Technical Manager for Cobalt and Copper- ASM Formalization and Responsible Sourcing 93 views0 applications

At the heart of Pact is the promise of a better tomorrow. A nonprofit international development organization founded in 1971, Pact works on the ground in nearly 40 countries to improve the lives of those who are challenged by poverty and marginalization. We serve these communities because we envision a world where everyone owns their future. To do this, we build systemic solutions in partnership with local organizations, businesses, and governments that create sustainable and resilient communities where those we serve are heard, capable, and vibrant. Pact is a recognized global leader in international development. Our staff have a range of expertise in areas including public health, capacity development, governance and civil society, natural resource management, poverty, fragile states, monitoring and evaluation, small-scale and artisanal mining, microfinance and more. This expertise is combined in Pact’s unique integrated approach, which focuses on systemic changes needed to improve people’s lives.

Department

Mines to Markets (M2M) – Pact’s Mines to Markets Signature Initiative assists mineral-dependent communities to gain lasting benefits from the more sustainable use of the natural resources around them. Pact takes an integrated approach to its work in the mining sector: we link mining to livelihoods, governance, health, environment, and the strengthening of local, regional and national institutions. The M2M program is currently active in eleven countries, working with all scales of mining from large scale industrial operations (LSMs) to individual Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASMs) and their communities, in remote areas. For more information on current and some past projects at www.pactworld.org/mining.

Position Overview

Elevated scrutiny from the news media, advocacy groups, and other international organizations of child labor and other human rights abuses in the copper-cobalt (2C) supply chain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has prompted a surge of interest in Pact’s M2M program by a range of existing and prospective donors. Industry and consumer demand for responsible sourcing, as well as increasing regulation of transparency and supply chain accountability, are important drivers of change in the mineral sector’s practices at all scales of extraction, processing and trade. Pact’s work addressing due diligence and traceability in the tin, tantalum and tungsten (3T) supply chain is an example of our integrated development approach working at scale over time in DRC, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. By working in partnership with industry, government, miners and other stakeholders, Pact develops and delivers solutions for the mining sector that make business sense, are locally appropriate, meet international standards, and continually evolve in changing environments and with constructive input. Beyond the 3Ts, Pact has a long track record of working in the copper and cobalt sector on responsible practices and sourcing, most recently implementing a demonstration project on formalization of cobalt production at a key site in the Kolwezi area of Lualaba Province, DRC.
Our portfolio encompasses the formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining in addition to interventions for large-scale mine operators (LSMs) to strengthen human rights, their engagement with mining communities, and transform their relationships with ASM activities into socially and commercially constructive ones. Such interventions are focused on developing the capacity of mine operators, cooperatives, and regulators to work together to make ASM safer, more transparent, more professionalized, and meet ambitious international responsible sourcing goals.
Pact anticipates significant expansion of our work in this sector. The M2M Technical Manager – ASM Formalization & Responsible Sourcing will be responsible for harnessing the interest of prospective donors and initiatives in addressing the above set of issues to build integrated programs that improve the economic opportunities for mining communities and promote a more responsible and equitable mining and minerals sector. The M2M TM will have strategy, program design, business development, donor relationship, communications, and project management responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

Programming in the DRC:

• Conduct risk assessments and develop recommendations regarding ASM formalization and sourcing practices, child labor, occupational health and safety, human rights, economic empowerment and development, access to education, and governance in the 2C sector;
• Work with the DRC Country Director, M2M Vice President and technical team, DRC Capacity Development Program Manager, Child Labor in Mining Reporting Coordinator, and respective 3T and 2C program implementation and project managers to design programs and projects that are:

o Geographically and thematically integrated

o Locally relevant, including with buy-in from national, provincial, and local government and civil society

o Complementary with or that integrate the formalization agenda

o Able to leverage market dynamics

• Manage teams assigned to relevant projects in the portfolio;
• Support the local team as they translate identified strategies into clear and compelling pitches and proposals to prospective donors and help them create convincing presentations;
• Use diplomacy and creativity to collect data and stories from the field teams and package this information into regular reports for donors and project partners;
• Prioritize relationships to enable projects to continue by supporting partners in their respective roles and encouraging collaboration;
• Coordinate programming with international initiatives including the World Economic Forum’s Global Battery Alliance, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for Metals, Minerals & Chemicals, the Responsible Cobalt Initiative, the Responsible Business Alliance, and others as the need arises;
• Coordinate programming with international organizations including UNICEF, International Justice Mission, GIZ, International Labour Organization, and Good Shepherd International Foundation, and others, as the need arises;
• Collaborate with the 3E Vice President, DRC Country Director, M2M Directors and the Child Labor in Mining Reporting Coordinator on developing partner and donor engagement strategies to grow the portfolio; and
• Conduct close donor and partner liaison to maintain and grow their engagement and communicate the strategic value of the programs they support;
• Through networking, speaking engagements and publications, publicize and defend programs and projects to build the reputation of Pact and partners by sharing our efforts with key industry contacts and the public.

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Global programming:**

• Collaborate with the M2M team on developing new opportunities, technical resources, partner and donor engagement strategies to grow the portfolio geographically and in terms of sectoral diversity;
• Work with Pact’s Results and Measurement (R&M) team to develop tools and a learning agenda that generate data on program activities of sufficient quality and detail to synthesize and share best practices and models;
• Incorporate current research on relevant best practices as well as important local and international market dynamics in mining livelihoods programming;
• Represent Pact at international events and in the media, as well as on the steering committees and working groups of international initiatives such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Battery Alliance and the Responsible Business Alliances’ Responsible Minerals Initiative, as required; and
• Provide technical support to other Pact M2M projects around the world that could leverage practices and models implemented through this work.
• Other duties as may be required

Basic Requirements

• Masters’ degree and seven years of experience with 4 years of relevant experience (particularly in mining, mine management, ASM standards and formalization, international due diligence and operating norms in mineral supply chains, and interventions focused on livelihoods and market access for upstream mining communities)
• Proven experience in managing a team to achieve critically important results in challenging environments
• Ability to work as part of a team and to diplomatically coordinate across departments and between country offices;
• Patience and willingness to defer to others’ judgement and existing processes;
• Confidence combined with diplomacy to work in a challenging, multi-stakeholder environment;
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Extensive experience developing proposals, drafting project budgets, and negotiating with donors
• Flexibility on deadlines and willingness to work outside office hours as needed
• Ability to travel in remote areas with an understanding of security protocols and the demands of operating in CAHRAs
• Must be fluent in English and French
• Experience in the DRC is essential

Preferred location is the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other options may be considered including Washington, DC, or a country where Pact has a country office in depending on the candidate’s experience and precise location.

Pact is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, citizenship status, genetic information, matriculation, family responsibilities, personal appearance, credit information, tobacco use (except in the workplace), membership in an employee organization, or other protected classifications or non-merit factors.