Programme Assistant - EU Sustainable Western Indian Ocean Programme (SWIOP) Invest

ABOUT THE COMPANY

GIZ, the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, provides services in the field of international technical cooperation worldwide. In Kenya, it has been active since 1964, and up to now implements programs in a wide variety of areas, including economic development, green energy and water, governance, food security, and peace and security. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is GIZ’s main commissioning party. However, GIZ as well works closely with the private sector, fostering successful interaction between development policy and foreign trade.

JOB SUMMARY

BackgroundThe Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is critical for the food security, livelihoods and economic development of ten states in eastern and southern Africa, supporting an estimated 60 million people. Prominent blue economy sectors include fisheries, tourism, shipping, extractives and aquaculture. However, population growth, unsustainable consumption, pollution and climate change impacts are placing increasing pressure on fragile coastal and marine ecosystems.In response, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) commissioned GIZ to implement ProsperBlue. The programme partners with a diversity of regional, national, and local organizations to support them collaborate and contribute to the protection and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity in the WIO region through an inclusive and sustainable blue economy (ISBE). Managed from Nairobi, Kenya, ProsperBluepartners with the Nairobi Convention, an intergovernmental environmental agreement and platform covering the WIO and coordinated by UNEP. It has also helped to establish the multi-stakeholder “Our Blue Future” initiative, now with 35 partners focused on an ISBE.ProsperBlue is implementing Pillar 2 of the EU-funded Sustainable Western Indian Ocean Programme (SWIOP). SWIOP is a multi-country, multi-partner programme supporting sustainable blue economy development and regional cooperation in nine countries of the WIO. SWIOP is coordinated at regional level by the European Union Delegation to Tanzania with the support of GIZ ProsperBlue.Overall purpose of the positionThe Programme Assistant provides technical programme support to ProsperBlue for the effective coordination and implementation of SWIOP. The role supports planning, implementation, documentation, learning and communication processes across ProsperBlue activities, while also supporting the SWIOP Secretariat in coordinating programme-level processes and engagement with the European Union Delegation in Tanzania.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Your tasksSupport planning, coordination and tracking of ProsperBlue activities and workplans.Support the SWIOP Secretariat in coordinating cross-component and cross-country programme processes.Support preparation of consolidated meeting materials, programme updates and briefing notes for EUD Tanzania.Support preparation and delivery of regional and national workshops, steering meetings and learning events.Prepare agendas, background notes and presentation materials.Capture high-quality minutes, decisions and action points.Conduct desk research on topics related to blue economy, ocean governance and sustainable development.Support monitoring, evaluation, knowledge and learning processes, including basic data collection and analysis.Support preparation of programme updates, event summaries and learning products.Your ProfileRequired: Bachelor’s degree in development studies, environmental studies, governance, economics, international relations or a related field.At least one year of professional experience supporting projects or programmes in an international development organization (e.g. GIZ or a similar international agency; internships may be counted).Strong organisational and coordination skills with high attention to detail.Excellent written and spoken English, including the ability to draft minutes and concise summaries.Strong research and analytical skills. High proficiency in standard IT tools and collaborative working platforms. Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multi-stakeholder environments. DesirableExposure to EU- or BMZ-funded programmes.Familiarity with blue economy, ocean governance or sustainability topics.Basic experience with monitoring, evaluation or knowledge management.Submission of Application:Duty Station: NairobiDuration of Assignment: 1 year.Vacancy Reference Number: GIZ/ARD/08/02/2026Equal Employment OpportunityAt GIZ Kenya, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We actively seek individuals with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to build a stronger, more impactful global team.We provide an environment of respect and psychological safety, ensuring equal employment opportunities for all. Discrimination based on race, colour, ancestry, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, disability, marital status, or any other protected status is not tolerated in any of our workplaces.People With disability are encouraged to applyEthicsGIZ is committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of all individuals we interact with, including staff, partners, community members, and program participants. We uphold the highest standards in preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. Child abuse or any form of misconduct by or toward team members is strictly prohibited.All staff are expected to behave professionally, respect local laws and customs, and complete mandatory ethics e-learning courses upon hire.Data ConfidentialityIn accordance with GIZ’s data protection policy, all candidate applications are stored in our database for six (6) months and deleted thereafter.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Public Relations, Project implementation, Reporting, Logistics planning and management, Documentation and record keeping, Project preparation and planning, Partnerships, File management and data back-up, Teamwork, Document and archive management

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree