As the Technical Specialist for Agroforestry, you will lead select components and provide technical oversight support on the implementation of the Carbon Project Pilot Philippines, ensure effective systems and processes are in place that supports high-quality programming, advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work in serving the poor and vulnerable. Based in Bukidnon, you will coordinate with consortium members and partners and oversee the established biodiversity carbon monitoring system and reporting. Your technical skills and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of the project outcome for five years.
Responsibilities
Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Coordinate with all project stakeholders and community members in the development of agroforestry plans and appropriate restoration approaches for the intervention.
- Lead and provide technical oversight on the biodiversity study and other baseline studies related to the carbon outcome and provide recommendations. Provide oversight and technical support such as developing training materials, IEC, conduct of TOT, support planning for demo farms, to local partners in the implementation of sustainable land and forestland restoration practices.
- Assess nurseries including quality of existing nurseries and possibilities for quantities in the event of project scaling. Work with local partner on rollout plan including exploring existing community managed nurseries.
- Liaise with the global carbon technical specialist to ensure that questions of carbon eligibility related to sites and species selected are understood and fully operationalized in the project.
- Organize, manage, and lead the implement all activities throughout relevant project cycles - project design, start-up, implementation and close-out - to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Ensure the project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
- Develop monitoring and learning plans with the project MEAL manager with a particular focus on tree survival.
- Work with local partners to bring in agroforestry and land restoration components to community visioning processes.
- Champion learning, leading documentation and dissemination of results, with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following the MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation of obstacles.
- Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming areas, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
- Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
- Help identify, assess, and strengthen technical partnerships relevant to the design, implementation and monitoring of reforestation, agroforestry and biodiversity related project initiatives
- Contribute to CRS’ program growth and business development initiatives.
- Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.
- Be responsible for the timely submission of quality reports to the donor.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Master's degree in, Forestry, Land Restoration, Environmental Science, Natural resource management. Additional experience may substitute for education.
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant field-based experience in coordinating or managing projects related to agroforestry, designing agroforestry models, conservation, reforestation, biodiversity, terrestrial resource sustainability and/or livelihood, preferably with an international NGO.
- Exposure to nature-based carbon projects preferred.
- Experience engaging with partner organizations, including government and faith-based organizations.
Required Languages – English and Tagalog required.
Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 50%
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound judgment.
- Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports
- Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented
- Good presentation and facilitation skills
- Able to adjust to shifting project conditions
- Ability to influence regulatory and governance management bodies and other government organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Good experience in project grants management, including project design, preferably for grants from multiple public donors.
- Demonstrated ability to write high-quality technical proposals.
- Experience engaging with partner organizations
- MEAL skills and experience required.
- Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
- Project management experience in conservation, biodiversity, and/or reforestation projects is highly desirable.
- Experience engaging with partner organizations such as government agencies – DENR, DA, DTI, NCIP.
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.
- GIS knowledge and experience is an advantage.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Integrity
- Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Builds Relationships
- Develops Talent
- Strategic Mindset
- Accountability & Stewardship
upervisory Responsibilities (if none, state none): none
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Chief of Party, Senior Carbon Finance Advisor, PM2 for Climate Resilience, Head of Programs, MEAL Manager
External: Local partner, local governments within the target watershed areas and related national government agencies (DENR, DA, etc).
Organization context
General Requirements
CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements. All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.
CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.
