community development officer, Zimbabwe

Reports To: Director, Community Engagement
Location/Duty Station: Harare, Zimbabwe
Terms: Full Time
Duration: Permanent

About IFAW

The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animal and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we’re up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at www.ifaw.org.

Position Summary/Objective 

The Community Development Officer will support project teams to execute effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community engagement (CE) work across IFAW’s global program portfolio. Working closely with the Director Community Engagement and project teams, this role will help ensure quality project development aligned with the needs, interests and ambitions of local communities as well as IFAW’s global program and institutional strategies. Enabling optimal flow of CE information between all relevant departments and nurturing effective knowledge management to capture and share CE lessons learned and best practices will be critical.

IFAW’s global community engagement strategy is rooted in listening to and including those living closest to the animals and habitats we strive to protect. We are committed to working respectfully and collaboratively with communities to find lasting solutions that work for wildlife, people and the animals in their care. This role will serve as a cross-programmatic and cross-regional facilitator to inspire and support colleagues around the world to implement quality CE for positive impact and sustained change.

Role and Responsibilities

Supporting project development and implementation (60%)

• Identify and promote opportunities, as a subject-matter expert, for project teams to advance their objectives in conservation and animal welfare through integration of community-based initiatives
• Cross-check for strategic alignment of community-based project plans, budgets and funding proposals with IFAWs global community engagement strategy
• Lead the development and implementation of community engagement work in IFAW project sites in southern Africa in particular
• Assist with budget management and reporting for all CE projects.
• Act as a technical advisor, mentor and facilitator to help project field staff implement their day to day work engaging local communities to promote wildlife-friendly practices and livelihoods and address human-wildlife conflict
• Design and deliver trainings as needed to build CE and social safeguarding capacity amongst project field staff as well as colleagues in other departments requiring deeper subject-matter understanding

Monitoring, evaluation and accountability (20%)

• Ensure participatory community needs assessments are conducted prior to detailed planning of CE projects, supervising implementation by field teams and/or consultants as needed
• Support project teams to design and implement community-based qualitative and quantitative data collection, utilizing participatory tools and approaches where possible
• Advise teams on analysis and interpretation of community-based data and guide adaptive management of projects as a result
• Along with the Director CE, Program and Regional Directors, ensure adequate social safeguards at project level, including but not limited to: risk assessment, consent processes, disaggregated data collection, reporting mechanisms are established

Documentation, learning and reporting (20%)

• Collate and track data, lessons learned and best practices related to CE, ensuring mechanisms are in place to gather and share information back with relevant stakeholders, especially field practitioners
• Assist in preparation of reports, case studies, scientific publications and other internal and external communication materials
• keep abreast of emerging tools and best practices in community engagement, fostering relationships and strategic partnerships with peers in the conservation and development fields
• Identify, share and stimulate discussion amongst IFAW’s internal CE network on emerging trends and resources related to CE that could be integrated into our work for better results

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• At least 5 years’ experience managing community-based projects, with at least 3 focused on directly facilitating engagement of communities to achieve collective impact in Africa and/or Asia
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience implementing participatory tools and methods, sustainable livelihoods approaches and social safeguards
• Skilled in the design and collection of both qualitative and quantitative community-based data, with a proven ability to interpret results and ensure application to project planning and implementation
• Experience training, mentoring and motivating field practitioners in quality application of community engagement concepts, tools and methods
• Ability to interact harmoniously and communicate effectively, both written and verbal, with people from varying educational, social and cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize a diverse and demanding workload and a knack for synthesizing information
• Commitment to animal welfare, conservation and promoting IFAW’s mission in a way that also generates positive social impact
• Able and willing to undertake regular international travel and occasionally work outside of contracted hours to accommodate meetings with communities and colleagues in other time zones

Other Duties 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities will change from time to time to meet the needs of the department and our company.

At IFAW, we aim to create and foster a workforce that reflects and contributes to the diverse, global community in which we work to improve the lives of both animals and people.   We are dedicated to fostering justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion so we actively encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds.

How to Apply

 Please forward letter of interest, CV, and copy of credentials to the following 2 emails simultaneously: recruitea@ifaw.org and talentsearch@tmconsulting.co.ke

Your application should include your current and expected salary and benefits. The subject for your application should read: Community Development Officer, Zimbabwe

Applications should be received before close of business, Friday, 19th August, 2022.