Community Coordinator Full-Time

The Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) is a not-for-profit organization established to facilitate the creation and development of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TCFAs) in Southern Africa. Peace Parks is currently supporting the development of conservation areas in Mozambique through partnership agreements with the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC).

Peace Parks intends to hire a Community Coordinator based at the Maputo National Park headquarters, reporting to the Park Administrator.

Requirements

• A relevant Community qualification with at least Five years’ experience in community work.
• Strong preference for experience in leading and managing community support, ideally in a conservation area, with experience in governance, natural resource use management and livestock management.
• Self-driven with strong leadership and team management experience, including ability to motivate, reach consensus, set objectives and manage performance and projects.
• A demonstrated ability to utilise technology.
• Driver’s License.
• Good Portuguese and English Language capability and associated communication skills.
• Candidates with Shangaan language capability shall be preferred.

Performance Areas

• Effectively manage and report on community department activities and budgets.
• Monitoring and Management of partner organisations implementation of community activities in the landscape.
• Review and implement a strategy for community support and development.
• Ensure good communication and relationship with communities and local government where relevant, to prevent and minimize conflict situations.
• Establish, capacitate and ensure effective functioning of community governance and natural resource use committees.
• Mobilize and sensitize the communities to conservation.
• Support the implementation of a Herding for Health Project.
• Identify and implement key livelihood activities (e.g. Conservation Agriculture, water provision etc.).

Compensation

• A competitive salary package will be negotiated based on qualifications and experience.

Interested applicants can submit a cover letter detailing their interest and suitability for the position as well as the Curriculum Vitae in English, with contact details of 3 references. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.

Terms of Reference Community Coordinator

• Effective and Efficient Department management.
• Develop and implement a short-, medium- and long-term strategy for community support and development.
• Undertake and analyse a baseline assessment of all communities residing within and around the Park which shall form the basis of decision making, strategies and monitoring and evaluation of the community development programme.
• Develop an Annual Work Plan and Budget.
• Provide immediate feedback to the PIU on any notable events.
• Submit a brief monthly report to the PIU by the 3rd of the month on the department months activities, observations and recommendations and planning.
• Submit a detailed quarterly report to the PIU on including Work Plan and Budget progress.
• Take the necessary actions to meet the budget and work plan, implement corrective measures as necessary and inform the PIU of potential or confirmed variances.
• Manage subordinate staff were productivity, effective and efficient use of resources.
• Ensure effective financial and document control.

Buffer Zone Communication and Liaison

• Function as the liaison person between the park and communities by effectively utilizing support personnel (subordinates and community facilitators) and existing community structures.
• Establish, capacitate and ensure effective functioning of community governance and natural resource use committees.
• Be the link for information flow between the park and communities. Ensure all information is communicated to all effected parties (including to the PIU) and acted upon as necessary.
• Encourage and facilitate regular BZ Community meetings.
• Facilitate, develop and implement BZ community agreements, rules and obligations with specific focus on sustainable use and conservation.
• Mobilize and sensitize the communities to conservation.
• Facilitate and implement adherence to the Buffer Zone boundary.
• Create an integrated effective way of working with other government departments and other service providers within the BZ.
• Ensuring employment of labour is well communicated, managed, and distributed fairly across communities.

Conflict Management

• Ensure good communication and relationship with communities to prevent and minimize conflict situations.
• Identify possible conflict situations and implement measures to reduce risk of conflict.
• Implement, monitor and report back on human/animal conflict events and preventative measures.
• Proactively interact with and support the Protection department and request for support as necessary in the dealing with HWC (Human Wildlife Conflict).
• Provide both proactive reactive HWC training and support to communities.
• Manage conflict situations as they occur.

Environmental Awareness programme

• Implement an Environmental Awareness program.
• Printing and distribution of EA manual and information materials.
• Implement school events including competitions, film road shows and game viewer outings into the park.
• Investigate and implement synergies with other surrounding conservation areas.

Buffer Zone Management

• Develop and ensure implementation of a BZ Management Plan.
• Ensure communities are aware of and respect the BZ Rules and Regulations as defined in the plan.
• Support the process to identify and implement community conservation corridors linking the various TFCA. This shall include communications with communities, implementation of community development projects in and around the corridors and managing conflict.
• Enhance job creation, links between villages and market access and improvement of sustainable living conditions.
• Facilitate the identification of BZ community initiatives that are attainable and sustainable and that will improve the BZ community whilst maintaining conservation objectives.
• Facilitate that initiatives are driven and owned by the communities whilst facilitating the development from concept to approval in implementation.
• Monitor and follow up on planned activities and organizational developments. Render support and guidance and report back.
• Inform each of the District Administrators and Agriculture departments of the conservation status of the Buffer Zone and need for Park approval of any Buffer Zone developments.
• Monitor any possible Buffer Zone developments and ensure that these are approved by Park and District and are aligned with the BZ Management Plan.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Ensure socio-economic base line assessments are done for each project before implementation starts.

Agriculture and Irrigation Schemes

• Investigate and propose Agriculture schemes in the buffer zone/ linked to the resettlement program. Consideration shall be given to solar or manual powered irrigation schemes.
• Implement Conservation Agriculture projects in the BZ.
• Ensure ongoing monitoring and reporting on the agriculture schemes.
• Ensure accurate records are maintained of crop productions.
• Address any problems with the agriculture implementation.
• Develop a continuity and sustainability plan for the agriculture scheme after completion of resettlement.

Relocation Development Programme Support

• Analyse the results of the community baseline survey and liaise with communities, community leaders and Government officials to develop a community development strategy which will support the re-establishment and improvement of livelihoods of communities requesting to relocate from within the park boundaries.
• Identification of potential relocation and development nodes.
• Securing of sufficient land for house property, agriculture and grazing needs.
• Securing of appropriate schooling, health and water services in line with GoM policy. This may include installation of boreholes including for purposes of ensuring livestock do not need to enter the Park boundaries.
• Transportation and compensation for relocation and rebuilding of physical assets.
• Development of a community nursery and / or the Distribution and planting of fruit trees.
• Identification and development of appropriate livelihood development programmes including agriculture projects (e.g. irrigation and conservation agriculture) and other Income Generation projects (e.g. honeybee etc.).
• Management of compensation and/or physical measures for the protection of grave and religious / traditional sites.
• Support and facilitate traditional community events and ceremonies.
• Implement a system of post relocation monitoring of community welfare and resettlement sustainability.