JOB DESCRIPTION:
TERMS OF REFERENCES
Context and justification
With the support of the European Union, Coginta has launched earlier this year the Gold for Good project in northern Ghana aimed at strengthening conflict-sensitive governance, environmental accountability, and institutional coordination in areas affected by artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The initiative will reinforce the operational capacities of local authorities, security providers, and regulatory agencies to promote responsible natural resource management and peaceful community relations.
To ensure technical and operational readiness, Coginta is opening the recruitment of a Technical Coordinator – Peace and Security who will lead the security, enforcement, and conflict prevention dimensions of this anticipated initiative.
Key responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Operations Manager, the Technical Coordinator – Peace and Security will provide technical leadership, coordination, and quality assurance on issues related to security governance, law enforcement coordination, and conflict-sensitive ASM management.
He/she will support local authorities, regulatory agencies, and communities to develop coordinated, rights-based, and trust-building approaches to enforcement and oversight of natural resource governance.
Technical leadership and coordination
Capacity Training and Technical Backstopping
Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Learning
Other
Undertake any other tasks consistent with the role and required for effective implementation of the initiative.
Conditions
• Name of the position: Technical Coordinator – Peace and Security
• Location: Bole, Ghana (with frequent missions to northern districts)
• Contract duration: 12 months
• Working time: Full-time (100%)
• Direct supervisor: Operations Manager
• Provide technical guidance on peace and security dimensions of natural resource and ASM governance.
• Lead the planning and supervision of diagnostics, capacity assessments, and institutional analyses in targeted districts.
• Facilitate coordination among law enforcement, environmental, and regulatory actors to enhance accountability and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure that diagnostics, trainings, action plans, and tools developed under the project meet rigorous technical and methodological standards.
• Ensure integration of conflict sensitivity, human rights, gender, and environmental safeguards across interventions.
• Support the design and operationalization of inter-agency coordination mechanisms between DISECs, DMCs, EPA, Minerals Commission, Police, Immigration, and traditional authorities.
• Support, as appropriate, integration of project output into district and national frameworks (e.g., ASM Action Plans, DMC structures, EPA monitoring).
• Review technical reports, training modules, and consultant deliverables for validation.
• Oversee the design and delivery of tailored training programmes for enforcement, environmental, and governance actors.
• Coordinate or co-facilitate technical workshops and training-of-trainers sessions where appropriate.
• Provide technical accompaniment and mentoring to district-level institutions, including DMCs, DISECs, and Assemblies.
• Support multi-agency field operations, inspection missions, and environmental monitoring visits.
• Ensure approaches are community-oriented, rights-based, and responsive to local security and governance contexts.
• Review and validate technical outputs, training materials, and consultant deliverables.
• Contribute to the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) system through technical data collection and analysis.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and good practices on coordinated enforcement and community engagement.
• Support adaptive management and continuous improvement of intervention strategies.
• Act as a focal point between Coginta, academic partners (UMaT), regulatory agencies, and local institutions on technical matters.
• Ensure field data, assessments, and research findings are effectively translated into operational recommendations.
• Contribute to mid-term review and final evaluation, with evidence-based lessons learned.
• Status: Fixed-term contract
• Contract duration: 12 months
• Place of work: Bole
• Start date: Immediately
REQUIRED SKILLS:
Qualifications & Experience
Technical Skills (Savoir-faire)
Personal & Interpersonal Skills (Savoir-être)
• Advanced degree in Security Studies, Political Science, Peace and Conflict Studies, Environmental Governance, or related fields.
• At least 7–10 years of experience in technical coordination or senior advisory roles in peace and security, law enforcement coordination or conflict sensitive governance.
• Proven expertise in security sector governance, institutional capacity building and inter-agency coordination.
• Experience engaging with law enforcement and regulatory agencies (Police, EPA, Minerals Commission, Immigration, Forestry, etc.).
• Experience in conflict-sensitive programming, border governance and community-oriented policing.
• Strong track record of working with government institutions, local authorities, and traditional structures in West Africa (experience in Ghana an asset).
• Strong background in facilitating dialogue and trust-building between state and community actors.
• Familiarity with donor-funded programmes.
• Excellent analytical and coordination skills; ability to synthesize, review, and ensure quality of technical outputs.
• Strong facilitation, training and mentoring skills; able to accompany participatory and multi-actor processes.
• Ability to design and operationalize tools for institutional coordination and accountability.
• Strategic thinking, ability to ensure coherence across multiple project strands.
• Strong written and oral communication; ability to produce high-quality reports.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in local languages (Dagbani, Gonja, or others) is an asset.
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• “Proactive contributor”: ability to identify challenges and propose practical, context-adapted solutions.
• Rigor, autonomy, and courtesy in professional interactions.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.
• Motivation and capacity to establish priorities, manage competing tasks, and work independently.
• Ethical conduct and integrity, aligned with professional and organizational standards.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Initiative, proactivity, and a constructive problem-solving attitude.
• Strong sense of diplomacy, negotiation, and service orientation.
• Commitment to Coginta’s values of inclusivity, participation, and local ownership
HOW TO APPLY:
How To Apply
Documents to be sent: CV + cover letter to [email protected] (Indicate in the subject of the email: Technical Coordinator – Peace and Security)
Qualifications
Advanced Degree
Experience Required
7 years
