Natural Resources Management Team Leader-1 Vacancy Based in Moroto (Open to Ugandan Nationals Only)

PROGRAMME SUMMARY:

The Natural Resources Management (NRM) Team Leader will work in collaboration with the PROGRESS Programme Director, Programme Managers and PROGRESS Consortium members in the implementation of a proposed multi-year project as part of DFID’s BRACED initiative (Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters). Mercy Corps anticipates a programme award under BRACED to implement the “Programme for Resilient Systems” (PROGRESS). If awarded, PROGRESS will be comprised of a multi-partner consortium poised to deliver a 36-month initiative designed to build absorptive, adaptive and transformative capacity of more than 500,000 individual households in northern Kenya (Wajir and Garissa) and northern Uganda (Karamoja). The Moroto-based NRM Team Leader will play a key role in implementation.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The NRM Team Leader will be responsible for overseeing program activities aimed at strengthening the horizontal and vertical linkages that support good governance of community assets and resources derived from the natural environment, including the land and the naturally occurring elements above and below it. The NRM Team Leader will lead the PROGRESS processes for engaging communities, governments and private sector actors in collective action plans that support household and community access to and management natural, physical environment and the socio-ecological systems supported by it. This can include access to land and water resources for both human consumption and livestock rangeland and watering, plus innovative methods for land restoration, watershed and water resource management, energy conservation and alternative energy solutions and climate-smart agriculture.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Program Implementation:

§ Engage with remote communities to establish priorities for community-led natural resources management, and lead process for developing community NRM plans

§ Work in conjunction with local government to advocate for community NRM needs and priorities, especially around land access and rangeland management for Karamoja and water resources for production as well as livestock watering.

§ Identify pilot opportunities for community NRM plan implementation and manage pilot projects and monitor for possibility of scale up.

§ Work within national and local government strategic plans for resource management and advocate for cohesive implementation of projects that demonstrates government responsiveness to community processes.

§ Identify opportunity areas for alternative methods of climate-smart agriculture, such as the “green” livelihoods zones and traditionally agriculturally intensive districts of Karamoja. Work with Mercy Corps technical staff, Consortium members such as University of Nairobi and local partners to establish locally appropriate pilots.

§ Work with private sector and line ministries to address environmentally harmful methods of extracting local natural resources and support policy formulation around sustainable methods, alternative energy mechanisms, and water management and conservation.

§ Engage pastoralists in inter-community dialogue around access to land and water for livestock management.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) and Reporting:

§ Support Programme Manager in the achievement of program targets and objectives and support efforts towards the design effective M&E systems and operations.

Coordination and Representation:

§ Represent Mercy Corps at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events in the field, in close coordination with the Programme Director.

Program Support Operations:

§ Ensure close communication across cross-country field teams and consortium members regarding program activities and plans, challenges and obstacles to timely and quality implementation. Coordinate with program, finance, and administration staff for troubleshooting and problem solving.

Organizational Learning

§ As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

§ A Postgraduate (MSc and PhD) degree in a related field of expertise (e.g. NRM, pastoral livestock management, animal husbandry, water resources, irrigation, agro-economy, rural development, conservation agriculture, environmental policy, etc).

§ Basic knowledge of various natural resource disciplines, including air quality, water quality, geomorphic and hydrologic processes, fire and vegetation management, fish and wildlife management, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, conservation biology and restoration ecology.

§ Knowledge and experience in either livestock and rangeland management, OR irrigation, water harvesting and water saving methods in arid lands, OR economic feasibility in agriculture and rural development;

§ At least 8 years of technical and practical work experience in one of the required fields;

§ Experience and proven track record in rural development and participatory methods (including participatory integrated development plans)

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The successful candidate will have the following characteristics:

§ A strong team player, with good communication and diplomatic skills.

§ Proven ability to work independently as part of a regional team and with international professionals.

§ Excellent analytical and information management skills.