Community Development Facilitators (CDF)

Job Description

Project: Green Annamites Project
Office: ECODIT, 5 th Green Plaza, Da Nang, Vietnam
Positions: Community Development Facilitators (CDF)
Duty station: To be based in Nam Giang district and covered for field work of Phuoc Son district, Quang Nam province
Work area: Entirety of assigned districts including protected areas and buffer-zones, with occasional duty travel to the provincial city and other provinces when needed
Starting date: As soon as possible
Probation period: 2 months

PROJECT OVERVIEW

ECODIT is implementing the USAID-funded Green Annamites activity (GA Project) in Quang Nam (QN) and Thua Thien Hue (TTH) provinces in central Vietnam. The purpose of the Green Annamites activity is to assist Vietnam’s transition to climate-smart, low emission, and resilient development that protects people, landscapes, and biodiversity in Vietnam’s priority forested provinces. The project’s overall period of performance is September 26, 2016 to December 16, 2020, subject to the availability of funding, and includes three main tasks:

1. Increase application of low emission land-use;
2. Strengthen biodiversity conservation; and
3. Increase resilience for vulnerable communities.

Key program results include improving the livelihoods of 20,000 forest dependent people; improving biodiversity of over 400,000 hectares of natural forest, mobilizing at least $20 million in public and private resources for sustainable livelihoods and forest conservation; and avoiding and/or removing the equivalent of at least 7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

WORK BACKGROUND

The GA Project in QN (the Project) is implementing its activities in seven prioritized districts where local people (mainly ethnic minority groups with very high rates of poverty) are dependent on forests for their livelihoods. The GA Project in Quang Nam will focus on two main tasks: (i) increase application of low emission land-use; and (ii) strengthen biodiversity conservation.

GA Project in QN will work closely with local partners, especially district and commune local authorities and local partners to implement the Project’s activities. To ensure effectiveness of implementation of the Project’s activities in the field, the Project is seeking for three young, dynamic and strong commitment CDFs, to work closely with local government partners, communities and villagers on a daily basis.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the overall management of the Project’s Chief of Party (COP), the direct supervision of the Quang Nam Provincial Project Coordinator (“PC”) and oversight of a district authorized agency, the Community Development Facilitator (“CDF’) will serve as a catalyst to facilitate the development process toward the improved livelihoods of target communities, especially vulnerable groups and ethnic minorities, sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation of protected areas and biodiversity corridors.

The position is initially based in Nam Giang district, Quang Nam Province with required regular travels to Phuoc Son district project sites of Quang Nam Province. It is expected that the CDF will spend 50% of his time at each assigned project district.

When needed, the position will be required to re-locate at other districts within Quang Nam Province.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Facilitate community-based Project planning exercises at the assigned district (s) and relevant communes; and gather necessary information for planning Project activities.
• Identify and engage local partners and communities in the Project activities and support them to implement the planned activities.
• Raise awareness of local partners and communities in assigned district (s) and relevant communes on livelihood development, sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and low emission land-use practices. Promote and advertise the partnerships opportunities provide by the Project, like
• the small grants program and Annual Program Statement.
• Facilitate partnering/ networking with and connections among different local stakeholders (formal and informal community groups including local government agencies, businesses, NGOs, farmer interest groups, and community-based organizations).
• Work closely with the Project’ staff and consultants, sub-contractors and grantees to build capacity for communities and local partners on livelihoods, community forest management, forest restoration and biodiversity conservation.
• Travel extensively to field sites in order to maintain close collaboration with project local stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of the Project activities. This includes the early detection of issues that could hinder successful project implementation. It is expected that the CDF will spend at least 60 % of his/her time in the field.
• Under the supervision of the PC, work closely with relevant district Division of Agriculture and Rural Development, Forest Protection Division, and Protected Area Management Boards to provide timely technical support in assigned district(s) and communes to ensure high technical quality of the Project activities.
• Facilitate project monitoring and evaluation process (data collection, data entry and analysis, and reporting) and assist to maintain collected database of all field activities.
• Provide inputs for the PC to prepare quarterly/annual reports. This includes field records, communication materials, success stories, short videos, photos and interviews with beneficiaries and local partners.
• Facilitate logistics for field visits by the Project or donor staff.
• Identify and recommend opportunities for private sector engagement.
• Other tasks required by the PC.
• CDF will report directly to the Quang Nam Provincial Project Coordinator.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Hold a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture or Natural Resources/Forest Management or related field;
• At least 2 years working experiences in Sustainable Livelihoods, Value Chain Development, Sustainable Forest Management, especially Community Forest Management is preferred;
• Familiar with community-based development concepts, approaches and processes with good facilitation skills;
• Experience in building capacity for local stakeholders/partners, especially ethnic group is an advantage.
• Strong communication skills (skillful to work with local indigenous people and governments at grass-root levels).
• Physical and mental ability to work in remote areas
• Local candidate who is fluent with a local indigenous language is an advantage
• 2 years’ experience working with ethnic minorities in remote areas is desirable.
• Good command of written and verbal English and Vietnamese
• Prior field project working experience in Quang Nam is an advantage.

Interested candidates should send application including:

• A cover letter
• Latest CV, and
• Three references.

By April 25th, 2019 to the following address: [email protected]

No phone contact please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview