We are currently seeking to contract a Project Assistant to join our project implementation team. The successful candidate will be required to work closely with the UK Executive, Project Manager, and in-destination colleagues to deliver the project in Mauritius.

CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY: PROJECT ASSISTANT – MAURITIUS

Salary:   £1,400 (GBP) gross per month 
 
Contract type:  2.5-year fixed-term full-time contract (with the possibility of extension)
 
Based:  Port Louis (with regular travel across the island)
 
Responsible to: Project Manager
 
Overview: Assist in the delivery of the ‘Transforming Tourism Value Chains’ project in Mauritius on behalf of the Travel Foundation

THE TRAVEL FOUNDATION 
If we do tourism right, destinations won't just survive, they'll thrive.   Anyone who is involved in tourism can be part of this. We believe that tourism can and should shape a better future for destinations. Done well, it can bring new jobs and livelihoods for local people; as well as resources for the conservation of cultural heritage and the natural environment. 

The Travel Foundation is a registered charity in the UK, founded in 2003.  We are a charity that works in partnership with leading tourism organisations in popular holiday destinations around the world. We design and deliver sustainable tourism initiatives and research programmes to enable businesses, governments and communities to maximise the benefits and minimise the negative impacts of tourism.   For more information please visit: thetravelfoundation.org.uk  

THE TRANSFORMING TOURISM VALUE CHAINS PROJECT 
The Travel Foundation is collaborating with UN Environment, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and national partners to deliver the Transforming Tourism Value Chains Project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.  

The project aims at reducing GHG emissions and improving resource efficiency in key tourism sector value chains with high resource use i.e. accommodation, food & beverage, and meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE). Transforming the sector to low carbon, resource efficient operations, requires an increase in sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices by businesses and tourists through more coherent actions in countries. The project will help the Philippines and the Dominican Republic to: 1) establish and analyse the sector’s inventory of GHG emissions and sustainable products and services in the tourism value chains; 2) establish an integrated emissions reduction and resource efficiency action framework based on life cycle approaches, with specific indicators for mitigation/adaptation priorities; 3) build local institutional and networking capacities; 4) support national implementation and results reporting; and 5) enhance regional tourism networking, lessons and learning. Participating SIDS countries will benefit from policy recommendations for and capacity building in low carbon tourism operations.

The Travel Foundation is the main implementing partner for the small island developing states (SIDS) target countries, Mauritius and St Lucia, and is responsible for organising, facilitating and conducting value chain mapping and training workshops, communicating and disseminating project results and assisting the project in developing policy recommendations and action plan priorities for SIDS.   In Mauritius, the project will focus on the accommodation and food & beverage value chains and will also require the establishment and facilitation of a national stakeholder advisory group to encourage the wider replication of project actions.  In addition to recruiting for this role, the Travel Foundation is recruiting for a Project Manager who would be responsible for the overall delivery of the project in Mauritius. 
 
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR WORK 

We are currently seeking to contract a Project Assistant to join our project implementation team.  The successful candidate will be required to work closely with the UK Executive, Project Manager, and in-destination colleagues to deliver the project in Mauritius.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The successful applicant will be responsible for supporting the Project Manager with the delivery of project activities including (but not limited to):

• Supporting the organisation and facilitation of workshops and training including organising venues and catering services, printing materials and liaising with participants
• Liaising directly with operational staff from the accommodation and food & beverage sectors to encourage the collection of data 
• Maintaining regular communication with all project stakeholders
• Collating information, data and reports  
• Disseminating project communications to project participants 
• Setting up meetings and drafting minutes
• Managing expenses and project finances
• Producing high quality project reports and communications documents
• Collecting project monitoring and evaluation data  
• Supporting in the implementation of other project activities as required by project partners

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• At least 5 years’ experience in a project support or administrative role 
• At least 2 years’ experience of event management / logistical coordination
• Strong reporting, administrative and organisational skills, and the ability to prioritise and complete a variety of tasks with minimal supervision to tight deadlines
• Ability to be self-directed and autonomous, as well as working as part of team
• Flexibility to travel nationally if required
• Computer literacy (including: Word, Excel and PowerPoint)  
• Fluent (spoken and written) in English

Desirable:

• Tourism-related work experience
• A confident person with excellent interpersonal skills

APPLICATION PROCESS
Please send your CV with a 300 word (max) covering letter, highlighting your experience and skills relevant to this vacancy and this role suits you to Cynthia Shaw with the subject "PROJECT ASSISTANT - MAUTIRIUS ".  (Please note: shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a written pre-interview assessment)

Closing date: Thursday 4th May at 23:00 (GMT). Candidates will be informed by Wednesday 10th May if they have been selected for interview. Interviews will take place between 16-19 May 2017, in Port Louis, Mauritius

Please see our website for all current live vacancies: http://www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/about-us/recruitment/