EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Title: East African Community Engagement Specialist

Reports To ICF/EWT Partnership East African Regional Manager

Department: ICF/EWT Partnership – Africa Crane Conservation Programme

SUMMARY: We are looking for a dynamic, committed, and detail-orientated person to guide and support our community-based work across East Africa, as East African Community Engagement Specialist for the African Crane Conservation Programme (ACCP), a partnership between the International Crane Foundation and Endangered Wildlife Trust. The position will be based at the ICF’s regional office in Kampala Uganda. The person will be responsible for reviewing, adapting and developing our integrated community-based conservation approach for impact across our projects in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. This dynamic partnership works across sub-Saharan Africa to maintain stable wild populations of the four threatened crane species: Wattled, Blue, Grey Crowned, and Black Crowned Cranes. We achieve this through conservation actions that effectively reduce threats to the species and their habitats, and through working closely with local communities and key local, national and global stakeholders. We empower individuals, community groups and organisations to manage catchments for the benefit of both people and cranes, ensuring that conservation is mainstreamed into local decision-making and practices for sustainable species and habitat conservation impacts. The ICF/EWT Partnership currently has three regional hubs across Africa, located in South Africa, Zambia, and Uganda, and will be expanding into West / Central Africa.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure that our projects in East Africa, that include community involvement in their strategies, incorporate gender-disaggregated indicators, follow good governance principles and are implemented to achieve a positive impact for both communities and the cranes and wetlands we aim to conserve.

• Drive the development and implementation of the community-based socio-economic monitoring protocols at all project sites, adapt projects as necessary to achieve impact, and compile regular reports on the situation based on the monitoring protocols developed.

• Provide guidance, mentorship, and support to everyone on our East African team working with communities.

• Develop and maintain a network of key collaborators and stakeholders at community, national and regional levels, and develop key partnerships with organisations that complement our strategy in improving livelihoods and the resilience of local communities at our project sites.

OTHER IMPORTANT DUTIES:

• Collaborate with other ACCP staff and projects across Africa, ensuring that lessons learned are shared and that there is a transfer of skills and experience through mentorship and guidance.

• Provide strategic input into the ACCP’s Strategy

• Provide guidance on the development, implementation and evaluation of education and awareness programmes at each project site in East Africa.

• Assist with the development of funding proposals, in collaboration with relevant ICF/EWT Partnership staff.

• Provide specialist input in the compilation and review of project outputs (funding reports, close-out summaries, technical reports, practice briefs).

• Collaborate with the relevant ICF/EWT Partnership staff in the provision of regular project updates to project sponsors and service sponsors as required.

• Assist with the development of, adhere to and monitor all ACCP community-based project budgets.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Master’s degree in social science or related field.

• Five or more years experience in community-based conservation.

• Demonstrated experience in successful development and implementation of community-based conservation efforts in the East Africa region.

• Ability to speak and understand English.

• Demonstrated successful project management experience and proven track record of successful project accomplishments.

• Experience establishing, planning, monitoring, and implementing project budgets.

• Good verbal communication skills, including speaking clearly and persuasively to individuals and groups; listening effectively; and responding effectively to questions from conservation colleagues, visitors, the media, and the public.

• Good written communication skills, including the ability to write correspondence and reports in a clear, concise, logical, and grammatically correct manner.

• Experience and comfort using word processing and spreadsheet software (MS Office) and internet search engines.

• A good understanding of data management.

• Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.

• Flexibility to work the number and schedule of hours needed to accomplish regular and ad hoc job responsibilities.

• Attentive to detail and thoroughness.

• Work as a constructive member of the ACCP, including the free sharing of information and technical expertise as needed.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Confidence in and ability to travel extensively, within the East African region, and occasionally to our other projects in Africa, to the EWT offices in South Africa, and to the ICF Headquarters in the USA.

• Flexibility to work the number and schedule of hours needed to accomplish regular and ad hoc job responsibilities.

The ICF/EWT Partnership is an equal opportunities employer and this position is open to East Africa nationals. Qualified candidates should submit CVs, a daytime telephone contact, email address, names and addresses of three referees and a cover letter explaining how their experience will contribute to the requirements of the position.

Applicants should apply to icfjobs@savingcranes.org Please put “Uganda” in the subject line.

Applications close on 30 April 2021, and any applicants who will not have heard from the International Crane Foundation by 1 June 2021 should consider their application unsuccessful.

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