Environment Governance & Social Inclusion Coordinator

The Colombia Enabling Environment and Social Inclusion Coordinator will oversee environmental governance activities geared towards creating an enabling environment for the adoption of Best Management Practices for reducing environmental and social impacts from infrastructure development in Oil and Gas, Mining, Hydroelectric, and Roads sectors in the Colombian Amazon region. S/he will work with staff of the USAID BMP project to bring together a variety of key stakeholders, such as: government entities, indigenous and local populations, and the private sector to identify, develop, and pilot Best Management Practices for sustainable infrastructure and extractive activities development in Colombia.  S/he will facilitate and maintain relations with a variety of stakeholders including: government authorities and indigenous associations’ civil society groups, among others to advance environmental governance activities and social inclusion strategy as it pertains to best practice adoption by sectors operating in the Colombian Amazon region. Requires sufficient knowledge and work experience of environmental governance, best practices, indigenous people’s rights, gender issues, and has deep understanding of key stakeholders and maintains a well-established network to advance the project’s agenda. In addition, s/he is expected to have/lead the following functions: 

• Provides oversight of project activities in Colombia that are related to environmental governance and social inclusion,   
• Identifies, exchanges, and promotes good practices and lessons learned and assesses and makes recommendations for improvements based on relevant sources, including Governments, transnational corporations and other business enterprises, national human rights institutions, civil society and rights-holders;  
• Provides support for efforts to promote capacity-building for activities related to environmental governance and social inclusion in the context of the Colombian Amazon. Engages with Indigenous Organizations, CSOs, private companies, and sector associations to advance project activities  
• Works collaboratively with the USAID BMP project team based in Colombia and in other countries of the region.  
• Fosters cross-site learning among an international conservation community  
• Supports development and implementation of company engagement strategies  
• Knowledge of politics and society with respect to indigenous and environmental affairs, particularly in Colombia  
• Coordinates community support  
• Mediates the sector meetings so that we have an aligned plan 
• Develops agreements among indigenous peoples, private companies (or sector associations) and government   
• Develops key partnerships with public & private organizations in order to identify and resolve technical issues  

This position reports to the Latin America Regional Infrastructure Regional Unit and coordinates closely with the TNC team in Colombia

RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE 

• Coordinates multiple activities with several variables, setting realistic deadlines and managing timeframes  
• Coordinate the work and build synergies within TNC´s operational units and Conservation Programs   
• Interprets guidelines, evaluates information and modifies processes to adapt to changing circumstances  
• Compiles data, resolves disparities and modifies processes to generate plans  
• Resolves routine issues independently, consulting with supervisor to develop plans for resolution of complex and unusual problems  
• Ability to work in high-visibility, fast-paced and stressful environment  
• Cultivates and develops creative ideas to improve conservation strategies  
• Applies diversified knowledge of scientific principles and practices to a variety of assignments  
• Negotiates complex agreements in political environments  
• Identifies and disseminates lessons learned, best practices and methods, tools, consistencies and inconsistencies across plans  
• Ensures program accountability, finance and legal compliance  
• Programmatic scope may require cross-boundary work and relationships.             
• May be responsible for leading or co-leading a whole system program
• Establish and maintain optimal standards of performance for the department or program while controlling costs and administering budgets.  
• Builds cooperation from outside parties to accomplish project goals  
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.  
• Frequently makes independent decision based on analysis, experience, and context