Our model for success is a better life for everyone and purposeful tasks for our employees. For more than 50 years, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), as a company of the German Federal Government, has been supporting the implementation of development policy goals worldwide. Together with partner organisations in 120 countries, we are involved in a diverse range of projects. If you want to make a difference in the world and develop yourself in the process, you've come to the right place.

For our operations in Eschborn/Germany OR Brussels/Belgium, we are looking for an 

Project Manager (m/f/d) Cobalt for Development and Extractives – GIZ International Services

Assignment period: 05/01/2023 - 12/31/2024

Field of activity

Within GIZ, the department International Services (GIZ InS) is in charge of clients such as intergovernmental organisations, development banks, governments and private companies. In implementing projects for this broad range of clients, InS follows the GIZ mission of sustainable development for a liveable future. We offer our clients highly competent and efficient teams of German, international and local professionals in more than 120 countries.

Our Private Sector Clients team works at the dynamic interface between the private sector and international cooperation. We support companies in the process of implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) worldwide with a focus on Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In doing so, we scale international cooperation solutions that have proven successful or test innovative approaches that are familiar to us in local contexts. We offer companies individual advice, from the idea to the conception, and project management up to the proof of measurable results and effects.

Cobalt for Development (C4D) is one of the projects we currently implement. It is a project aiming to improve working conditions in the cobalt artisanal mining sector in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and is financed by a consortium of international companies from the battery value chain.

We are looking for a Project Manager based in Eschborn, Germany, or in Brussels, Belgium with regular and frequent travels to southern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Your tasks

Your tasks will focus on the C4D project, which started in 2019 and is embarking on a new phase 2023, targeting to deliver a proof-of-concept of responsible Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) of cobalt. Its primary focus is the improvement of occupational health and safety, the prevention of child labour and combatting root causes, improvement of environmental management, and general management capacities on ASM sites. To this end, C4D works with two local NGOs. The first one focuses on community development and root causes of child labour, while the other works on-site in the mines. The collaboration with the latter is very close and will be the key focus of your assignment. They have a team of 4 technicians in Lualaba (“local team”). Your tasks will be:

• Support the planning and the implementation of training and coaching programmes on ASM cobalt sites by the local team and perform quality control.
• Revise and further develop existing training materials in collaboration with the local team.
• Supervise project monitoring and evaluation.
• Collaborate closely with the project director on operations and strategy.
• Maintain and further develop relationships with key political, technical, civil society, and business stakeholders in southern DRC and internationally together with project director and GIZ Senior Project Manager
• Report project progress to clients
• Liaise with GIZ bilateral projects in the mining sector (PROGERIN, DISM, BGR) to avoid duplication, and coordinate the action with common stakeholders (SAEMAPE, CTCPM, MINES MINISTRY, etc.)
• Manage other subcontracted experts and NGOs as required
• Follow national and international discussions on cobalt

Additionally, you might also get involved occasionally in project acquisition, project development, and project set up within the GIZ InS Private Sector Clients team beyond C4D. The sectoral focus of this work is envisioned to be extractives-related, but opportunities may also arise to gain experience in other sectors such as agriculture or green energy.

Your profile

• Master’s level university degree in a field relevant to responsible mining, such as geology, natural resource management, earth sciences, supply chain or similar.
• At least three years of professional experience in responsible mining projects, ideally (in part) with private sector companies.
• Preferably operational experience in projects working with improvements in ASM mining, particularly occupational health and safety.
• Experience in project management, such as developing project plans, managing procurement processes, and reporting.
• Strong and demonstrable interest in current trends and developments of sustainable development. High intrinsic motivation for responsible mining.
• Practical and problem-solving orientated mindset, structured approach to work.
• Business acumen and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Working experience in Africa, preferably in DRC. Willingness to take on frequent international business trips to DRC.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, in particular Excel and PowerPoint.
• Full fluency in English and French is an essential requirement. Other language skills, especially in German, Swahili and/or Lingala, will be considered as assets.

If we caught your interest, we are looking forward to your application until 04/02/2023.

For further information: https://jobs.giz.de/index.php?ac=jobad&id=66383

You can find the full job advertisement and further detailed information in our job market on the GIZ job and career pages at www.giz.de, Job-ID V000054206.

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