Environment, Forestry and agriculture Jobs at Rockview University and other companies

JOB DETAILS:
ROCKVIEW UNIVERSITY is a privately owned University, registered by the Ministry of Higher Education Authority (HEA). Rock view University is regulated by the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia, Rock View University is therefore looking for a mature, proactive, and highly motivated and result oriented Zambian with high degree of credibility to fill the above positions in the school of health and Agriculture

QUALIFICATIONS
Diploma or certificate in Agriculture,
3 years’ experience,
Capable of managing crops and animals, hands on the job, able to settle and work in a rural area (kapili), available and able to start work immediately.

JOB DETAILS:
Skills:
Masters’ degree or higher in agriculture, development, finance, economics, or a related topic.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience of demonstrated and relevant project management experience.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience working with agricultural cooperatives, retailers, village based agents and other relevant supply chain actors.
• Experience with gender and social inclusion integration in agricultural projects/market systems.
• Experience with business management training for farmers.;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal), in both English and Bemba (Zambia)/ Chichewa (Malawi).
• Demonstrated project management, coordination and operational experience, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new topics quickly.
• Ability to travel at short notice and work under pressure in difficult and remote locations.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to adapt and be flexible, and to demonstrate the ability to work independently and within a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point) and scheme standard databases.
• The Consultant is expected to be based in Zambia/Malawi.

A. Background
The International Finance Corporation (IFC)—a member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2021, IFC committed a record $31.5 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
IFC’s Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services (MAS) Advisory team offers a diverse array of services to private sector companies, assisting to improve productivity and mitigate risks associated with environmental factors and climate change. In agribusiness, MAS Advisory assists with the integration of smallholder farmers into food supply chains, improving agricultural productivity and food safety, optimizing the use of resources, saving energy and water, and reducing waste.
IFC management have recently approved a 3.5-year agribusiness advisory services project that is undertaking preparatory activities over the next few months before in-field activities commence in January 2023 in both Zambia and Malawi.
For this project, IFC has partnered with a large agribusiness input provider and trader and a regional NGO to pilot capacity building for producer organizations (POs), retailers and Village Based Agents (VBAs); ultimately enhancing the efficiency of the agribusiness input provider and trader’s maize and soybean supply chains by improving the last mile distribution of inputs, the productivity, and the market linkages of up to 200,000 smallholder farmers. The program will have pilot projects in four countries, starting in Zambia and Malawi, followed by Tanzania and Mozambique. The program will include SCOPEInsight1 assessments of all participating enterprises, as well as IFC’s Agribusiness Leadership program training and coaching. In addition to this, we will be providing Farming as a Family Business (FAFB) for PO members. In total, the program will include up to 60 producer organizations, 200 retailers and 200 VBAs – per country approximately 15 producer organizations, 50 retailers and 50 VBAs (in Zambia- 15 POs, 50 VBAs and 50 retailers, in Malawi- 10 POs, 40 VBAs and 40 retailers). Up to sixteen field staff (4 per country) from the agribusiness firm will serve as assessors, trainers, and coaches for the program.

1 SCOPEinsight, a Dutch rating agency, provides assessment tools, data collection, analysis, benchmarking and reporting for farmers, agents and businesses within agricultural value chains
2 In addition to training using the ALP model, the project will also include an inclusive component focused on gender and social inclusion training that will benefit smallholder farming families, targeting up to 35% of this population in Zambia and Malawi. The aspects of each component have been defined in an integrated country strategy, which includes an implementation plan with activities, roles and timeline.
IFC is seeking to contract two Individual Local Field Project Coordinators (“the Consultant”) to provide support to the projects in Zambia and Malawi each, under supervision of the project team leader, program coordinator and in collaboration with technical specialists leading the different components of the project.

B. Objective of This Assignment
The overall objective of the assignment is to ensure that the project activities are delivered on time, within budget, and with achievement of targets in the project Implementation Plan. The Consultant will regularly visit the client and target beneficiaries in the project and engage with the IFC, client and implementing partner project teams to help support implementation, supervise and monitor project timelines and targets in the implementation process.

