Job Title: Project Officer
Organisation: Conservation and Demand Agency (CODEA)
Duty Station: Uganda
About US:
Conservation and Demand Agency (CODEA) is an Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) incorporated in Uganda as a Company Limited by Guarantee. CODEA was founded in October 2010, and is regulated by several government bodies including NGO Bureau and Uganda Registration Services Bureau. As an NGO, CODEA was first registered as conservation and Development Agency until 2019, but this name was modified to conservation and demand agency to meet the requirements for incorporation.
About Project:
CODEA will be implementing a 20-year project entitled ‘’Rwenzori Yethu’’ in Districts of Kasese and Ntoroko. The Project is an impact-based investment opportunity to enhance agricultural and forestry productions on 8,000 Ha of land and to reinforce the resilience to climate change of 15,000 rural households in the target districts of on the foothills of Rwenzori Mountain in Western Uganda, where over 70% of the households depends on agriculture for their livelihoods. The goal of this Project is to increase cash crop production and productivity among farmers, restore degraded areas, and minimize the vulnerability of farming households to the negative effects of climate change. The project is pre-financed by investors who seek to obtain carbon credit issuance in return. There is a strong commitment of CODEA to achieving the project objectives and delivering the project’s outcomes.
Job Summary: The Project officer will support the coordination and implementation of the project’s field activities. The key functions of this position includes;
Strengthening the capacity of Community Facilitators (CFs) to cascade the trainings to smallholder farmers, of coffee, cocoa and woodlots, conducting support supervision and technical backstopping to the community facilitators, supervising and verification of data collection, appraising CFs, planning, checking and forwarding payment requisitions as well as generating technical reports. The project officer will also participate in project review meetings, stakeholder engagement, and representing the organization on delegation. The PO shall be the technical person / sector expert for either Forestry or Agronomy and thus responsible for advising management on technical matters relating to implementation of interventions and achievement of results, to adopt carbon reduction & agroforestry practices and piloting efficient, cost-effective, and innovative community-led deployment approaches that facilitate enhanced tree/soil carbon sequestration and sustainable land management (SLM) practices.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Carry out Technical and animation training of Community Facilitators (CFs) to train the Lead Farmers using the Trainer of Trainees approach.
- Introduction of the project to communities at the Sub-county, and parish levels in coordination with the CFs and the leadership of the target area.
- Actively coordinate the selection of the lead farmers, delivery of seedlings, and revision of seedlings requirement per group based on achievements including conducting follow up meetings, presentation of the project within their areas of jurisdiction.
- Lead, motivate, and supervise Community Facilitators (CFs) during execution of their roles (mobilize, recruit, onboard, conduct in-field training, and supervision of farmers, farmer
- Follow up on the production of tree seedlings at nursery sites, confirm the available quantities and quality of the material while assessing the required quantities of seedlings by recruited farmers.
- Ensure the use a gender lense to promote the involvement of all household members in the decision making process and the entire project implementation process.
- Support the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in the periodic monitoring and data management actions including routine data collection and consequently updating the project database.
- Work closely with the Project Manager to implement the relevant project communication plan(s). This includes tailoring/curating compelling content for various audiences – success stories, key messaging, social media graphics, articles, reports, and thought leadership articles to showcase /promote project work and impact.
- Prepare and implement agreed activity-based plans, including Support in financial planning and accountability at field level such as activity budgets and submit periodic/ contractual progress reports to the Project manager.
- Carry out regular action learning, farmer visits and follow-ups to track and enhance the adoption of implemented practices for better project results.
- Prepare and submit Weekly updates, monthly, quarterly and annual reports to the Project Manager.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal candidate should be a citizen of Uganda with a degree in Agriculture/ or Forestry.
- Strong problem solving, leadership and influencing attitude, always willing to push beyond set targets.
- Five years of work experience in agriculture, forestry, conservation, and if in carbon credit projects will be most preferred.
- Strong understanding of the modern training materials development and facilitation methodologies
- Strong understanding of the anti-corruption and conservation crimes.
- Three (03) years of demonstrable experience working with smallholder farmers in either capacity development, climate-smart agroextension service provision, and or agri-business support.
- Experience in training at the field/community level and excellent reporting skills.
- Strong community mobilization skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills about biodiversity, forestry, environmental, and or other natural resources issues to specialists as well as non-specialists.
- Ability to deliver results even under pressure.
- Discipline to implement established procedures and policies.
- Organizational skills and creativity to propose improvements to the project and resolve conflicts.
- Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion of the special interest groups
- Demonstrates emotional intelligence and willingness to accept feedback while building trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
- Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
- Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.
- Good knowledge in the use of the Google Workplace apps, and Microsoft Office (especially word, power point and advanced excel)
- Ability to speak, read and write one of the local languages spoken in the project areas.
- Knowledge and skills in GPS mobile data collection apps, tools and GIS will be an added advantage.
- Possession of a clean motorcycle riding record and willingness to use a motorcycle to travel to the field for work.
How to Apply:
All interested candidates should submit their updated CVs, and cover letters addressed to the Director – CODEA, summarizing his/her working experience and ability to meet each of the qualifications for the position, copy of national ID, copy of certificates and transcripts and salary expectation for this position and two employment referees. Please send as a single PDF document to Mr. Muhindo Jonan Kom (jonankom@codeauganda.org and copy apply@jobsportal-career.com). Subject of your Email should be the Position you are applying for.
Deadline: 16th March 2023