Mercy Corps
Career Opportunity: Natural Resources Management & Peace Building Officer – Samburu (Baragoi)
Job Category: Programming
Requisition number: NATUR002397
Full-time
Location: Maralal, KE-37 00000, KEN
Travel required: Yes
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.
In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions
into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
Now, and for the future.
Registered in 2008, Mercy Corps Kenya has developed a robust and diverse portfolio of programs aimed at sustainably improving the lives and livelihoods of Kenyans affected by poverty, resource scarcity and conflict.
In Kenya, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen resilience, market and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations – in particular youth, women, adolescents and marginalized social groups – with the skills, opportunities and resources they need to be healthy, productive, and drive the development of their communities.
Mercy Corps Kenya also collaborates with Mercy Corps teams and partners in neighboring countries.
The Program / Department
USAID’s Office of Food For Peace (FFP) awarded a Mercy Corps-led consortium of Kenyan and international partners with a five-year Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Turkana and Samburu Counties. Through a phased approach that emphasizes evidence gap analysis, as well as partnership, learning, and co-creation with government, civil society, communities, and the private sector, this program aims to drive sustained reductions in acute malnutrition in both counties.
The Mercy Corps’ USAID Nawiri consortium brings together the global leadership, research capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary to partner with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based solutions.
The program requires a robust county-centered design with government leadership, active engagement from communities, the private sector, and civil society.
Gender inequalities and social dynamics are some of the key drivers of food insecurity and persistent acute malnutrition in the two counties and this program will implement evidence-based interventions to address these.
Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Turkana and Samburu counties.
The Position Summary
The Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Peace Building (PB) Officer will take the lead role in the implementation of the integrated NRM and Peacebuilding interventions in the program locations assigned (in Turkana or Samburu).
Under the Technical Guidance of the Natural Resources and Peace Advisor and direct operational management of the Field Director and in close collaboration with the USAID Nawiri resilient livelihood technical teams, the Natural Resources Management and Peace Building Officer will support the USAID Nawiri team at the County and sub-office levels, to translate program strategies into implementation bringing a conflict sensitive lens and do no harm approaches, considering the nexus of Conflict and Persistent Acute Malnutrition in these two counties, as per evidence so far.
The NRM and PB officer will further be responsible for ensuring NRM and conflict resolution approaches and interventions are fully sequenced, layered and integrated to provide enabling systems to support development of resilient livestock and agricultural livelihoods including in provision of clean consistent water resources.
The NRM and Peace Building interventions should enhance the effectiveness and quality of implementation of programme initiatives undertaken by USAID Nawiri.
Essential Job Functions
STRATEGY: OPERATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF NRM and CONFLICT PROGRAM STRATEGIES
- In collaboration with the the Resilience Livelihoods Technical Team (Climate Smart Agriculture, Alternative Livelihoods and Market Systems, Household Economic Strengthening, Natural Resources Management) support the roll out of a robust implementation strategy to address household food insecurity and work towards maintaining food security despite exposure to shocks and stresses.
- Support the development of comprehensive work plans for sub offices and target geographies.
- Leads the management and implementation of the specific NRM and PB project scope under Mercy Corps, coordinating with a diverse county-based Resilience Livelihoods team drawn from all USAID Nawiri consortium and local implementing partners to manage coherent program implementation within specific geographies and intervention areas, as informed by and continued reference to evidence that informs programmatic decisions and actions.
- Directly responsible for NRM and Peace Building scope of work and its implementation, including integrated actions in the program locations
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT & REPORTING
- Support planning, development, and implementation of the NRM, peacebuilding, and conflict sensitivity interventions within the project.
- Organize and facilitate dialogue meetings, workshops, and forums with government representatives, civil society and communities in efforts to prevent violent conflict and promote cooperative approaches to NRM peace, security, and conflict resolution
- Support capacity development of partners involved in project implementation through innovative capacity building approaches.
- Arrange for regular meetings with partners and community structures to review and reflect on progress and results to identify, mitigate challenges, and learn lessons for improved program delivery
- Responsible for accurate narrative reporting against agreed objectives and results frameworks
- Participate in and contribute to quarterly and other scheduled program performance review meetings
- Facilitate scenario planning as part of routine program management; work closely with M&E team to ensure context monitoring informs program teams to support adaptations and tracking of impacts of shocks and stresses on programing..
COLLABORATION & NETWORKING
- NRM and Peace Building Officer is expected to establish and maintain an open and cordial relationship with relevant government partners, local government officials, donors, and other development organizations working in the Pastoralist, NRM, and Peace arena to obtain the required support and collaboration for the smooth coordination and implementation of program activities.
