts, the DCoC Secretariat / IMO will be supported by Expertise France and the UNODC.
Required profile
Qualification and skills
· University degree (BA or MA) (master -5 years university cycle-), or equivalent, in maritime laws, navigation or equivalent with increasing managerial responsibilities
· Fluent in spoken and written English. French is an asset.
· Excellent communication skills, sense of diplomacy
· Strong report writing skills in English
General and specific professional experience
· a minimum of 20 years of working experience in maritime administration, Coast Guard or Navy,
· Experienced expert in maritime security, with broad intercultural competencies in international project implementation context.
· experience in maritime information management and sharing information technologies
· proven experience in training and capacity building of staff belonging to maritime administrations
· experience in enhancement of capacity building and administrative reforms the area of maritime security
· experience of international cooperation inter-administrations
· proven organizational, communication and management skills : capacity to manage a multinational team with a multi-purpose expertise within a diplomatic environment
· Good understand of the European Commission and EU policy. Experience in EU financed project would be an asset
· Ability to communicate effectively with high-level public officials is paramount
· Regional and international mobility is viewed as essential in the completion of the expected tasks
· Experience in project management
Additional information
- Eligibility criteria
Sound maritime qualifications and/or maritime security and/or military and/or maritime experience as an officer.
A minimum of 15 years of working experience in maritime operational coordination, maritime domain awareness / information sharing environment.
- Criteria to establish a shortlist of candidates for interviews
High level experience in maritime domain awareness, maritime information-exchange, and maritime security and safety (10 points)
Proven experience in training and capacity building of staff belonging to maritime administrations (20 points)
- Selection criteria during interviews
- Fluent in spoken and written English (5 points)
- Excellent communication skills and sense of diplomacy (10 points)
- Team work (2 points)
Selection criteria for applications
The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :
- Candidate’s training/skills/experience
Deadline for application : 2025/03/17 11:44
Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :
- democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
- peace, stability, and security ;
- climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
- health and human development ;
In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results.