Natural Resource Management and Governance Officer – Swiss Church Aid/HEKS Ethiopia
Management, Environment and Natural Resource
Swiss Church Aid/HEKS Ethiopia
About Swiss Church Aid/HEKS-EPER
Swiss Church Aid/HEKS is the aid organization of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland and has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland. Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS works towards a more humane and more equitable world, assisting people and communities to overcome economic, social or humanitarian disparities in order to gain autonomy and to live with dignity both in Switzerland and abroad. Therefore, Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS engage in development cooperation, humanitarian aid and church cooperation and works in more than 30 countries and runs around 200 projects world-wide. Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS is a member of the ACT Alliance.
About Swiss Church Aid/HEKS-EPER
Swiss Church Aid/HEKS is the aid organization of the Protestant Churches of Switzerland and has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland. Swiss Church Aid/HEKS implements development and humanitarian responses programs to tackles the causes of hunger, injustice, and social deprivation both in Switzerland and abroad and runs around 200 projects world-wide.
Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS is a member of the ACT Alliance.
In Ethiopia, Swiss Church Aid/ HEKS implements development and humanitarian interventions with focus on natural resource management, climate change adaption, conflict transformation, water, hygiene & sanitation, and inclusive markets.
Swiss church Aid/HEKS is looking for a committed and competent Conflict Transformation Officer for its ‘Women for Peace’ which aims at strengthening local capacities to improve communities’ resilience in border areas between Borana (Ethiopia) and Marsabit (Kenya). The project aims to enhance women’s leverage in conflict prevention, resolution, peace building, relief and recovery. The position holder will report to field office coordinator and will work closely with the project team in the field and in Addis as well as with partner organizations in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Job Description
Key areas of responsibilities are:
- Coordinate and lead the implementation of NRM and governance component of the project “Women for Peace – Strengthening Local Capacities to Transform Conflict in the Border area of Borana-Marsabit in Ethiopia and Kenya.”
- Support the facilitation of NRM and DRM approaches, trainings, and community-based dialogues and events for field stakeholders, to support sound implementation of NRM/DRM activities.
- Develop and prepare operation action plans for community-based natural resources management activities in collaboration with concerned bodies
- Participate in and support trainings, workshops and dialogue sessions, resource and beneficiary assessments and other capacity-building activities, as and when required
- With support of field level project leadership, facilitate regular review and reflection meetings with partners in the field to assess accomplishments, challenges and lessons-learned with respect to NRM and governance activities that support sustainability and resilience objectives.
- Develop, implement and document appropriate best-practices in community-based approaches to natural resource management
- Regularly monitor, review and evaluate the implementation of programs on NRM and watershed management, take appropriate and timely action and gather lessons learned for future program development and implementation
- Support identification and systematic inclusion of key NRM governance stakeholders at local and regional levels in all relevant activities and processes.
- Communicate effectively to ensure overall project targets and programmatic obligations are met
- Develop a deep understanding of the natural resource management (NRM) approaches and peace building framework with particular focus on the importance of utilizing communal structures for better climate adaptation and promotion of peaceful coexistence
- Develop and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders and represent HEKS at project target locations in consultation with field project teams and consortium
- Ensure compliance with reporting requirements, with a focus on quality analysis and timely submission
- Ensure adequate consultation and participation of district and kebele level stakeholders throughout the project cycles such as in project planning, implementation and monitoring of the activities
- Support documentation of best practices and learning on NRM, governance and conflict transformation aspects of the project
- Undertake timely submission of regular reports (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual and final) as deemed necessary by the project management team.
- Ensure that all HEKS accountability procedures and tools are applied correctly at all stages of the implementation of NRM and governance interventions
- Carry out any additional duty as requested by the line manager.
Contract: fixed basis for 25 months
Education, Qualifications & other knowledge
- BSc degree or master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Rangeland Management, Dryland Agriculture or other related fields
- 5-6 years of work experience in Natural Resource Management interventions, preferably in cross-border areas of Ethiopia and Kenya.
- Experience and understanding of pastoral areas, context, livelihoods and culture
- Demonstrable experience in working in Borana Zone
- Strong expertise in conflict sensitive programme management
- Experience of working with local community and customary institutions at grassroots level
- Willingness to works in remote areas, ability to work with minimum supervision
- Very good English, Amharic and Afan Oromo languages and/or multi linguistic skills (written and spoken)
- Computer literacy, excellent record keeping and report writing
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Willingness to work in remote areas, ability to work with minimum supervision
- Very good English, Amharic and Afan Oromo languages and/or multi linguistic skills (written and spoken)
- Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the goals and values of Swiss Church Aid/HEKS
