Technical Specialist, Social and Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project At Fauna & Flora International

Fauna & Flora International

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, whilst improving the livelihoods of local people. Our guiding principles are to work with and alongside local partnerships, act as a catalyst for change, make conservation relevant and base decisions on sound science. Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established international conservation body; our conservation work, and impact, spans the globe.

Africa Programme

Working closely with local partners, FFI’s Africa Programme currently supports operations in 13 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is implementing a range of projects focused on both terrestrial and marine species and habitat conservation, biodiversity planning, protected area management, institutional development and capacity building, sustainable use and community-focused wildlife management initiatives.

To achieve its mission in Africa, FFI uses different approaches to work with and alongside local partners to focus on the sustainable use and management of natural resources as a means to effective conservation in the long-term. In all its projects in Africa, FFI seeks to:

• Build and support local partnerships with African conservation and community development organisations
• Strengthen institutions to bring sustainability and added value to projects
• Maintain long term presence and relationships
• Reconcile conservation goals with the needs of local people
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making

FFI Marine Programme

FFI has been working in marine conservation for decades. However, it launched its formal marine programme in 2011 focused on the following three strands:

• securing important areas to safeguard marine biodiversity;
• informing and influencing policies and practice affecting the marine environment; and
• supporting key national and local institutions to help them deliver effective marine conservation.

In 2005, the Zanzibar Government gazetted the Pemba Channel Conservation Area (PECCA) making it one of the largest marine protected areas in Tanzania. FFI has worked in partnership with Mwambao (Mwambao Coast Community Network), a Tanzanian NGO, since 2014 to support the effective management of PECCA and to implement measures that improve reef ecosystem health, improve sustainability of key fisheries, improve local wellbeing through inclusion of fishers into their fishing ground management and provide opportunities to engage in other livelihood activities.

The Blue Action Fund project that this role relates to builds upon work to date in PECCA, expanding the target area and the number of communities engaged. The work will cover both communities involved in existing work on Pemba Island and additional communities from Pemba Island and mainland Tanzania’s Tanga region coast.

The Opportunity

FFI and their partner, Mwambao, are implementing a multi-million Euro, 4.5-year project funded by the Blue Action Fund (BlueAction). FFI is seeking an experienced Technical Specialist to ensure the effective implementation, monitoring, and reporting of social and environmental safeguards associated with the BlueAction grant entitled ‘Increasing socio-ecological resilience through community-led management of key coastal ecosystems in the Pemba Channel, Tanzania’.

The role is predominately focussed on social safeguards and therefore the successful candidate will have sound technical knowledge and proven experience of applying social science methodologies in the conservation or international development context, as well as being open to learning and able to quickly pick up new skills. In addition, they will be highly collaborative with proven experience in capacity building, project design, management and monitoring. They will have excellent facilitation, training and mentoring skills and be able to apply these to diverse groups of people. They will have experience of working in a cross-cultural environment and experience in applying their skills to a conservation, rural livelihoods or natural resource management context in less developed countries.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of Contract: Fixed-term contract until 31 August 2027

Probation Period: Six months

Salary: USD 35,000 gross per annum

Location: FFI Office in Nairobi, Kenya, with regular travel to Tanzania: Tanga region, Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba). International travel to FFI’s head office in Cambridge, UK may be required occasionally.

Benefits: 25 working days’ annual leave entitlement plus national public holidays

observed in Kenya

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job in the field

Job Description

Job Title: Technical Specialist, Social & Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project

Reporting to: Senior Technical Specialist, Social Equity & Rights, Africa

Key Internal

Relationships: Grant Manager Blue Action Project (Kenya)

Kenya Programme Team (Kenya)

Grant and Development Manager, Eastern Africa (UK)

Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa (UK)

Senior Technical Specialist, Gender (UK)

Senior Technical Specialist, Enterprise & Finance (UK)

Technical Specialists in Social Safeguards, Marine & Climate Change (UK)

Key external

Relationships: The Technical Specialist Social and Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project will work closely with key staff from the project’s main implementing partner, Mwambao, based in Zanzibar and Tanzania, and with other members of the project consortium (partners and contractors).

The Technical Specialist, Social and Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project will, as required, represent FFI with national and local government agencies, communities and community-based organisations, international and national partner NGOs and for-profit entities, academic institutions and funders, representing the values and interests of FFI at all times.

Purpose:

The primary purpose of this role is to ensure that FFI, as the BlueAction project lead, adequately identifies, avoids, manages and/or mitigates negative impacts affecting communities or other relevant stakeholders as a result of its conservation work under the BlueAction project in Tanzania. This will be achieved by working directly with a counterpart in Mwambao to ensure the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the social and environmental safeguards tools outlined in the BlueAction environmental and social management plan (ESMP) and process framework.

