Job Description

Position title: Project Executant for Her Resilience, Our Planet (HROP)

Reporting line:  WWF Tanzania – Water Towers Landscape Lead

Duty station/Location: Iringa

Supervises: All project Staff

Introduction

Over the past three decades, Tanzania has witnessed a substantial decline in its climate, which has profoundly impacted the well-being of its population. This situation has affected various aspects of their health, living conditions, and overall status. To address this challenge, WWF TCO has been actively implementing various interventions that prioritize both community and biodiversity resilience. In response to the escalating impacts of climate change on food security, economic stability, and gender inequality in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT), CARE Canada and CARE Tanzania, in collaboration with WWF Tanzania and four local partners, including SAGCOT Centre Ltd (SCL), Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), Shahidi Wa Maji (SwM), and Conservation Farming Unit Tanzania (CFU), are implementing an integrated and holistic climate resilience project titled “Her Resilience, Our Planet” (HROP).

WWF Tanzania is a member of a consortium is co-implementing a six-year project titled “Her Resilience, Our Planet” (HROP). The HROP project spans from September 2024 to March 2030 and is strategically aligned with WWF’s 2030 roadmap, global goals, Tanzania country conservation strategy, and CARE International’s broader mission to combat poverty and social injustice. Notably, the project emphasizes empowering marginalized women and youth. HROP focuses on promoting gender-responsive, climate-smart agriculture and biodiversity-protective food systems, while simultaneously strengthening women’s leadership and participation in climate and nature-informed decision-making processes.

The HROP project is implemented in five districts in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands: Iringa, Kilolo, Mufindi, and Wanging’ombe (within the Ihemi Cluster), and Mbarali District (within the Mbarali Cluster). The project’s target districts are situated within the Great Ruaha River (GRR) sub-basin, a crucial component of the Rufiji Basin and a vital lifeline for over six million individuals. The GRR originates from the Kipengere Mountains and traverses the Iringa and Mbeya regions, eventually emptying into the Mtera and Kidatu hydropower reservoirs. This contributes over 50% of Tanzania’s installed hydropower capacity. The GRR sub-basin supports a diverse array of livelihoods, encompassing smallholder farming, irrigated rice cultivation, pastoralism, fishing, household water usage, and wildlife conservation.

Major Functions:

Under the overall supervision of the Water Towers Landscape Lead, the Project Executant will coordinate the implementation of the project by collaborating with CARE Tanzania, SAGCOT Centre Ltd (SCL), Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), Shahidi Wa Maji (SwM), and Conservation Farming Unit Tanzania (CFU-Tanzania). The Project Executant will also work closely with local governments (LGAs) in Iringa, Kilolo, Mufindi, Wanging’ombe, and Mbarali Districts. The Project Executant will provide support in implementing and enhancing action plans, securing political endorsement, and improving stakeholder engagement processes. Additionally, the Project Executant will facilitate the delivery of an effective implementation of the Natural Resource Management (NRM) strategy of the project to ensure that agricultural growth at all levels is built on a foundation of integrated water resources and land management, and sustainable Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM). Furthermore, the Project Executant will collaborate with CARE to influence national-level processes and implementation regarding climate change and natural resource management.

In addition to other responsibilities, the incumbent will be mandated to represent WWF Tanzania on the Project Management Team (PMT). This role will ensure that the day-to-day management of the project is carried out in close collaboration with the team leader. The incumbent will also be responsible for promoting awareness, fostering the creation and management of knowledge, and enhancing the planning of the Natural Resource Management (NRM) strategy and the Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) for the attainment of integrated water resources management and sustainable agricultural growth while mainstreaming gender equity.

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 HROP project partners.
• Ensure the effective implementation and adoption of the National Resource Management (NRM) strategy by delivering high-quality results in terms of its strategic direction, intended outputs and deliverables, and skills profile. This will help to build a sustainable foundation for agricultural growth, incorporating integrated water resources and land management, and promoting Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM).
• Participate in monthly check-in calls with all partners and the HROP consortium members. Provide reports on implementation progress and future plans. 
• Collaborate with Iringa, Kilolo, Mufindi, Wanging’ombe, and Mbarali District Councils as well as other partners, ensuring the project outcomes are aligned into WWF conservation goals, the SDG, 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. This will ensure the timely and quality delivery of knowledge management products tailored to 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 learned developing 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 (Water Resources Management, Agriculture, Forestry, Agroforestry, Environmental Management, Ecosystems Management, Natural Resource Management or other relevant academic disciplines).

• At least 7 years’ working experience in one or more of the following fields: Natural Resource Management (NRM), Sustainable Agriculture, Agroforestry, Integrated Water Resources Management related projects and programmes or any other sustainable agricultural production 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.
• Expertise in the practical application of spatial technology.
• Proven experience in coordinating and monitoring projects.
• Proficiency in English and Swahili languages is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of global and regional NRM, Integrated Water Resources Management, Sustainable Agriculture Strategies, 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 

• Working closely with the Project Manager and Food practice focal person to ensure the project is delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Provide support for the acceleration of the application and adoption of Natural Resource Management (NRM) strategy and Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) for the realization of integrated water resources management and sustainable agricultural growth while ensuring mainstreaming of gender equity within TCO by conducting research and synthesizing information on pertinent themes and issues pertinent to the project’s work.
• Supervise additional staff, consultants and interns.
• Support WWF TCO in achieving the minimum 1% reduction in environmental and carbon footprints across each priority sector through the adoption of Natural Resource Management (NRM) strategy and Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) approaches. 
• Support TCO in the realization of integrated water resources management and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Carry out additional tasks as may be requested. 
• Collaborate closely with HROP Consortium partners and other stakeholders involved in the Project. 
• Representing WWF TCO on food systems issues at strategic, policy, and technical meetings, seminars, and other events and processes.

2. External 

• Collaborate closely with the District Agricultural, Water, Forestry, and Environmental Officers in Iringa, Kilolo, Mufindi, Wanging’ombe, and Mbarali District Councils. 
• Establish robust relationships at both the local and national levels with all and relevant stakeholders from various CSOs, NGOs, governments, corporations, private sector entities, communities, and other relevant parties.