C. Scope of Work
Project field coordination
• Follow-up on the day-to-day operational dialogue with the local client team, all counterparts including relevant local implementing partners, consultants, and all other relevant stakeholders, to ensure smooth and timely implementation of project activities.
• Undertake any other activities related to the implementation of the project, including carrying out regular supervision missions for all MAS components, alerting TTL and Global Program Coordinator of issues and problem solving as needed.
• Identify and promptly notify the project team of implementation risks, issues and challenges and provide advice and support in their resolution.
• Participate in meetings or events related to the project, including working with the communications team for promoting the project locally.
• Establish a strong professional relationship based on trust with the client and all other stakeholders, including sector players and staying abreast of key sector developments and keeping the project team informed.
• Support the TTL and Coordinator in preparation of semi-annual Project Supervision/Completion Report (PSR/PCR): provide inputs to the PSR/PCR document, collect all required documented evidence and ensure their quality and accuracy, follow-up all M&E indicators.
• Support the TTL and Coordinator in the organization of semi-annual Steering Committee Meeting (SCM): ensure the availability and quality of presentation/document required for the SCM.
• On an as-needed basis, provide information on the project for IFC’s internal or external communication and events such: donor’s reports, briefs for missions of World Bank Group staff, knowledge events and publications, information requests from government officials, research institutes, agribusiness companies, and similar.

D. Qualifications Criteria
The Consultant is expected to have a proven track record in managing development projects in agricultural supply chains. The Consultant should meet the following criteria:

TECHNICAL SKILLS
• Masters’ degree or higher in agriculture, development, finance, economics, or a related topic.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience of demonstrated and relevant project management experience.
• A minimum of 7 years’ experience working with agricultural cooperatives, retailers, village based agents and other relevant supply chain actors.
• Experience with gender and social inclusion integration in agricultural projects/market systems.
• Experience with business management training for farmers.
SOFT SKILLS
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal), in both English and Bemba (Zambia)/ Chichewa (Malawi).
• Demonstrated project management, coordination and operational experience, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new topics quickly.
• Ability to travel at short notice and work under pressure in difficult and remote locations.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to adapt and be flexible; and to demonstrate the ability to work independently and within a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural team.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point) and scheme standard databases.
• The Consultant is expected to be based in Zambia/Malawi.

E. Reporting
The STC will primarily report to the MAS project Team Leader based in Cairo. S/he will be working under the technical guidance of the project coordinator for MAS, and in close collaboration with the pool IFC colleagues working on other components, including FIG.

F. Other
This is a consultant position, and as such, the consultant can be recruited for a maximum of 150 days per fiscal year. The consultant will be based in Zambia/Malawi. Field activities will primarily be conducted in French. Some farmer outreach may be conducted in local languages.

