Community Forest Management Officer Job Vacancies at Community Forests (CFP) – 2 Posts

1. Key Information

Post: CFP Community Forest Management Officer (multiple positions)
Department: Field Staff
Locations: Wete, Pemba or Zanzibar City, Unguja Zanzibar – Tanzania
Hours: 7:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday
Reporting: CFP Executive Director, Operations Director, Chief of Staff, Zonal Operations Manager.

2. Introduction

Community Forests Pemba (CFP) is a Tanzanian non-governmental organization founded and headquartered on Pemba Island, Zanzibar which has been working with local partners and its international sister organization, Community Forests International (CFI), since 2008 to advance shared goals of social, economic, and ecological prosperity. Together we have planted over 3 million trees, innovated several new climate-smart community enterprises, and demonstrated that the best solutions come directly from the people who need them most.

CFI and CFP are collaborating with a variety of stakeholders to implement the 2-year, Global Affairs Canada Funded ‘Zanzibar Women’s Leadership in Adaptation Project (ZanzAdapt)” Project. The project will improve gender equality and nature-based climate adaptation capacity in vulnerable coastal communities on Pemba and Unguja Islands, Zanzibar. Project outputs will primarily benefit women and their households and communities through regenerative livelihood actions that increase ecological, social, and economic resilience to climate change.

3. Mission, Vision, Values

Mission: To overcome poverty and adapt to climate change by sharing knowledge, advancing sustainable livelihoods, and restoring the natural environment.

Vision: Zanzibar communities thrive in harmony with the natural world.

Values:

• Trust is essential to strong relationships, and relationships are the foundation of our work. We act with honor and integrity to preserve trust between all members of our community.

• Solidarity. Tuko pamoja – we are together. Everyone is equal and has a role to play in creating positive change. We believe in sharing our challenges and working as one.

• Impact. We believe that we can change the world through innovation in Zanzibar. We share our local lessons and stories widely to maximize our positive impact globally.

• Integrity to uphold ethical standards and ensure fair and transparent relationships and dealings with everyone involved.

4. Job Summary

The Community Forest Management Officer (CoFMA Officer) will support communities, especially in the legal establishment and sustainable functioning of Community Forest Management Agreements (CoFMAs) in coastal communities in Zanzibar. The CoFMA Officer will facilitate gender-responsive participation including community conversations and coordinating multiple stakeholders through a participatory natural resource management planning process that focuses on uplifting the role of women as leaders in natural resource management. The CoFMA Officer will support communities to develop and structure committees/groups to ensure grassroots participation and benefit, while simultaneously fostering dialogue and cooperation between government departments, partners, and other key stakeholders. The CoFMA Officer will work closely with CFP’s Community Mangrove Officer to assist them with key project outcomes related to mangroves including; supporting the training and awareness on mangrove restoration and protection to communities, planning and organizing active restoration efforts, beneficiary follow-up and others.

5. Responsibilities and Key Performance Indicators

Community Forest Management

Increase the legal powers for mangrove forest management provided to women including the development of Community Forests Management Agreements (CoFMAs) that enshrine women’s decision-making and access rights.

• Organize community conversations to provide education and awareness about Participatory Natural Resource Management benefits to community members.
• Co-lead beneficiary registration, enrollment, and tracking beneficiaries with Mangrove Officer for all mangrove-related activities including CoFMA, training, and extension support services.
• Facilitate and help support the formulation, development and operation of community group(s)/ committee(s) where at least 80% of members are women.
• Facilitate the development of participatory land governance rights for women to lead community-based mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods.
• Coordinate and cooperate with government agencies, partners, communities, and stakeholders to facilitate dialogue on the development of CoFMAs and support the legal institution of CoFMAs alongside community governance bodies, providing ongoing assistance and extension support in their operation to ensure stewardship and sustainability.
• Lead the technical content development of CoFMA agreement in partnership with the Contract Manager and other experts.
• Facilitate the development of by-laws, maps, and communications materials to ensure the wider community awareness and adoption
• Lead community conversations and dialogues that actively work to increase communication between neighbouring communities that share responsibility and access to mangrove ecosystems and lead dispute prevention and resolution efforts.
• Evaluate the ecological and social impact of restoration activities, ensuring outcomes are sustainable and inclusive including facilitating and/or implementing community focus group discussions, surveys, and key informant interviews.
• Contribute to success stories, key insights, and lessons learned, and improve upon Community Forests Management process across stakeholders for continuous project improvement

Conservation Finance and Livelihood

• Work with Conservation Finance Specialists to develop and implement project-specific approaches to conservation livelihoods and community forest governance.
• Provide in-community troubleshooting and technical backstopping in mangrove conservation livelihoods and associated community forest governance to all stakeholders
• Work closely with project consultants and experts including Gender Justice Specialists, Conservation Finance Specialists, and Mangrove Conservation Specialists to develop strategies and implement recommendations
• Develop terms of reference for expert assistance in the development of locally appropriate conservation financing opportunities for community-based mangrove conservation.

Measurement, Monitoring and Evaluation

• Implement monitoring protocols to assess the progress and effectiveness of CoFMA and mangrove restoration efforts.
• Utilize GPS, photography, and satellite data to measure, record, and monitor changes in mangrove ecosystems and larger CoFMA area.
• Evaluate the ecological and social impact of restoration activities, ensuring outcomes are sustainable and inclusive including facilitating and/or implementing community focus group discussions, surveys, and key informant interviews.

Mangrove Program Support

Support Community Mangrove Officer and others when needed with Mangrove and enterprise related activities.  This includes providing resources to women to enable them to lead community-based mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods such as ecosystem monitoring, mapping, and communication equipment, as well as recruitment and training supports lead by other field staff.

• Support the distribution and support of physical resources and appropriate technology to beneficiaries in conjunction with vocational and technical training.
• Support follow-up in the appropriate use, care and troubleshooting of physical resources and technologies
• Support community education initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves and their role in ecological resilience.
• Assist in the training of community beneficiaries (80% women) and the delivery gender-responsive vocational training and study tours in community-based mangrove forest conservation, restoration and sustainable land use to key Training of Trainer (ToT) beneficiaries as needed.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation protocols to assess the progress and effectiveness of mangrove restoration efforts.

Annual Key Performance Indicators

• Provide 750 beneficiaries* with extension support for the application of mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods.
• Provide 750 mangrove forest beneficiaries* with new access to gender-responsive physical resources or land governance rights for the implementation of nature-based climate solutions with biodiversity co-benefits
• +80% of mangrove forest beneficiaries are provided with legal decision-making and access rights.
• Help Bring +250 hectares of biodiverse coastal mangrove forest under gender-responsive protection and restoration frameworks to achieve adaptation and biodiversity benefits by the end of the project.

*80% of total beneficiaries must identify as women

6. Qualifications and Abilities

Experience

• At least 3 years of professional experience in environmental community development, conservation, ecology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in community organizing, local stakeholder and government engagement, and community training.
• Experience working with gender-responsive approaches and understanding of women’s roles in natural resource management.

Core Competencies

• Collaboration. Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders to interpret the ideas, information, and needs of others.
• Facilitator. Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to lead community conversations and coordinate cooperation between multiple parties.
• Communication. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to effectively communicate with diverse stakeholders with clear and accurate language.
• Attention to Detail. A keen eye for accuracy, ensuring that data is accurate, well-considered, and complete.
• Accountability. Holds self and others accountable for all decisions and interpersonal relationships while following through on commitments and focusing on those activities that have the greatest positive impact.

Technical Skills

• Knowledge of community-based natural resource management agreements, principles, and practices, as well as coastal biodiversity and ecosystem conservation
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and other relevant software for data analysis and reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Swahili
• Familiarity with GIS software and remote sensing techniques is an advantage.
• Technical expertise in Mangrove ecosystem restoration and conservation an asset.

7. Compensation and application details

Compensation, Location, Tools, & Travel

Community Forests Pemba is seeking to fill two (2) full-time permanent positions. One (1) successful candidate will be stationed at CFP’s head office in Minyenyeni, Wete, on Pemba Island. And one (1) successful candidate will be stationed at the CFP branch office in Zanzibar City, Unguja. The position(s) will be remunerated based on 40 hours per week with 28 days paid vacation and organization health benefits. Compensation will be determined based on the successful candidate’s experience and level. Periodic travel will be required between offices. Occasional travel outside these working areas may also be required. Project-related travel and documentation/mensuration tools will be provided by the project.

Application Process

Please email your resume and a cover letter with the subject line “Community Forest Management Officer” to jobs@forestsinternational.org, and please state your preference of ‘Pemba’, ‘Unguja’, or ‘Either’.  If you require any accessibility accommodations for the application process, please reach out.

The deadline for Applications is Sunday July 21^st. Applications will be received and evaluated on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate is hired. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.