Specific Duties:

Under the line-management of the Senior Technical Specialist, Social Equity & Rights, Africa and working with the roles listed above, the Technical Specialist, Social & Environmental Safeguards, BlueAction Project, will have the following responsibilities:

Technical

• Implementation of locally appropriate methods and interventions to assess, manage, monitor and act on social and environmental impacts as identified in the project’s Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), other safeguard instruments and in the relevant FFI position statements and guidance
• Work collaboratively with Mwambao to provide technical advice and training to ensure robust documentation and data management systems and monitoring
• Responsible for keeping the project ESMS tools up to date, including: Environmental and Social Management Plan, Process Framework, Stakeholder Engagement Plan, and Grievance Mechanism.
• Document the use of ESMS tools and refine and adapt where necessary, in close collaboration with Mwambao
• Development of outputs (e.g., updated social safeguard documents) and reports according to agreed workplans and in a timely manner for funder reporting requirements

Partnerships

• Provide guidance and mentorship to project partners to ensure the effective delivery of desired impacts in FFI’s work in Tanzania
• Build the capacity of in-country partners to deliver on project activities and outcomes

Development

• As required and in line with approved strategic plans, contribute to and support the development of funding proposals, ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of work planned in Tanzania

Budgeting and Reporting

• Contribute to the production of annual work-plans and budgets for FFI’s conservation activities in Tanzania, in line with annual project budgets and anticipated outcomes
• Contribute to the provision of accurate and timely technical project reports as per FFI and donor requirements for ESMS
• Ensure full compliance with FFI position statements, protocols, policies and procedures, ensuring work is done to high quality and within fund budgets

Communications and Representation

• Ensure regular communication and coordination with FFI staff in the UK, and Kenya as appropriate
• Develop communications materials in appropriate formats and actively share project results and learning through internal and external fora
• Represent, and develop the profile of, FFI and FFI’s work in Tanzania with national and local stakeholders, always representing the values and interests of FFI

Other

• Undertake regular international travel to project sites, Tanga region, Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba), relevant conferences and international meetings as required
• Support a culture of excellent communication, sharing of knowledge, lessons learnt and best practice and collaboration between project staff, wider FFI team members, implementing partners and other stakeholders as appropriate
• Undertake any other tasks commensurate with the position that may be requested from time-to-time by Line Manager, Senior Technical Specialist, Social Equity & Rights, Africa

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Relevant technical skills including conducting environmental and/or social impact assessments, conducting applied research on sustainable livelihoods, preparing community land use and resource use plans, stakeholder mapping, community conservation activities, etc.
• Demonstrable project management skills with proven experience in project design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Ability to think critically and analyse complex and nuanced problems
• Facilitation and training experience
• Fluent written and spoken English and Swahili
• Proven organisational skills, with structured and methodical approach to work and a clear focus on results
• Excellent writing skills including attention to detail, documentation of activities, and preparation of reports
• Excellent verbal communication, with ability to present, negotiate and persuade at various levels with confidence and credibility·
• Proficient in Microsoft Office skills

Desirable

• Proven operational management skills in remote, developing countries.
• Relevant technical skills in applying social safeguards such as stakeholder engagement plans, grievance mechanisms, and process frameworks (e.g. IFC PS or WB ESS)

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. natural resource management, anthropology, human geography, environmental management) or at least 5 years’ experience in a similar role
• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment
• Experience of working in partnership with other NGOs (e.g., in consortium), government agencies and/or local civil society organisations
• Experience of building capacity, training and/or mentoring for more effective conservation action
• Experience of dealing diplomatically with delicate topics of equity and rights with communities, their representatives and government institutions
• Experience with project management including developing and following workplans and budgets

Desirable

• Working in Eastern Africa, preferably in Tanzania
• Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline
• Professional experience in international conservation or a related field
• Experience and/or knowledge of coastal marine habitats and fisheries
• Mentoring experience
• Previous experience with BlueAction projects

Behavioural qualities

Essential

• Commitment to FFI’s values and mission
• Self-motivated, independent and resourceful
• Open to learning and able to quickly pick up new skills
• Excellent interpersonal, networking skills
• Commitment to organisational and legal compliance, and responsible management of donor funds
• Team player, with ability to seek out views of others and build positive working relationships
• Confident in managing work in remote settings
• Ability to work under pressure and to deal with challenges in a positive and constructive way

Work and travel

Essential

• Entitlement to live and work in Kenya (without employee sponsorship)
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly and at short notice to Tanzania (including Zanzibar) and to visit remote coastal communities
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally when required

FFI Values

Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organisation, creating the culture of success for which FFI is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:

• We act with integrity

• We are collaborative

• We are committed

• We are supportive & respectful

• We get things done