Technical Officer - Natural Resources, Environment and Wildlife

Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) is a joint initiative of the Government of Kenya and the European Union that was established in March 1996 through Legal Notice No. 303 of 26th March 1996.

Under this collaboration and funding arrangement, CDTF is implementing a four year Programme, the Community Development Programme Phase Four (CDP 4) with two components, the Community Environment Facility Phase Two (CEF II) and the Community Based Development Initiatives (CDI) with funding from the European Union.

The CEF II has received funding also from the Government of the Royal Kingdom of Denmark (DANIDA) through the Natural Resource Management Programme (NRMP).

The main objective of the CDTF is to contribute to poverty alleviation efforts in Kenya by offering support in form of grants to community-based projects, which address basic social, economic and sound environment management priorities.

CDTF’s mandate is to oversee the transfer of funds for implementation of community based development projects, and further oversee implementation of projects funded with the funds.

Job vacancies have arisen in the two main component Programmes; CEF II and CDI that require to be filled on contractual basis by highly qualified and experienced Kenyan Nationals. The contract duration will be up to 30th June 2014 subject to satisfactory performance.

Recruitment of Project Management Staff for Community Environment Facility II (CEF II)

Technical Officer - Natural Resources, Environment and Wildlife

This position is based at the CEFII Head Office in Nairobi. Reporting to the Programme Manager, Community Environment Facility II (CEF II), the Technical Officer – Natural Resources, Environment and Wildlife is expected to contribute to the realisation of the Programme’s goal and objectives.

Overall responsibility:

To promote and create awareness for the Community Environment Facility II, appraise, monitor and evaluate funded community conservation projects aimed at sound environmental management and poverty reduction in priority ecosystems and urban areas in Kenya.

Specific duties:

• To promote, create awareness and sensitise key environmental management stakeholders on the existence, objectives, and operating/funding mechanisms of the Community Environment Facility II
• To solicit community proposals on initiatives aimed at enhancing environmental management in priority ecosystems, habitats and urban areas in Kenya
• Based on the CEF II proposal development and implementation guidelines and principles, conduct desk appraisal of submitted proposals
• To conduct field appraisals for project proposals that meet the CEF II funding criteria
• Based on the results of desk and field project proposal appraisals, to recommend to the Programme Manager those proposals that meet CEF II funding criteria for further action
• To assess community needs in respect to development of environmental management proposals, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and preparation of performance reporting
• Identify and recommend appropriate assistance required to ensure that all stakeholders get equal opportunities of receiving funding through the Programme Support
• Working with the CEF technical team, facilitate development of an appropriate and effective environmental management project monitoring and evaluation system
• Based on the CEF II funding and operating principles, monitor and evaluate funded environmental management conservation proposals to ensure that the implementation process meets the agreed terms including among others assessment of projects’ efficiency and effectiveness, equity and fairness with regard to benefit sharing arising from the funded initiative, transparency and accountability of CEF Funds
• Provide technical assistance and guidance to community projects during implementation process including promotion of new, innovative and cost-effective technologies
• To write and submit monthly/quarterly/annual progress reports (narrative and financial) on funded environmental management conservation initiatives
• Develop Terms of Reference (ToRs) and supervision of external consultants offering service to projects/programme

Qualifications and Experience

• Masters Degree in either Environmental Management, Wildlife Management, Biology of Conservation, Natural Resource Management among other environmental related courses. Additional academic qualifications related to conservation will be an added advantage
• Minimum of 8 years relevant experience in promoting environmental conservation and a good understanding of the principles of ecosystem management. Candidates with good understanding of green growth and grant management will have an added advantage
• Relevant experience in promoting community based environmental conservation and a good understanding of the environment poverty nexus
• Experience with project management at the strategic as well as at the operational level
• Minimum 8 years working in a donor funded programme in areas of environmental conservation, wildlife and/or natural resources management
• Skills in participatory methodologies in environmental livelihoods improvement projects.
• Candidates with experience in nature based enterprises will have an added advantage
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Must be fully computer literate and have a proven ability to write reports
• Valid driver’s license without endorsements

Download Detailed Job Description Here

If you feel you are the right candidate CDTF is looking for, apply by filling the Job Application Personal History Form available from this site (download form) and send together with your CV to email address: vacancies@cdtfkenya.org.

Hard copy applications will not be considered.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 8th July 2011 at 5.00pm.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

Applicants, who will not have received a response by 15th August 2011, should consider themselves not successful.