SNV recruits 01 Project Specialist – Nexus Coordinator

Project Specialist – Nexus Coordinator

Nanyuki, Kenya

Full-time

Contract type: National employment contract

Company Description

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy and WASH to local contexts. SNV has an annual turnover of €130 million, over 1,250 staff in more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. We are proud to be a not-for-profit organization that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence.

In its new Strategic Plan period (2019 – 2022), SNV will more explicitly aim for systems change during project preparation and implementation – by strengthening institutions and kick-starting markets that help many more to escape poverty beyond our projects. We will continue to position ourselves as a premium organization, with decentralized management.

For more information on our operations in Kenya and SNV generally visit our website: www.snv.org

Background and Project summary

The Laikipia, Isiolo, Samburu Transforming the Environment through Nexus (LISTEN) project seeks to contribute to the goal of enhancing resilience of food, nutrition and water security in the three selected Arid and Semi‐Arid Lands (ASAL) counties. This project will be undertaken over a period of three and a half years by a consortium comprising Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and SNV Netherlands Development Organization with SNV as the lead agency responsible for outcome 2. Each organization brings their own specialization to the table and will combined their capacity to achieve four key outcomes:

Outcome 1: Improved institutional capacities and programming frameworks for inclusive climate resilience at the county level.

Outcome 2: Improved water and livelihood resource management at Landscape level in the Ewaso Nyiro River Basin Ecosystem.

Outcome 3: Increased production and income through adoption of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), good management and efficient water practices, technologies and innovations in selected crop and livestock value chains, including fodder and forage.

Outcome 4: Use of Knowledge and Innovation management increased in ASALs.

The project will support selected county governments (Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu) in identifying initiatives and the adoption and upscaling of climate resilient practices and innovations leading to an increase in the resilience of food, nutrition and water security in the counties in spite of climate change.

Job Description

The Position

The Project Specialist’s/Nexus Coordinator’s focus will be working with the existing institutions in reviewing and adoption of inter‐county policies, plans and guidelines on land use, sustainable grazing and rangeland management, and water use efficiency, whilst incorporating new technologies developed or piloted to support more private sector involvement in their delivery. S/he will ensure that six specific business cases are investigated, developed and disseminated.

Key Responsibilities

Strengthening capacity of County governments to produce all‐inclusive and community validated land use plans through resource mapping, inventory development, zoning and spatial planning;

Recruiting, contracting and managing Local Capacity Builders (LCBs) that will support county government and communities in participatory resource mapping and watershed (water, NRM/Grazing and crop) management planning processes.

Providing legislative and technical support to the county process of landscape zoning, design, and planning of key infrastructure.

Establishing multi‐stakeholder platforms (involving pastoralists & agro-pastoralists, conservancies, private sector, and government) on coordination and management of water and rangeland and marketing of resources and commodities, taking on board climate related opportunities and challenges.

Identifying and ensuring implementation of sustainable rangeland and grazing models and livestock value chain production systems to improve rangeland health and increase incomes;

Mapping and analysing existing rangeland and grazing plans and key livestock value chains to make recommendations on future directions on livestock production and investments that could include climate change funding.

Carrying out Livestock value chain analysis to identify market constraints, opportunities and possible private sector engagement;

Capacity building of grazing committees /associations / producers for grazing and livestock service plans and facilitating regulation agreements (county and intercounty) for critical rangelands and water catchments;

Ensuring improved organisational capacity and functionality of selected WRUAs incorporating active farmer groups in joint development of water catchment area plans in Ewaso Nyiro Basin.

Mapping of existing watershed and irrigation plans and making recommendations on future directions.

Assessing behaviour of the farmer producers and developing appropriate communication strategies to influence change: willingness to pay for water use and cooperate in catchment management.

Undertaking a water resources (quality and quantity) baseline assessment of water security in selected sites and subsequent assessments in the abstraction points that may be established/supported by the project;

Making periodic progress and other required reports to meet project expectations;

Capturing and reporting on lessons learnt that contribute to knowledge development.

Qualifications

This project specialist/ Nexus coordinator will be a specialist in institutional aspects of water resources management, the relation between water resources and landscape, will be a strong communicator with ample experience working with (semi) governmental organizations. S/he will have a good view on the relevant markets and market players. Specifically, s/he will have the following:

Advanced degree in Water Resource Management, climate change, Project Management, soil and water conservation, irrigation, land and water development or agribusiness or any other related fields;

S/he should have at least 8 years’ experience, 5 of which should have been working in ASALs in Kenya;

Other requirements

Experience and knowledge of the Nexus approach and working within the private sector would be an advantage;

Knowledge and experience on adoption and upscaling of climate resilient practices and innovations;

Demonstrated experience in strategy development in terms of choice of interventions, clients and partnerships;

Experience in partnership development, particularly at the county level;

Excellent team working skills.

Additional Information

Contract Duration: 2 years with possibility of extension.

How to apply

Please apply by clicking on the “I AM INTERESTED” tab on this page and submitting an application letter and CV that contains three referees in English before 10 September, 2020.

NB: Only shortlisted will be contacted.

We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement.

SNV Kenya does not require you to undergo any medical test prior to employment