Project Officer - Baringo at Gap Recruitment Services Limited

Job Purpose: The project involves supporting farmers, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists to increase the tree cover on their land through appropriate approaches, including planting agroforestry species on farmland; establishing/ extending/ restoring woodlots, plantations and natural forests; working with pastoralists and the Conservancies to increase tree cover through Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR); and restoring gullies and eroded land through tree planting and physical structures (bio-engineering).

The project supports farmers, pastoralists and agro pastoralists to develop enterprises linked to trees: honey, handicrafts, gum Arabic, fruit, etc., and will link the project participants to microfinance opportunities. The project aims to improve the dietary diversity of the participants and, eventually, to create income for the participants through the sale of carbon credits.

SHA seeks to recruit one Project Officer with technical experience in community dryland forestry and agroforestry to implement the project in Baringo county.

Key Responsibilities of the Project Officer:

• Participatory selection of target communities, project participants and stakeholders.
• Participatory selection of volunteer community trainers (lead farmers, community facilitators, FMNR facilitators, VSLA trainers, etc).
• Prepare/ adapt training materials for agroforestry, FMNR, landscape restoration, NRM planning, VSLAs, Value chain analysis, business skills development, nutrition.
• Training, mentoring and supervision of volunteer community trainers.
• Training, mentoring of NRM committees, conservancies, farmers groups, micro-enterprises.
• Assist NRM committees and conservancies to develop and update NR management plans and maps.
• Undertake regular monitoring of project activities.
• Assist the M&E team to plan and conduct surveys.
• Measure tree growth, tree densities, tree cover, soil and tree carbon, and conduct GNSS ground truth surveys using protocols developed by ICRAF.
• Assist the Restore Africa Project Coordinator to prepare narrative reports.
• Liaise with the County Government and implementing partners and stakeholders.
• Perform other duties and tasks as assigned by the Project Coordinator.

Key Qualifications, Knowledge and Skills:

Essential:

• BSc in Forestry, Agroforestry, Rangeland Management, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural science, or related discipline.
• Minimum of five years of technical experience in dryland forestry and agroforestry.
• Experience of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration.
• Experience of tree-based value chains.
• Experience of Forest Mensuration in dryland forests.
• Basic land and soil survey skills.
• Experience in soil and water conservation, watershed management and landscape restoration through bioengineering.
• At least five years of working experience in an NGO or in government or private sector.
• Practical experience of developing community natural resources plans and maps.
• Good understating of gender roles in forestry and pastoralist societies and practical experience. of integrating gender equality into forestry, agroforestry and rangeland management.
• Commitment to international and humanitarian NGO codes, standards and practices.

Preferred:

• Experience of working with pastoralist and agro pastoralist communities.
• Microfinance experience.
• Experience of integrating nutrition into agriculture, forestry and NRM projects (nutrition sensitive).
• Experience of integrating the physically disabled into forestry, agroforestry and rangeland management.

Competencies:

• Enthusiasm for forestry and environmental protection.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work as part of team across different cultures.
• Diplomacy, tact and empathy with local communities.
• Good writing skills.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills.
• Able to take initiatives and work with limited supervision.
• A strong commitment to the aims, objectives and values of the SHA Kenya Country Programme.
• Good working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and general IT skills.
• Prepared to use/ learn to use a motorcycle on poor roads in hot and dusty conditions.