Job Description

Position title: Project Executant for RESOLVE-NbS Project

Reporting line:    WWF Tanzania – Water Towers Landscape Lead

Workstation/Location: Iringa

I: Background Information:

The WWF Tanzania Country Office has been instrumental in the realization of a healthy and resilient environment that supports the social and economic aspirations of the Tanzanian people. However, in recent years, Tanzania has experienced a significant decline in the health, conditions, and status of its natural resources. This decline is primarily driven by deforestation, encroachment, and land degradation, leading to substantial loss of wildlife species and their habitats.

For instance, the Kilombero River catchment has witnessed a 75% loss of natural fish breeding sites due to expansion agriculture and livestock incursion in protected areas. Similarly, the Kilombero Valley Wetland has reported a decrease in its area from 1415 km² in 1990 to 261 km² in 2016 due to drought and overexploitation of resources, resulting in a decline in available annual renewable water resources.

To address these challenges and ensure that Tanzania meets its highly ambitious national development and growth targets while simultaneously managing the critical natural resources and systems upon which the people and economy depend, it is imperative to scale up the implementation of strategic policy and programming actions in the areas of agriculture, climate change, biodiversity conservation, and land systems management. To achieve this objective, WWF Tanzania, in collaboration with IUCN Tanzania and other partners, has developed and implemented integrated landscape restoration programs, using Nature-based solution (NbS) approach. These programs aim to conserve, protect, and restore natural ecosystems, promote sustainable production systems, and facilitate infrastructure development. WWF Tanzania is currently piloting the concept of nature-based solutions (NbS) in the protection of riverbanks and riparian ecosystems. This approach serves as an alternative to constructing grey infrastructure projects in these areas. The primary objective of these projects is to reduce climate change impacts and associated effects on the community and biodiversity.

To scale up Nature based Solutions (NbS), WWF Tanzania, IUCN Tanzania, CARE, EAMCEF and the government are collaborating on the Scaling-up Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Climate Change Resilience in Tanzania (RESOLVE-NbS) project. This three-year project, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), focuses on high-production agro-production landscapes in Iringa and Morogoro within the SACGOT region. RESOLVE-NbS contributes and aligns with Tanzania’s National Climate Change programming, including priorities outlined in the National Development Council (NDC) 2021, which is currently being revised, and the National Environmental Master Plan for Strategic Interventions (2022-2032). Additionally, RESOLVE-NbS aligns with Tanzania’s global commitments, such as AFR100, Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Additionally, the RESOLVE NbS project seeks to accelerate the application and use of Nature Based Solutions to address the impacts of climate change and land degradation on food systems and natural ecosystems. The RESOLVE-NbS Project will be delivered through a partnership between IUCN, WWF, CARE Tanzania, Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund (EAMCEF) and Government. Through partnership, the Project will leverage the experience, expertise, capacity and resources of implementing institutions to ensure effective planning and delivery and realization of Project results.

Major Functions:

Under the overall supervision of the Water Towers Landscape Lead and under technical guidance of head of business development, the Project Executant will coordinate the implementation of the project by collaborating with IUCN, CARE Tanzania, EAMCEF, Morogoro, Kilolo, Ifakara, Mlimba, and Iringa District Council. The Project Executant will provide support in implementing and enhancing action plans, securing political endorsement, and improving stakeholder engagement processes. Furthermore, the Project Executant will facilitate the delivery of nature-based solutions and other sustainable land management practices. Additionally, the Project Executant will oversee the capacity building of public institutions, CSOs, private sector, and government agencies to ensure project sustainability. Lastly, the Project Executant will undertake awareness-raising campaigns on NbS to enhance its awareness and application.

