Community Development Officer

VSF Belgium is a recognized developmental International NGO founded in 1995 working with disadvantaged communities to increase their standards of living, improve food security and livelihood sustainability through improved animal health and animal production. 

In East Africa, our programmes focus on community based animal health services, capacity building of local institutions and governments, conflict mitigation and sustainable natural resource management

Position Title: Community Development Officer (CDO)

Duty Station: Lodwar, Turkana, Kenya

Duration: 1 year, renewable

Role: The CDO support the Project Manager by providing technical support and implementation of the VSF Belgium development and emergency projects in Turkana County especially focusing strengthening the resilience of communities in Turkana through food security projects, animal production, development and operationalization of community disaster risk reduction (CDRR) plans, ensuring development of alternative livelihoods for target vulnerable communities, working with local level CBOs and NGOs, Pastoral field schools (PFS), Village Community Banking (VICOBA), Village Land Use Planning Committees (VLUPs) among others. 

Work closely with local government and relevant technical government departments to ensure project alignment with county strategies and quality control 

The holder of this position will be required to travel extensively to project sites located in Turkana South, East, Central and Loima districts of Turkana County and parts of Samburu County.

The position will report to the Project Manager, Lodwar Program

Responsibilities:

Projects Initiation, Implementations, monitoring and reporting

• Carry out participatory needs assessments, identify appropriate food security and animal production to improve the resilience of the community
• Propose objectives, elaborate work plans, facilitate implementation and formulate monitoring plans for projects in consultation with the projects manager and field teams.
• Conduct comprehensive baseline survey to guide project planning
• Plan and implement projects with relevant local partners and groups such VICOBA, PFS and VLUPs in local communities with emphasis on promoting group development through support, coaching, mentoring, regular feedback and identification of investment needs and opportunities.
• Work closely with relevant county government departments in planning and implementing projects
• Facilitate the development of community dialogues to enhance sustainable utilization of natural resources and peaceful co-existence of communities in Turkana and their neighbors ü To build capacity of communities in community managed disaster risk reduction and resilience building efforts
• Liaise and build linkages between communities and county governments as well as other players in the County to ensure synergy and collaboration and more support for community projects
• Support the project team in the development of new project concepts and proposals using result based management (RBM) approach with reference to specific donor regulations.
• Conduct timely monitoring of projects and develop reports for management and donors
• Ensure learning and knowledge management in relevant areas of operation and project focus

Technical support

• Provide technical support to VSFB and local partners staff teams in project planning and implementation and quality control
• Build staff and partner capacity in technical areas of expertise

Representation of VSF-B in the target counties:

• Support the project manger to develop relationships, and Insure a smooth collaboration with stakeholders - with county government, communities local potential partners
• Represent VSF B in relevant county level meetings, and national meetings as agreed with the Project Manager

Budget management

• Ensure appropriate and prudent use of funds allocated to project he/she is responsible for during implementation and all field missions as per VSF Belgium and specific donor policies.

Communication and Information

• Inform and collaborate with the Projects Manager on a continuous basis;
• Inform and collaborate with the local and project partners.
• Ensure staff teams and collaborating partners are adequately informed

Networks to maintain and functional relationships

• VSF-B Country director.
• VSF-B Projects Managers – field offices – Lodwar, Garissa + Samburu
• Technical and support staff of VSF B, local partners and other project partners.
• Government departments ( County ,district, local)
• INGOS, Local Authorities and development agencies in Turkana and Samburu operating in similar thematic sectors

Essential or Minimum Requirements

Education

• University degree either in Agricultural, Horticulture, Food Security, Dry Land Management Range Management, Animal Production or related fields from a recognized university

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience and expertise in food security, animal production, other agricultural related
• Have good knowledge and experience working in Turkana and Samburu Counties ü Water resources development in the rangelands of Kenya; Pasture management and conflict mitigation/ peace building in the pastoralists systems; Land use planning among pastoral communities for at least 2 years
• Working Knowledge on participatory methodologies of empowerment of communities in natural resources utilization
• Community based approaches in development – Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR), Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Pastoral field Schools (PFS), Village Community Banking (VICOBA)
• Be fully conversant with the land laws, land use and ASAL policy in Kenya.

Skills

• Ability to articulate Livelihood options and diversification for rangeland environments
• Computer literacy with very good MS Word and Power point
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Good writing and reporting skills
• Ability to work under pressure in remote areas with pastoral communities
• Ability to deal with conflict and crises and mobilize communities for appropriate response
• Fluency in written and spoken English and the local language
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Proven ability to work with a range of local stakeholders including civil authorities, local Government and project partners

Attitudes

• Team player
• Attentive to detail
• Flexible
• Identify him/herself with the mission, vision and values of VSF-B
• Display of intercultural sensitivity
• Respect in dealing with others
• Affinity for NGO work in general
• Willingness to travel (frequent visits to the field - Turkana and Samburu)

Please send your application (reference “Community Development Officer”), CV and 3 references (one must be your current employer), by e-mail to recruitment@vsfb.or.ke on or before 2nd December 2013

This vacancy is open to male and female candidates. 

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

For more information: www.vsf-belgium.org