Community Liasion Officer- Carbon Project at Northern Rangelands Trust

• Reporting to the Rangelands and Carbon Program Governance Lead, the Carbon Project Community Liaison Officer will be rresponsible for the day-to-day liaison & community engagement/communications for the Carbon project in each sphere of responsibility and shall perform, inter alia, the following duties & responsibilities:

Key roles/Responsibilities:

• Manage local stakeholder relationships through regular contact with local communities and their representatives.
• Undertake active community engagement in order to obtain and sustain the social license and enable smooth implementation of operations.
• Facilitate the smooth liaison between staff and contractors, etc., by maintaining regular contact & networking with primary communities & other key stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain close networks with local and county leadership; Liaise with relevant local, and county authorities to ensure good stakeholder relationships.
• Set up & organize meetings with key stakeholders & / or with any other agencies or person if so requested, including organizing meeting spaces.
• Maintain detailed & accurate record of meetings including agendas, meeting minutes, follow up / action points, details of meeting held or cancelled should also be maintained.
• Ensure that communities are kept abreast of the project developments & communication channels remain open with the communities.
• Actively seek feedback from the community and advise the organization on community views on various issues and any changing trends within the community that may affect operations.
• Respond to community concerns by ensuring that they are brought to the attention of the Rangelands and Carbon Program Governance Leads.
• Assist in the identification of potential implementation problems & bottlenecks about both community & County government relationships.
• Develop and sustain an effective two-way communication network between the Carbon project and Conservancy boards.
• Gather information on social impact of carbon project operations on immediate communities and consult internally and with community leadership on mitigation measures.
• Carry out sensitization campaigns to educate the local communities on the carbon project’s activities on the ground.
• Report to the Carbon Project Governance Lead regularly on community issues & the project’s performance in relation to those issues.
• Consult with local stakeholders and Conservancy board members regarding Community Carbon Funds’ Projects and their implementation.
• Forward questions about the project from community leaders & residents to appropriate project and NRT and government authorities.
• Communicate community concerns to the Carbon Project Governance Lead & act as a liaison assistant to ensure that Conservancy leaders & other community leaders communicate agreements on the project to their community constituents.
• Monitor interaction between sub/Contractors, locally employed persons and local communities and report any impropriety or Concern to the Carbon Project Governance Lead.
• Attend project Communities team meetings as required.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned.

Academic & Professional Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree/Diploma/Certificate in Community Development, Social Sciences or any other relevant discipline from a recognized university in Kenya.
• Possession of a valid motor cycle riding license will be an added advantage.

Experience required:

• At least 10 years previous experience working within community relations/development role; management of grievances at community level.
• Prior experience working in the region & strong knowledge of local customs and traditions is critical.
• Experience working with national & county governments and non-state organizations that are contributing to the development of local communities is desirable.
• Experience in the management of grievances and grievance management systems.

Technical & Behavioral competences:

• Ability to develop and implement strategies (including key stakeholder engagement) to secure desired outcomes and support objectives
• Ability to translate complex information into strong, easily delivered messages, including the ability to influence, inspire confidence and build trust at all levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Knowledge of languages spoken locally are essential.
• Ability to establish & maintain excellent contacts with colleagues, County Government officials,
• Community Conservancy representatives & community members
• Strong community liaison, mobilization & negotiation skills required.
• Working knowledge of MS Office applications required.
• Good report writing and analytical skills.