Project Specialist – Nexus Coordinator at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term, local presence in many of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organisations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

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.

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.

Requirements

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: Up to 31st March 2024 (Subject to good performance)

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