In addition to their other responsibilities, the incumbent will be mandated to promote awareness, foster the creation and management of knowledge, and enhance the planning of NbS for improved mainstreaming, implementation, and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). This will involve overseeing the implementation of NbS for disaster risk reduction and mitigation through pilot and scale-up projects. Furthermore, the incumbent will contribute to the conservation, sustainable management, and restoration of natural ecosystems. Additionally, they will be required to integrate gender-sensitive NbS and climate-smart planning into adaptation and disaster reduction policies, strategies, and plans.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The duties of the incumbent will cover but not be limited to the following key areas: 

• Assume overall responsibility for facilitating the timely project interventions. This will be achieved in close collaboration with district councils and Resolve project partners.
• Provide quality assurance in terms of the strategic direction, intended outputs and deliverables, and skills profile to accelerate the application and use of Nature Based Solutions to address the impacts of climate change and land degradation on food systems and natural ecosystems.
• Participate in monthly check in calls with all partners and together with the IUCN Tanzania. Report on implementation and future plans.
• Collaborate with Morogoro, Kilolo, Ifakara, Mlimba, and Iringa District Councils as well as other partners, ensuring the project outcomes are aligned into the NDC, National FLR strategy and NBSAPs agenda
• Promote exchange of technical information among project partners and stakeholders,
• Be proactive in seeking and delivering innovative solutions and technical information to project partners and stakeholders.
• In collaboration with the Water Towers Landscape Lead and other partners, develop and support the capture and sharing of project related knowledge to ensure the timely and quality delivery of knowledge products for specific audiences and other project outputs.
• Ensure effective information flows between all stakeholders at national and landscape level.
• Undertake periodic review of the implementation and operation of the monitoring and reporting mechanism; including the preparation of best practices and lessons learneddeveloping regular communication material and stories for partners and stakeholders
• Prepares technical briefing reports, and status updates for project stakeholders and project team as required.
• Undertake any other assignment as may be required by the Line Manager

Project management and implementation

• Leads on regular review and updating project work plans and monitoring plans based on consultation with the Water Towers Landscape Lead.
• Contributes to the preparation and timely submission to the donors of annual work plans as well as technical reports according to agreed WWF network and Donor standards.
• Support regular update and discussion of monitoring plans
• Support and oversee the implementation of the agreed ESSF

Required Qualifications

A University degree in relevant fields (Forestry, Water Resources Management, Environmental Management, Climate Change Studies, Natural Resource Management or other relevant academic disciplines).

• At least 5 years’ working experience in EbA, Forest Landscape Restoration, Sustainable food production systems, and Climate Change related projects and programmes or any other related environmental issues and development context.
• Good management and co-ordination skills, with experience of technical project implementation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and good team spirit.
• Experience in writing project reports and management plans.
• Ability to participate in strenuous field activities/surveys and travel to remote areas.
• Knowledge in the use of GIS software.
• Proven experience in coordinating and monitoring projects.
• Proficiency in English and Swahili languages is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of global and regional NbS, Climate Change, EbA, Forest Landscape Restoration Agreements, Commitments, Protocols and Initiatives
• Organizational experience, including a proven ability to work on a variety of tasks simultaneously, and to perform well under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal and networking skills, especially within team members and multi-stakeholder contexts.
• Effective communicator to a wide range of audiences and through a variety of mediums.
• Adherence to WWF’s values, which are: Courage, Respect, Integrity, and Collaboration
• Experience and skills in training and transfer of knowledge
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills
• Ability to follow deadlines, accuracy and attention to detail

Working relationship

1. Internal

• Support theacceleration on the application and use of Nature Based Solutions to address the impacts of climate change and land degradation on food systems and natural ecosystemswithin TCO by researching and synthesizing information on themes and issues relevant to the work of the project.
• Supervise additional staff, consultants and interns.
• Support WWF TCO in delivering NbS, EbA, FLR and Climate Change projects, notably the implementation of the NDC, NBSAPs and AFR 100 initiative commitments made by Government on FLR.
• Carry out additional tasks as may be requested. 
• Work closely together with IUCN and partners in the RESOLVE-NbS Project
• Representing WWF TCO on NbS, EbA, and FLR issues at strategic, policy and technical meetings, seminars and other events and processes.

2. External

• Work closely together with the Morogoro, Kilolo, Ifakara, Mlimba, and Iringa District CouncilsOfficials especially District Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Officers
• Build strong relations at landscape and national level with all and relevant stakeholders from various CSO’s, NGO’s, government, corporates and private sector, community and other.