Cobalt Project Lead, Global Battery Alliance
- Recruiter
- Pact Inc.
- Location
- Washington
- Salary
- Competitive Salary and Benefits
- Posted
- 29 Apr 2018
- Closes
- 27 May 2018
- Sectors
- Sport & Leisure
- Contract Type
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full Time
Pact Overview
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.
Mines to Markets Overview
Pact's Mines to Markets Signature Initiative ("M2M") 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 around the world, working with all scales of mining from industrial operations in major mining zones to individuals in remote sites. More information on current and some past projects at .
Global Battery Alliance Overview
Mobile technology and a low-carbon future are unthinkable without batteries, a core technological enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The lithium-ion battery market - the strongest growing battery market segment- increased by 15% (CAGR) between 2005 and 2015 and the global battery market is estimated to see continued growth from currently $65 billion to a size of $100 billion by 2025.
However, there are enormous costs. First, raw materials needed for batteries are extracted at a high human and environmental toll. This includes, for example, child labor, health and safety hazards in informal work, poverty and pollution. Second, a recycling challenge looms over the eleven million tonnes of spent lithium-ion batteries forecast to be discarded by 2030, with few systems in place to enable reuse and recycling in a circular economy for batteries. Meanwhile, inappropriate lead-acid battery recycling causes severe health risks to millions globally. Third, significant innovation potential remains unexploited along the value chain to ensure that batteries fulfil their promise for sustainable development.
The Global Battery Alliance (GBA) of the World Economic Forum (WEF) seeks to address these challenges. As a global collaboration platform composed of 25 members across all sectors, it will catalyze and accelerate action towards a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and innovative battery value chain to power the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Pact is a founding member of the Global Battery Alliance and sits on the Governing Council, Steering Board, and Cobalt Working Group.
Position Purpose
In order to progress the work of the GBA on Raw Materials, notably cobalt, Pact will second a member of the M2M team to the GBA undertake the role of Cobalt Project Lead. It is anticipated that the Cobalt Project lead will spend the majority of their time on the GBA with an agreed percentage of time outside that attributed to M2M activities. It should be noted that within the GBA, the Cobalt Project Lead will represent the interests of all GBA members - not specifically those of Pact - and in all cases where this could cause some compromise, Pact will declare a conflict of interest and recuse itself from the discussion to ensure that the Cobalt Project Lead can work with integrity and independence.
Key Responsibilities relating to the GBA:
In this capacity, the Cobalt Program Lead will support the design, development and delivery of Pact's work with companies, communities and governments in the global mining sector to contribute to the achievement of Pact's overall strategy.
The Cobalt Program Lead will provide technical support and mentorship to a network of staff around the world that can provide technical assistance and quality oversight to relevant programs and contribute to technical design of proposals. The Cobalt Program Lead will keep abreast of opportunities, regulations, actors, and best practices in the mining sector and contributes to positioning Pact as a thought and practice leader in the field of mining and development. The Cobalt Program Lead will be written into project implementation plans as appropriate, where those projects require ongoing specialist technical support. The Cobalt Program Lead may be responsible for managing other members of the M2M team on a project or ongoing basis, contributing to the development and monitoring of project work plans to ensure adherence to best-practices and standards. The Cobalt Program Lead will represent Pact at technical meetings and forums with key donors.
The following areas of activity will be undertaken where relevant and where the GBA work schedule permits (the GBA role takes precedence):
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.
Mines to Markets Overview
Pact's Mines to Markets Signature Initiative ("M2M") 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 around the world, working with all scales of mining from industrial operations in major mining zones to individuals in remote sites. More information on current and some past projects at .
Global Battery Alliance Overview
Mobile technology and a low-carbon future are unthinkable without batteries, a core technological enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The lithium-ion battery market - the strongest growing battery market segment- increased by 15% (CAGR) between 2005 and 2015 and the global battery market is estimated to see continued growth from currently $65 billion to a size of $100 billion by 2025.
However, there are enormous costs. First, raw materials needed for batteries are extracted at a high human and environmental toll. This includes, for example, child labor, health and safety hazards in informal work, poverty and pollution. Second, a recycling challenge looms over the eleven million tonnes of spent lithium-ion batteries forecast to be discarded by 2030, with few systems in place to enable reuse and recycling in a circular economy for batteries. Meanwhile, inappropriate lead-acid battery recycling causes severe health risks to millions globally. Third, significant innovation potential remains unexploited along the value chain to ensure that batteries fulfil their promise for sustainable development.
