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Project Officer (2) (based in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya)

Employer
Self Help Africa
Location
New York City, New York, US
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
Sep 28, 2022

View more

Sector
Consultancy/Private Sector
Field
Conservation science
Discipline
Finance
Salary Type
Salary
Employment Type
Full time
Job Title: Project Officer
Organisation: Self Help Africa
Location: Elgeyo Marakwet County
Restrictions: Fixed term, full time
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Reports to: Project Coordinator
Benefits: 22 days annual leave, Medical Insurance (self + spouse and upto 4 children), 10% Employer pension contribution and 25% leave allowance
Annual Consolidated Salary: Kes 1,200,000/-
Number of posts: 2

Organisation Overview: About Self Help Africa & United Purpose
In late 2021 Self Help Africa (SHA) and United Purpose (UP) merged. The two organisations - one headquartered in Ireland and the other in Wales - implement projects to end extreme hunger and poverty.

This merger doubled our size and reach - and means that in 2022 we are implementing poverty eradication projects in 17 countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Collectively, we are also part of a group that includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, TruTrade and Cumo Microfinance.
In 2022 our work will reach more than six million people and invest upwards of €45m in more than 100 development programmes designed to improve food systems, facilitate access to markets and financial services, combat climate change, gender inequality, and improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

This is an exciting time to join us as we unite two like-minded and entrepreneurial organisations seeking to tackle the global challenges in progressive and innovative ways.
Job Purpose:
GEA has received funding from Climate Asset Management to sequester carbon and restore degraded lands in Kenya, and has formed a consortium to implement the project, and World Vision is leading the consortium in Kenya. SHA is implementing in Elgeyo Marakwet.

The project will involve 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 will support 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 two Project Officers with technical experience in community dryland forestry and agroforestry to implement the project.

Key Responsibilities:
  • 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 the project.
  • Assist the 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 Relationships:

Internal
  • SHA Finance, Logistics and Administration Team,
  • Kenya Agriculture and NRM Advisor,
  • M&E Assistant
  • HQ Programme Quality Team

Responsible for
  • Community Based Trainers.

External
  • Elgeyo Marakwet County Government
  • Local NGOs
  • Farmer's groups

Knowledge, Experience, and Other Requirements:
  • 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.
  • Enthusiasm for forestry and environmental protection.
  • Ability to work as part of team across different cultures
  • Diplomacy, tact and empathy with local communities.
  • 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.

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available and SHA reserves the right to make necessary changes.
How to apply:
If you are interested in the position and have the right skills and attributes, please download the Application Form and fill it in. Upload this form along with your CV and covering letter to our Online Recruitment Platform.

Please note incomplete applications will not be considered for shortlisting.

Closing date is Wednesday 28th September 2022 at 5pm

Please note that Self Help Africa Kenya advocates for equal opportunity and does not require applicants to pay any fee at whatever stage of the recruitment and selection process. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.

Self Help Africa is committed to the highest possible standards of openness, transparency, and accountability in all its affairs and is completely against fraud, bribery, and corruption. All employees are bound by code of conduct, child protection and conflict of interest policies.

Any candidate offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign Self Help Africa's Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

Police vetting is required.

All applicants are encouraged to read through the following safeguarding policies as you make your applications:

Women applicants are highly encouraged; Self Help Africa is an Equal Opportunities Employer

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