- Integrates participatory community approaches, gender sensitivity, conflict sensitivity and do no harm principles; mainstreams capacity building and sustainability approaches into all activities as appropriate including certifying all interventions to adhere to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards;
- Coordinates with the different levels of stakeholders including committees, working groups, community groups, local implementing partners, community resource persons, government stakeholders at sub-county, ward, village – to sustain peace building actions, mobilize rapid actions and ensure effective communication channels.
- Coordinate with community leadership to facilitate activity integration and targeting of participants, ensuring a conflict sensitivity is maintained.
- Support with collaborative partnership with other development partners and identify potential opportunities for linkages
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS
- Represents and ensures buy-in to USAID NAWIRI participatory rangeland management (PRM) and the Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) approaches among relevant stakeholders.
- Collaborate with the USAID SSBC team to design and deliver integrated communication for social transformational change in securing natural resources and peace.
- Collaborating with the field M&E personnel to ensure all NRM/ Peace, development activities are appropriately documented, and that data is captured as per established systems of the USAID NAWIRI program
- Play an advisory role in advising the program on conflict Sensitivity / Do No Harm issues.
- Compile and document significant lessons learned from the NRM and PB project activities and adaptations and work closely with the communications advisor to prepare content that can be incorporated into project reports and other products.
- Support Field Directors and senior management by responding to information requests, and monitoring and reporting on the impact of the program.
- Work with the NRM Advisor to facilitate information sharing among internal and appropriate external audiences.
INFLUENCE AND REPRESENTATION
- Assist sub-office coordinator and County Field Director to coordinate activities with consortium partners, sub grantees, local government and other implementers
- Support the facilitation of planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance/buy-in;
- Ensure close coordination and sharing of information with relevant stakeholders such as local government departments, NGO’s and local authorities, as appropriate and advised by the line manager.
- Collaborate with Consortium partners, sub grantees, local government, and other implementers working at the sub-office level.
- Facilitate planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance/buy-in at the sub-office level
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission
Supervisory Responsibility
None.
Accountability
Reports Directly To: NRM and Peace Advisor
Works Directly With: Field Director, Systems Strengthening Team, Gender, Youth and Social Dynamics Team, thematic officers across the consortium and Local CSO implementers.
Accountability to Participants & Stakeholders
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, and other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work.
We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
- Bachelor’s degree in the field of Natural Resource Management, Environmental Studies, Climate Change and Society, Environmental Management, Peace Building, International relations or other related fields or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
- Demonstrated understanding of community engagement strategies, the investment environment in Kenya, land laws and policies, peace frameworks, natural resource governance, and conflict sensitivity, and an active interest in the workings of civil society;
- Proficiency in verbal and written English
- Understanding of NRM and Peace frameworks/ tools and approaches including the understanding of opportunities and challenges in the pastoralist context
- Experience working within a development-oriented NGO in environment and pastoralist contexts.
- Practical experience in the facilitation of multi-stakeholder NRM and Peace activities.
- Strong communication and analytical skills
- Demonstrated interpersonal skills in working within a multidisciplinary team and ability to liaise with government, community leaders, and other stakeholders at all levels
- Skills in organizing and facilitating community dialogues, workshops, and training events
- Proven ability to conduct him/herself professionally under pressure.
- Knowledge on Conflict Sensitivity / Do No Harm approaches.
- Skills and creativity in integrating Peace building and NRM aspects in programming.
Qualified female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Core Competencies: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Listening: Ability to actively listen (i.e., seeks to understand, asks good questions, paraphrases, and is in tune with speaker’s emotional state)
- Vulnerability & Courage: Ability to share lack of knowledge, mistakes, or failures; give and receive feedback; and raise difficult questions or concerns
- Curiosity: Ability to articulate and explore novel areas of learning that would contribute to greater effectiveness
- Systems Thinking: Ability to understand, affect, connect, and leverage various parts of a system while maintaining sight of the whole system
Success Factors
The successful candidate will be extremely collaborative, can work independently and take initiative in tasks and self-learning, be proactive in communications, and demonstrate innovative thinking.
They will be able to effectively work across departments, and disciplines, often without direct supervisory authority.
They will have excellent communication abilities in written English, including concise analytical and technical writing, and can communicate USAID Nawiri’s strengths and overall vision.
They will also be able to work closely with a diverse team of individuals with varying backgrounds and objectives, having an excellent team and interpersonal relationship skills, along with a positive mindset.
They will be expected to travel to locations within the program geographies, as required, in meeting the demands of the position.
Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions
The position is based in Baragoi (Samburu County) and Lowdar (Turkana County) and requires up to 50% travel to support program staff, which may include travel to insecure locations where freedom of movement is limited and areas where amenities are limited.
Housing for this role is in individual housing and staff will have access to good medical services and the living situation is of a high standard.
Ongoing Learning
In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together.
Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.
We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.
Safeguarding & Ethics
Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Mercy Corps does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.
Travel required: Yes.
Apply online at https://bit.ly/3NfLArx
Closing date 24th May 2022