Community Mobiliser and Development Officer: VSF-Belgium Jobs

VSF-BELGIUM is an NGO working with disadvantaged communities to increase their standard of living and improve food security through improved animal health and animal production.

In East Africa, our programmes focus on community based animal health services,
training centers for mid-level animal health workers and sustainable natural resource utilisation.

Position Title: Community Mobiliser and Development Officer
Duty Station: Lodwar, Kenya
Duration: 1 year, (renewable)
Deadline For Application: 16/07//2009
Availability: August 2009

Role

1. Lead in Community organizing for action in Livestock based livelihoods among the pastoralist in Turkana, Pokot and Samburu and work with Community associations (VICOBA, PFS, CAHWs and VLUPC/ABCD groups) in stimulating action towards drought
preparedness and to cause and implement change in the livelihoods of poor pastoralist in the region.

2. Lead in designing and implementing statements that stimulates, encourages, and train to facilitate community participation in activities aimed at mitigating the impacts of drought related, water stress in Turkana South District.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Map traditional water sources together with the community.
• Assess and actively participate in the identification of local community water needs and design sustainable strategy to increase water access to all.
• Design community based water-stress coping mechanism and early warning systems.
• Carry out mobilization and awareness raising campaigns during project implementation.
• Build partner capacity, to play various roles in project implementation
• Take part in training project beneficiaries (WUAs) with a view to ensure long term sustainability.
• Monitor progress of water committees and develop strategies to support their capacities.
• Create sustainable strategic linkage aimed at enabling the local communities to mobilize local resources and also access further sounding for sustainable mitigation efforts.
• Develop and implement practice and participatory response to drought challenges
• Prepare projects reports and document lessons learnt in the project for information sharing.
• Participate in project monitoring and evaluation.

Essential or Minimum Requirements

Education

• Diploma level as a social worker, range resource management, Community development or related discipline.

Knowledge and experience

• Minimum 3years experience in Water resources development in the rangelands of East Africa.
• Minimum 3 years experience in the field working with rural communities (preferably with an NGO) in the capacity of a community mobiliser / trainer / facilitator.
• Experience or demonstrated ability working with women groups or sensitive to the needs, priorities and rights of women and the disadvantaged within the communities.
• Experience in dealing with water management and public health issues is desirable.
• Experience and understanding of community mobilization in relation to water, sanitation and health promotion activities
• Demonstrated experience of integrating gender and diversity into programme design, implementation, monitoring and participatory learning techniques
• Minimum 2 years experience in Pasture management and conflict mitigation in the pastoralists systems.
• Minimum 2 years experience in Land use planning among pastoral communities.
• Working Knowledge on participatory methodologies of empowerment of communities in natural resources utilization
• Knowledge in Community based approaches in development
• Be fully conversant with the Ugandan land laws

Skills

• Assessment, analytical, planning skills, diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills.
• Strong interpersonal, writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines, work under pressure in response to changing needs.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, fluency in Ng’aturkana would an added advantage Attitudes
• Team player and flexible
• Attentive to detail
• Identify him/herself with the mission, vision and values of VSF-B
• Display of intercultural sensitivity and respect in dealing with others
• Affinity for NGO work in general
• Willingness to travel on short notice and frequent visits to the field, Turkana, Pokot, Samburu and the Regional Office Nairobi)

Desirable requirements

• Local languages of the region
• Three years experience of working in the Kenyan ASAL region

Please send your application letter, CV and list of 3 references by e-mail (reference ‘’Community Mobiliser and Development Officer ”) on or before 16/07/2009 to recruitment @ vsfb.or.ke

‘Those who had applied earlier should not re-apply’.

This vacancy is open to male and female candidates.

Applications from Kenya nationals and qualified women candidates are encouraged.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

For more information: www.vsf-belgium.org