Mangrove Officer Job Vacancy at Community Forests (CFP)

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 Mangrove Officer will lead gender-responsive mangrove forest protection and restoration activities to ensure women benefit and become leaders in community-based adaptation. As the team’s mangrove restoration expert, the Mangrove Officer will play an important role in awareness, education, training and technical support in local communities with a specific focus on uplifting women as leaders in nature-based solutions. This includes providing comprehensive training and awareness on mangrove restoration and protection through Training of Trainers (ToT) model focused on women, providing comprehensive follow-up and physical resources to ToT’s and community beneficiaries, and leading active restoration efforts. The Mangrove Officer will also support other mangrove-related activities including project planning, community outreach and registration, supporting Community Forests Management Agreements (CoFMA) activities, data collection, and project Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning (MEL).

5. Responsibilities and key performance indicators

Community Training

Increase technical knowledge and capacity of beneficiaries, primarily women, to implement community-based mangrove forest conservation frameworks with livelihood, biodiversity, and climate adaptation co-benefits.

• Lead the implementation of resource, opportunity, and needs mapping with beneficiaries to develop key extension program content.
• Work closely with international Mangrove Conservation Specialists and Gender Justice Specialists to develop locally appropriate training curriculum, program(s), and educational materials in community-based mangrove forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable use.
• Lead beneficiary registration and enrollment in community Ecosystem-Based Adaptation extension support program.
• Implement training plan with community beneficiaries (80% women) and deliver 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.
• Provide in-community troubleshooting and technical backstopping in mangrove conservation livelihoods as well as associated community forest governance through a “visit and train” model.
• Lead community education initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves and their role in ecological resilience.

Mangrove Restoration & Distribution of Physical Resources

Increase physical resources provided to women to enable them to lead community-based mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods such as ecosystem monitoring, mapping, and communication equipment.

• Lead community mangrove restoration activities including the establishment of community-managed mangrove nurseries and tree planting events.
• Provide follow-up in the appropriate use, care and troubleshooting of physical resources and technologies including guidance and technical backstopping on local mangrove restoration nurseries.
• Lead the distribution and support of physical resources and appropriate technology to beneficiaries in conjunction with vocational and technical training.
• Contribute to success stories, key insights, and lessons learned, and improve upon technical training and restoration techniques across stakeholders for continuous project improvement

Measurement, Monitoring and Evaluation

• Implement monitoring protocols to assess the progress and effectiveness of 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 Forest Management Officer and others when needed with mangrove and enterprise-related activities. This includes assisting with project efforts to increase the legal powers for mangrove forest management provided to women through Community Forests Management Agreements (CoFMAs) that enshrine women’s decision-making and access rights.

• Support in organizing community conversations to facilitate participatory land governance rights for women to lead community-based mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods.
• Provide technical information and support in mangrove restoration, conservation, and support data collection and mapping related to the development and stewardship of to ensure stewardship and sustainability of CoFMA

Annual Key Performance Indicators

• Provide 70 ToT beneficiaries with technical training in mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods. Deliver 3 intensive off-site mangrove conservation and restoration livelihood training days, study tours and accompanying follow-up Visit and train program for 70 key ToT women.
• Provide 750 mangrove forest beneficiaries* with access to gender-responsive physical resources and/or land governance rights for the implementation of nature-based climate solutions with biodiversity co-benefits.
• Provide 750 beneficiaries with extension support for the application of mangrove forest conservation frameworks and livelihoods.
• +90% of total mangrove forest beneficiaries demonstrate a substantial understanding of community-based mangrove forest conservation and livelihood frameworks following training.
• +80% of total mangrove forest beneficiaries (all women) are provided with physical resources

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.

6. Qualifications & Abilities

Experience

• At least 3 years of professional experience in environmental conservation, ecology, community development, 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 principles and practices, as well as coastal biodiversity and ecosystem conservation
• Technical expertise in Mangrove ecosystem restoration and conservation.
• Strong experience in field data collection and environmental monitoring and evaluation techniques.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and other relevant software for data analysis and reporting.
• Familiarity with GIS software and remote sensing techniques is an advantage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Swahili

7. Compensation & Applications 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 “Mangrove 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 2024 .Applications will be received and evaluated on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate is hired. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.