JOB DETAILS:
CONTEXT
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has awarded World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to implement the Climate Change Adaptation in Forest and Agricultural Mosaic Landscapes Project. The project will use a landscape approach that engages and strengthens the uptake and diffusion of technologies and practices for adaptive capacity through Forest and Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs), Farmer Field Schools, viable cooperatives, and other community-based organizations within local communities, including community forestry. The project will be implemented in six districts that are vulnerable to climate risks and hazards (droughts in particular) and have high rates of forest degradation and deforestation, and these are Petauke, Lusangazi and Nyimba in Eastern Province and Sioma, Mwandi and Sesheke in Western Province.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Zambia will be responsible for executing the project, in close collaboration with the Zambian Forestry Department (FD), Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). WWF Zambia will coordinate activities with national bodies related to the different project components, as well as the project partners. The project will be guided by the Project Steering Committee on policy issues and linkage to relevant national bodies. The project will be guided by the Technical Committee, one in Eastern Province and one in Western Province as the main bodies governing the project activities undertaken in the respective provinces.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
Scope of Work
The Community Forestry Expert will work under the supervision of the project manager and will perform the following tasks:
• Support the identification of opportunities and challenges for FFPOs to contribute to landscape enhancing measures including assessment of how to improve the organization, spread and functions of different FFPOs in the target landscapes; the policy environment shaping their commercial activities; the state of landscape businesses (inc. agricultural crops, fish products, timber, NTFPs, charcoal and wood energy); the current smallholder production systems (inc. diversity and resilience); the inclusiveness of FFPOs and any social and cultural services offered to vulnerable groups
• Facilitate the process of recognition of the community forest management groups. This process will ensure that rights of households and communities living in close proximity to or deriving their livelihoods from or having strong traditional ties to the forest be given the opportunity to join a Community Forest Management Group (CFMG) which may apply to the Director of Forestry for recognition with the consent of the Chief.
• Facilitate the process of securing tenure through user rights. The CFM Expert shall facilitate the process where the CFMG shall apply to enter into a Community Forest Agreement to secure forest user rights which shall enable the CFMG the right to issue community permits and collect revenue for forest products and uses provided for in the community forest management plan. In addition it is important to ensure that the community forest management area shall be for the exclusive use of the local community represented by the CFMG
• Ensure that there are guaranteed economic rights for forest uses and products: facilitate the process of developing and signing of a community forestry agreement that covers rights to harvest and trade in forest products, including; collection of medicinal herbs; harvesting of honey, grass and grazing of animals; collection of forest produce for community-based industries; operating eco-tourism and recreational activities; establishing plantations; harvesting of timber or fuel wood; and many others as set out in the CF agreement.
• Support the communities to identify non-contested areas to be put under CFM in consultation with all local forest users and other rights-holders of the proposed community forest area and with the consent of the local traditional leaders, with an agreed defined forest area with due consultation with adjacent communities and land owners.
• Facilitate the holding of democratic elections of representatives. Ensure that the operation of the community forest management group, management of funds, sharing of benefits and selection of leaders is based on transparency, fairness, impartiality and non-discrimination.
• Ensure that the CFMGs adhere to sustainable forest management principles of protecting, conserving and managing the community forests pursuant to the community forest agreement and management plan, consistent with traditional forest use rights and in accordance with the principles of sustainable forest management
• Collect and promote sharing of lessons learned and documentation of project experiences through the REM, Regional and Global CFM Platforms, including policy briefs and case studies of successful impact of CFM.
• Lead and facilitate implementation of capacity assessments for forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs), District Farmers Associations, government forestry, partner NGOs and other support institutions to implement participatory approaches at landscape level, including community forestry
• Develop and implement plans to strengthen the capacity of forest and farm producer organizations, District Farmers Associations, government forestry, partner NGOs and other support institutions
Participatory assessments and community engagement at landscape level to reach a common understanding of landscape components and their actual and potential use including markets.
• Facilitate the implementation by the target communities, and the FFPOs within them, community forestry management, landscape level planning, participatory climate risk assessments, woodland restoration and water catchment management.
• Support the District Technical Assistant to prepare and implement work plans for district level activities in respect of community forestry
• Monitor and report performance of district level community forestry activities
• Contribute to the creation and sharing of knowledge by synthesizing and documenting findings and lessons learned, success stories and best practices, strategies and approaches of the project on community forestry, drafting relevant materials for dissemination.
• Work closely with the M&E and Knowledge Management Expert to monitor planned activities in order to identify best practices as well as constraints/implementation bottlenecks and to take necessary actions to overcome the constraints.
• Contribute to implementation of Environmental and Social safeguards
• Produce district level technical reports and contribute to overall project technical reporting

REQUIRED QUALIFICATION
• A Bachelor’s degree in Environment, Forestry, Natural Resources Management, Agriculture or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience working on community-based projects in relevant sectors.
• Experience in at least four of the following: SLM/SFM, climate smart agricultural practices, agroforestry, woodland restoration, and water catchment management
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience facilitating formation of CFMGs
• Excellent knowledge and skills on the CFM formation process and steps
• Knowledge of landscape level planning and participatory climate risk assessments
• Excellent Coordination and facilitation skills
• Fluency in oral and written English
• Excellent interpersonal and general communication skills in local languages
• Experience in the use of computers and office software packages, (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, etc.).
• Willingness to travel
• Excellent report writing skills and regular reporting
Reporting to the Project Manager, the CFM expert will work as part of the PMU and will ensure the availability of information on progress and performance regarding the implementation of the Community forestry activities of the project at district level. The CFM expert will deliver progress reports on a monthly basis. These reports will include: i) status of district level CFM activities; and ii) challenges encountered on the ground during execution of the CFM activities.