TERMS OF REFERENCE
Technical Assistant — Circular Plastic Waste Ecosystem Project
Project Title :Reimagining Nigeria’s Plastic Crisis Through Grassroots Innovation
Donor / Funder: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Project Period: Febuary 2026 – December 2026
Duty Station: Adamawa State (Doubelli and Jambutu Communities)
Reports To: Project Manager
Contract Type: Project-Based
Experience: Minimum 2–4 Years of Relevant Experience
1. Organizational Background
The Rural Agricultural Transformation and Empowerment Initiative (RATEI) is a women-led non-governmental organization committed to empowering rural and displacement-affected communities across Nigeria. RATEI’s core mandate centers on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), women, youth, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and smallholder farmers’ groups.
Operating at the nexus of livelihoods, climate-smart agriculture, environmental sustainability, and social protection, RATEI champions inclusive, resilient, and self-sustaining community systems. Through participatory and transformative programming, the organization advances economic empowerment, gender equality, and environmental stewardship among the most marginalized populations.
2. Project Background
Under a UNDP Low Value Grant Agreement, RATEI is implementing a pilot project to establish community-owned circular plastic waste ecosystem. The project targets low-income, flood-prone communities in Adamawa State and seeks to transform plastic waste from an environmental burden into a driver of income generation, livelihoods, and climate resilience.
The project is structured around five interlocking components:
- Community plastic collection systems across participating neighborhoods
- A central plastic collection, sorting, and baling hub
- Women- and youth-led plastic waste cooperatives
- A Plastic Innovation Incubator for grassroots entrepreneurs
- Market linkage facilitation and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)-driven plastic credit systems
3. Purpose of the Assignment
RATEI seeks a qualified and motivated Technical Assistant to support the end-to-end implementation of the circular plastic waste ecosystem project. The Technical Assistant will provide integrated technical, administrative, and programmatic support to ensure all project components are executed effectively at the community level, in accordance with the project work plan, timelines, and UNDP grant requirements.
4. Scope of Work and Key Responsibilities
The Technical Assistant will be responsible for the following functional areas:
4.1 Programmatic and Technical Support
- Support the establishment of functional community plastic collection points, ensuring accessibility for all target groups including women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
- Assist in the construction, equipping, and operationalization of the central plastic collection and baling hub.
- Provide hands-on technical support in plastic sorting, handling, safe storage, and recycling processes.
- Support implementation of the Plastic Innovation Incubator, providing day-to-day assistance to grassroots innovators and entrepreneurs.
- Facilitate the development of market linkages with formal recyclers and private sector off-takers.
- Support integration of EPR mechanisms and plastic credit system protocols within community operations.
4.2 Project Administration and Coordination
- Provide operational support to the Project Manager, including scheduling and coordination of field activities, meetings, and stakeholder engagements.
- Collect, compile, verify, and analyse data on project activities, outputs, and outcomes.
- Support the preparation of progress reports, presentations, case studies, and human-interest stories.
- Maintain well-organised project documentation systems — both electronic and physical.
- Monitor activity implementation against the project work plan and escalate risks or delays to the Project Manager.
- Assist in organising multi-stakeholder dialogues on EPR frameworks, plastic credits, and waste governance.
4.4 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
- Track progress against project indicators, milestones, and donor-agreed targets.
- Support preparation of UNDP interim progress reports and financial reports within stipulated deadlines.
- Document lessons learned, emerging best practices, and success stories for institutional knowledge and communication purposes.
- Monitor the performance of cooperatives, community volunteers, and sub-partners against agreed benchmarks.
- Ensure compliance with RATEI’s internal monitoring and evaluation protocols and UNDP grant reporting obligations.
- Support basic budget monitoring, cost tracking, and financial documentation in coordination with the Finance team.
- Liaise with internal units (Finance, Procurement, and Logistics) to ensure timely procurement of goods and services in line with UNDP guidelines.
5. Qualifications and Experience
5.1 Education
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Development Studies, Agriculture, Engineering, Public Health, or a closely related discipline.
- Relevant postgraduate qualification or professional certification is an added advantage.
5.2 Professional Experience
- Minimum of 2–4 years of progressive experience in at least one of the following: community development, livelihoods programming, environmental sustainability, or waste management and recycling.
- Demonstrable experience working within an NGO, community-based organisation, or humanitarian response setting.
- Prior experience engaging women, youth, IDPs, and persons with disabilities is strongly desirable.
- Familiarity with UNDP or other multilateral donor project implementation cycles and reporting requirements is an added advantage.
- A certificate in Quality Control and Quality Assurance is an added advantage.
5.3 Skills and Competencies
| Competency Area | Proficiency Requirement |
| Community Mobilisation & Facilitation | Strong skills in community engagement, participatory facilitation, and stakeholder communication |
| Data Collection & Reporting | Ability to collect, compile, and analyse field data; produce clear progress reports |
| Technical Knowledge | Working knowledge of waste management, recycling systems, or environmental sustainability |
| Project Coordination | Experience coordinating field activities, maintaining work plans, and tracking deliverables |
| IT & Digital Tools | Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with mobile data collection tools |
| Communication | Excellent written and oral communication in English; knowledge of Hausa or other local languages is an advantage |
| Teamwork & Adaptability | Collaborative, resilient, and able to adapt to fluid field conditions |
| Attention to Detail | Strong organisational ability and accuracy in documentation and financial tracking |
6. Working Conditions
Duty Station: Adamawa State — primarily field-based in Doubelli and Jambutu communities
Travel: Regular intra-state travel to project communities; occasional travel for stakeholder meetings and training events
Environment: Combination of community field settings and office-based work; some activities will be conducted outdoors
Technology: Laptop/computer, MS Office Suite, mobile data collection applications, and virtual collaboration tools (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp)
7. Ethical Standards and Safeguarding
The Technical Assistant is expected to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct, integrity, and ethical behavior at all times. The following principles are non-negotiable:
- Strict adherence to RATEI’s safeguarding, child protection, and do-no-harm policies.
- Commitment to gender equality, social inclusion, and the active participation of women, youth, IDPs, and persons with disabilities.
- Confidentiality of beneficiary data and sensitive project information.
- Compliance with UNDP’s Code of Conduct and anti-corruption requirements as applicable under the grant agreement.
- Environmental and social responsibility in all project activities.
8. Reporting Line and Supervision
The Technical Assistant will report directly to the Project Manager and work closely with relevant RATEI programme and operations staff. The Technical Assistant will be required to submit regular activity updates, field reports, and contribute to all formal progress reports as required by RATEI and UNDP.
9. How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following documents to [email protected] with the subject line “Application: Technical Assistant – Reimagining Nigeria’s Plastic Crisis Through Grassroots Innovation”:
- A current curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé
- A cover letter (maximum two pages) describing relevant experience and motivation
- Contact details for at least two professional referees
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. RATEI is an equal-opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from women, youth, persons with disabilities, and candidates from Adamawa State. Posted 23rd March 2026, deadline 27th March 2026.
RATEI — Rural Agricultural Transformation and Empowerment Initiative
No. 17, New Yolde-Pate Barracks Road, Yola South, Adamawa State, Nigeria
Tel: +234 | Email: [email protected]
