Ref.
2025/CDPAS/13553
Job offer type
Field staff jobs
Type of contract
CDDU
Activity sectors
Climate and Territories ; Sustainable development ; Public resource mobilisation, management and accountability ; Environment and health
Sub-theme
Climate change ; Sustainable Development Goals
Deadline date
2025/08/10 23:55
Contract
Employee
Duration
1 year -renewable for the duration of the project until 2029
Deputy Team Leader - SWIOP (M/W)
Département Développement durable - DD > Pôle Biodiversité
Published on : 2025/07/17
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
KENYA
NAIROBI
Mission description
The Deputy Team Leader (DTL) will provide strategic, operational, and technical support to the Team Leader, while serving as the key project representative in Nairobi. The Deputy Team Leader will ensure seamless coordination with regional partners – especially the Nairobi Convention – and contribute to the day-to-day management of project activities and stakeholder engagement. He/she will report directly to the project Team Leader.
1) Strategic and operational support to the management of the project
• Support the Team Leader in strategic planning, technical oversight, and implementation of the project across the WIO region
• Coordinate technical and administrative collaboration between Nairobi and other project sites, ensuring smooth flow of information and resources;
• Support the preparation of work plans, technical inputs, and activity reports;
• Participate to the mobilisation of short term expertise and ensure the good coordination of the recruited experts with the project;
• Ensure strategic project coordination with other SWIOP implementing agencies, i.e. GIZ and UNEP, among others
2) Representation and partnership management
• Serve as primary liaison and represent the PMU at the Nairobi Convention Secretariat and other Nairobi-based regional organisations involved in coastal and marine conservation and protection;
• Build and nourish strong collaborative relationship with major international NGOs headquartered in Kenya (e.g. WWF, IUCN, Conservation International…) fostering effective coordination and synergies in project implementation;
• Facilitate regular communication and partnership engagement with relevant government agencies, research institutions, and regional bodies based in Kenya;
• Represent the PMU at meetings, workshops, trainings, and/or stakeholders forums to advocate for the project objectives and promote its integration with broader regional initiatives on ocean governance/blue economy/ocean conservation;
• Support the Team Leader in maintaining strategic partnerships with key regional actors to ensure alignment and complementarity with other WIO projects and programmes.
3) Administrative and financial support
• Collaborate with the Finance & Administration Manager to oversee contract management, procurement processes, and budget monitoring as related to Nairobi operations;
• Assist in the preparation and quality assurance of technical and financial reports for the donor;
• Ensure compliance with security policies and organizational protocols.
This job description is not exhaustive.
Project or context description
The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region encompasses a vast expanse of ocean, stretching from the eastern coast of Africa to the islands of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles, Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar, as well as the coastal waters of Djibouti, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Somalia. The region includes both the marine and coastal areas of these countries, encompassing a total surface area of approximately 330 000 km2. The WIO region is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, home to diverse ecosystems such as coral reefs (≈15,180km2, i.e. 5,85% of world’s total), mangroves (≈745,518ha, i.e. 5% % of world’s total), seagrasses, and coastal wetlands.
However, these ecosystems are currently being jeopardized of severe deterioration due to a number of factors making sustainable management essential for maintaining their benefits to the economy and food security of the region, such as coastal development, climate change and ocean acidification, pollution (land-based and marine) overfishing and invasive species, among others.
The European Union (EU), share significant strategic, environmental, and economic interests with the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region in the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems. Taking into account this context, the eu has developed its Action around three complementary components to provide a structural and integrated response to the challenges encountered by the WIO region, under the Sustainable Western Indian Ocean Programme (SWIOP):
1. Ocean governance: This component will be implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and IOC.
2. Investment into a sustainable blue economy: This component will be implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
3. Improving ocean ecosystem resilience and blue carbon capture: This component will be implemented by Expertise France.
Expertise France (EF) is the French public agency for international technical cooperation. EF operates in the WIO region to support sustainable development, regional integration, and environmental governance. Through various programmes and partnerships, the agency contributes to strengthening institutional capacities, promoting marine and coastal conservation, and enhancing resilience to climate change across WIO countries.
The project SWIOP led by Expertise France will contribute to the following 3 Outcomes of the SO3 of the EU Action:
• Outcome 3.1: Management of transboundary areas and ABNJs to support ocean conservation initiatives improved;
• Outcome 3.2: Nature-based solutions (NBS) to prevent regional ecosystem degradation and/or restore degraded coastal and marine ecosystems implemented; and
• Outcome 3.3: Learning, research, outreach and knowledge of marine and coastal science improved.
These three outcomes will work in synergy to enhance the resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems in the WIO region. Transboundary management and marine special planning ensures collaborative protection of ecosystems across borders and beyond, nature-based solutions focus on practical restoration and prevention measures for ecosystems, and improved scientific knowledge underpins effective and adaptive management. Collectively, these actions will contribute to preserve and enhance the blue carbon capture function of marine and coastal ecosystems in the region, contributing to both environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation.
Required profile
Academic qualification
• Advanced degree Master’s preferred in Project Management, International Cooperation, Marine Ecology, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Oceanography, or related field.
Professional experiences
• Minimum of 7- 10 years of professional experience in marine ecology or equivalent fields;
• Proven track record in leading or co-leading international projects related to ocean/coastal ecosystems, climate resilience, or blue carbon initiatives;
• Demonstrated experience working in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region, preferably in Kenya;
• Experience in similar projects focused on ecosystem resilience, blue carbon, and/or marine conservation;
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and complex donor-funded projects;
• Good knowledge of the European Union procedures, including project financial management, procurement, and reporting requirement.
Competences and skills
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate and manage diverse teams;
• Excellent communication and representation skills;
• Sound knowledge of ecosystem resilience concepts and blue carbon science;
• Familiarity with international environmental policies and frameworks (e.g., Kunming-Montreal);
• Capacity to work in multicultural and multi-stakeholder environments;
• Willingness to travel frequently in the WIO region.
Languages
• Fluency in English (both spoken and written) is mandatory for this position;
• Proficiency in Portuguese and/or French is highly desirable.
Deadline for application : 2025/08/10 23:55
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.