Application Deadline: May 30, 2022
Job Title: Canadian Mine Action Technology Expert
Initiative Name: “Resource mobilization to accelerate mine clearing” under the Technical Assistance Partnership - Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM)
Job type: Part Time/Fixed Term
Location of Position: Canada (remote) with travel to Cambodia
Reporting to: Project Manager, TAP-EDM
Remuneration: Fees are subject to negotiation and shall not exceed established market rates.
Indicative LOE/Time Frame: 15-20 days over 3-month period
Citizenship: Applicants must be Canadian citizens or have permanent resident status in Canada.
Language Requirements: French or English
Application instructions:
- We welcome applications from individuals and from governmental, non-governmental and private organizations.
- A cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should detail how you fit the opportunity, your daily fee and current availability.
- Please include following in the subject line: [Public Finance Expert: Your last name, your first name].
- Use the Apply Now button to upload your Cover letter and CV. Apply Now
Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls please.
At Alinea International we value equity, diversity and inclusivity in everything we do. We are an equal opportunity employer opposed to all forms of discrimination. We actively seek and encourage applications from people of diverse backgrounds recognizing that an inclusive workforce enriches our organization and achieves smarter, more innovative results.
Alinea is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. Given the nature of our work, candidates will be subjected to due diligence checks and to enhanced background checks as appropriate.
About Alinea International Ltd.
Alinea is an international development consultancy providing technical and management expertise that helps people improve their lives. We work with governments, investors, companies and communities to create lasting change. Over 35 years, Alinea has successfully delivered more than 515 projects worldwide. alineainternational.com
About TAP-EDM
The Technical Assistance Partnership - Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM) Project provides targeted, short-term (up to 12 months) technical assistance to National Government Entities (NGE) from eligible OECD-DAC countries. The Mechanism is expected to deploy over 250 Canadian experts via 120-150 technical assistance initiatives designed to resolve capacity gaps to bring about the desired changes of the recipient NGEs. Fully aligned with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Strategy (FIAP), these initiatives will integrate gender equality, climate action/environmental sustainability, human rights and good governance as key objectives. Canadian experts will come from all walks of life, proudly representing world-class technical human resources but also the diversity and multi-culturalism that is Canada.
TAP-EDM is a four-year C$18,750,000-million-dollar project funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and managed by Alinea International.
About the Technical Assistance Initiative
Mine clearing in Cambodia began in 1992. To date, 2300 sq kms of land have been cleared of mines and explosive remnants of war. 2000 sq kms remains to be cleared. The current goal is to clear 800 sq km of known mine contaminated areas by 2025 under the Ottawa Convention. Exacerbating the progress, “significant reductions in the baseline of mined area, through land release operations, are being largely offset by large quantities of newly discovered suspected mined areas being added to the database”, according to the Mine Action Review. To wit, 118 new km2 of land contaminated with anti-personnel mines was discovered in 2018, 7.4 new km2 in 2019 and 74.8 new km2 in 2020.
Limited critical resources, inefficient procedures (non vs. technical surveys) and imprecise designations (SHAs vs. CHAs) of contaminated land limit the pace of clearing to a maximum rate of 240 sq km per year set in 2018-2019. This pace can only increase with improved precision in resource mobilization to expand the use of non-technical surveys, the integration of new technology into the clearing process and an increase in more clearing personnel. Currently an estimated 44-65 people are killed annually by unexploded mines.
This initiative will contract two experts – this position as well as a Public Finance Expert – to work closely with the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) to explore new resource mobilization options that will provide sufficient resources to achieve their mine clearing goal by 2025. CMAA is the government authority responsible for mine action and clearing management across Cambodia.
Role and Responsibilities
The following are indicative duties (these may be refined following contracting and an inception period) to be undertaken in close collaboration with CMAA and in coordination with a Public Finance Expert:
- Review/assess the processes and use of technology at each step in the demining process. For each step, assess and analyze: (i) the efficiency and effectiveness of current/existing technology and processes; (ii) the potential for introducing proven new technology, technical and procedural advancements/opportunities; (iii) the cost of integrating proven new technological and/or procedural options; and (iv) potential suppliers of the technology that have experience in SEA. For each option, calculate the cost benefits and efficiency gains, including time and human resource costs of acquiring and integrating new technology over maintaining old technology/processes relative to the immediate goals and timelines of CMAA’s mine action strategy.
- Design and deliver training to CMAA personnel on:
- Evaluating, selecting and acquiring new technology for each step (pros/cons) in the demining process.
- Reviewing and rebuilding procedures/processes.
- Designing, developing and packaging mutually beneficial financing options that attract in-kind and/or direct investment from technology suppliers. These options can either be standalone or integral to a larger financing package.
Required Qualifications and Experience
- Degree/diploma in engineering, physics; ideally with specific training on mine detection/removal systems.
- 3+ years’ technical experience in mine action and demining systems, procedures and technologies. Experience in Southeast Asia and Cambodia/Lao PDR is highly desirable.
- Strong understanding and experience reviewing and rebuilding procedures including the development of effective procedure manuals that is understandable to a wide range of users.
- Demonstrated experience designing, delivering effective training/capacity development, adult learning and experiential activities to diverse groups of adult learners on technology selection and procurement and/or process reviews. Eligible candidates must have experience in facilitation with similar experience designing, delivering workshops to support decision-making.
- Adaptable, flexible and at ease in dynamic environments.
- Superior skills in communication, analysis and technical writing.