Overview

Position:                     Country Coordinator                                               

Location:                    Timor-Leste

Closing date for applications:          14th June 2015                                  

Contract duration:                            12 months with opportunity for extension                       

Start date:                                          27th July 2015

Remuneration and benefits:                        Competitive salary plus travel and living expenses

Organisation overview

 

Blue Ventures is an award-winning marine conservation organisation working to rebuild tropical fisheries with coastal communities.   We’re committed to protecting marine biodiversity in ways that benefit coastal people.  We work in places where the ocean is vital to local cultures and economies, and where there is a fundamental unmet need to support human development. 

As a social enterprise, we organise marine conservation expeditions in which volunteers from around the world join us to support our projects in Madagascar and Belize, working closely with our field research teams and in partnership with local communities.  Our expeditions combine conservation research, education and adventure travel to give volunteers high quality and productive conservation tourism experiences that benefit host communities and support pioneering conservation programmes.

Summary job description

In 2015 we are launching a new country programme in Timor-Leste, to support marine conservation, research and education in this global marine biodiversity hotspot.  This position presents an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated project manager looking to play an instrumental role in launching and developing an ambitious new conservation initiative, expanding the reach and impact of Blue Ventures’ work.

The role of the Country Coordinator is to be the primary resident representative of Blue Ventures in Timor-Leste, providing vision, leadership, eco-tourism management and effective high-level representation for Blue Ventures with key audiences nationally. 

The Country Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the attainment of project goals and effective and efficient delivery of Blue Ventures’ activities within Timor-Leste, as well as building strength and support for Blue Ventures’ conservation programmes nationally. 

Alongside leading and developing conservation programmes, the Country Coordinator is responsible for managing communications of conservation activities and ensuring that all operating rules and systems are adequate to maintain high performance and standards. 

Responsibilities

Leadership and management:

  • Create a positive, engaging, creative and thriving environment for staff, leading staff effectively through the creation of a shared vision for Blue Ventures in Timor-Leste, and ensuring all staff understand their contribution to that vision
  • Maintain good working relationships between staff, volunteers and local project partners, ensuring the efficient running of projects
  • Providing guidance and support to all expedition members on-site as required
  • Overseeing the successful inception of Blue Ventures’ research and conservation projects in Timor-Leste, making required resources available to expedition staff to implement project

Building working partnerships for conservation:

  • Building effective strategic partnerships with relevant national and regional partners, to include governments, universities, businesses, international organisations, other non-governmental organisations, and key stakeholders
  • Representing Blue Ventures to all governmental and civil society partners and ensuring effective communications with partners

 

Programme management and development:

  • Identifying opportunities for grants and funding within Timor-Leste to develop Blue Ventures research and conservation programmes
  • Oversight of grant management and reporting for Timor-Leste projects with guidance from Conservation Programmes Manager and Finance Director
  • Working with the Conservation Programmes Manager to ensure relevance of conservation programmes, developing new initiatives where necessary, and ensuring conservation programmes are able to meet evolving marine conservation priorities, capitalising on funding and partnership opportunities that arise

Operations:

  • Ensuring cooperation with Blue Ventures’ London headquarters on financial, operational and programmatic activities and audits, as well as follow-ups on audit recommendations in a timely manner to optimise the efficiency and effectiveness of Blue Ventures’ operations
  • Ensuring that Blue Ventures’ activities in Timor-Leste comply with relevant permissions and legal requirements
  • Overseeing all employment issues for overseas and local staff in Timor-Leste
  • Managing the programme budget efficiently and accurately, and overseeing the use and maintenance of all project equipment and resources
  • Responding to and managing any health and safety matters as they arise
  • Conducting regular risk assessments and overseeing medical evacuation plans (Medivac) as part of an overall risk management plan
  • Overseeing safe and efficient Scuba diving operations as part of expedition and research activities
  • Ensuring that Blue Ventures’ procedures and regulations are respected and adhered to by all personnel

 

 

 

 

 

Requirements

Qualifications/Skills required:

  • Commitment, drive and initiative to lead a major conservation and expedition programme, working in a remote and challenging tropical coastal environment
  • Leadership skills and experience, showing the initiative required to develop innovative solutions to the diverse complex problems that can arise during conservation projects and expeditions
  • Management and recruitment experience, most importantly a strong track record in motivating both teams and individuals
  • Ability and experience to manage a large project budget efficiently and accurately
  • Excellent oral and written English
  • Foreign languages; Portuguese, Bahasa or Tetun
  • Excellent interpersonal and motivational skills
  • Excellent knowledge of MS Office, Google Apps, and social media tools (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google plus)
  • PADI Divemaster or equivalent qualification
  • Excellent interpersonal and motivational skills.

Qualifications/Skills desired

  • Undergraduate level qualification in relevant subject (e.g. tourism, marine or conservation science)
  • PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor and Emergency First Response Instructor
  • Experience of managing financial accounts
  • Expedition leadership experience or qualification
  • Project management skills.