The Global Battery Alliance (GBA) of the World Economic Forum (WEF) seeks to address these challenges. As a global collaboration platform composed of 25 members across all sectors, it will catalyze and accelerate action towards a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and innovative battery value chain to power the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Pact is a founding member of the Global Battery Alliance and sits on the Governing Council, Steering Board, and Cobalt Working Group.
Position Purpose
In order to progress the work of the GBA on Raw Materials, notably cobalt, Pact will second a member of the M2M team to the GBA undertake the role of Cobalt Project Lead. It is anticipated that the Cobalt Project lead will spend the majority of their time on the GBA with an agreed percentage of time outside that attributed to M2M activities. It should be noted that within the GBA, the Cobalt Project Lead will represent the interests of all GBA members - not specifically those of Pact - and in all cases where this could cause some compromise, Pact will declare a conflict of interest and recuse itself from the discussion to ensure that the Cobalt Project Lead can work with integrity and independence.
Key Responsibilities relating to the GBA:
- Administration: Organize the Cobalt working group calls: schedule the calls, write summaries and circulate material among the working group members, working closely with the working group chairs who will lead the meetings and calls
- Overall project management: Drive and lead the implementation of the project work streams (strategy and mapping; in-country work; systemic integration by coordinating with relevant initiatives such as RCI and RMI, and leveraging synergies with other areas of work in the GBA)
- Strategic development: Contribute to the strategic development of the GBA including commissioning of necessary research, facilitation of coordination between actors, to include:
- Field activities design workshop: Coordination of an in-country workshop with relevant partners and funders including: developing an agenda, participant list, lead the engagement with critical local stakeholders in collaboration with working group members, work with partners to ensure timing is feasible with obtaining visa, security arrangements, etc.
- Mapping initiatives: Ongoing work to map activities against the strategic plan to show both synergies and gaps.
- Research and engage, in collaboration with the Forum and Alliance partners, possible host organizations for the funding platform, such as the African Development Bank
- Lead the fund raising efforts
- Work with GBA partners and relevant experts (e.g. legal support from the WEF and GBA members) on developing an appropriate structure for the fund
- Identify the fund-raising target in collaboration with the working group and develop a written proposal to engage possible funding platform hosts
- Partner engagement: Continue to identify important stakeholders and work with the Core Group of the GBA Steering Board to bring them into the GBA
- Communications: Contribute to the development of media communications materials for the GBA; contribution to materials needed for conferences, website, publications, etc.; maintenance of a database/library of documents, photographs, maps and other relevant information that can create a resource for GBA members
In this capacity, the Cobalt Program Lead will support the design, development and delivery of Pact's work with companies, communities and governments in the global mining sector to contribute to the achievement of Pact's overall strategy.
The Cobalt Program Lead will provide technical support and mentorship to a network of staff around the world that can provide technical assistance and quality oversight to relevant programs and contribute to technical design of proposals. The Cobalt Program Lead will keep abreast of opportunities, regulations, actors, and best practices in the mining sector and contributes to positioning Pact as a thought and practice leader in the field of mining and development. The Cobalt Program Lead will be written into project implementation plans as appropriate, where those projects require ongoing specialist technical support. The Cobalt Program Lead may be responsible for managing other members of the M2M team on a project or ongoing basis, contributing to the development and monitoring of project work plans to ensure adherence to best-practices and standards. The Cobalt Program Lead will represent Pact at technical meetings and forums with key donors.
The following areas of activity will be undertaken where relevant and where the GBA work schedule permits (the GBA role takes precedence):
- Learning, leveraging and thought leadership
- Contribute to Pact's technical excellence in relation to working in mineral supply chains and with all actors along those chains.
- Represent Pact's technical capabilities and promote Pact's programming at donor meetings, internal events and national/international conferences.
- Contribute to the development of popular and peer-reviewed publications as well as communications materials for delivery through multiple media channels.
- Remain abreast of trends and research findings regarding mining sector issues, corporate responsibility, regulatory frameworks, industry standards and best practice in the mining sector and participate in disseminating them to country offices and relevant communities of practice.
- Contribute to due diligence to ensure Pact's engagement with mining companies/ organizations is institutionally appropriate and support field offices in identifying, assessing and mitigating potential risks involved in working with the mining sector, including the human security and human health dynamics of mining.
- Play a key role in defining new business development relating to M2M by leading the technical design on projects in the mining sector, networking with donors to gather intelligence on up-coming funding opportunities, ensuring that all relevant proposals are technically sound, and capitalizing upon Pact's worldwide knowledge base.
- Provide technical support and ongoing oversight to projects in the mining sector to ensure program quality.
- Share global best practices with project staff on regular basis using multiple communications channels and mechanisms including training and support the integration of these best practices into Pact's programming. ..... click apply for full job details