Republic of Congo and Central African Republic: Project Officer

Oct 30, 2018 | Forest Peoples Programme
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Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) is an international NGO that supports tropical forest peoples in South America, Africa, and Asia, to assert their rights to control and manage their territories and forests. In Africa and in the Congo Basin in particular, FPP works to supports forest dependent communities in Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR) the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Republic of Congo (ROC).

FPP is recruiting a Project Officer to work on projects currently being implemented in the Congo Basin. The countries of focus will be ROC and CAR. The Project Officer will work with our local partners, other local indigenous peoples’ and civil society organisations (CSO), various stakeholders, as well as directly with the indigenous and local communities with whom FPP and partners are working. In ROC, FPP is currently working with communities in the Sangha department; in CAR, it is principally within the departments of Lobaye and Sangha-Mbaere. The successful applicant is expected to travel regularly to Brazzaville and the Sangha region, while work in relation to CAR will be limited to remote support to due to the security situation there.

Job description

Main tasks

  • Working with FPP’s local partners – Organisation pour le Développement et les Droits Humains au Congo (ODDHC) in the Republic of Congo, and Réseau des Populations Autochtones et Locales de Centrafrique (REPALCA) in the Central African Republic – to provide everyday assistance in the implementation of project activities
  • Support indigenous communities with whom ODDHC and REPALCA work, through field visits (in RoC only), capacity building, consultations and trainings;
  • Assisting the partners and communities with communitybased monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) work;
  • Compile partners’ narrative reports relevant for donor reporting;
  • Incorporating and promoting gender as a crosscutting issue across FPP’s work with project partners and communities;
  • Liaising with FPP staff – Project Manager, other staff working in CAR and RoC teams, Programme Coordinators, Finance team, Communications team as well as with other thematic programmes when needed;
  • Participation in CAR and RoC team planning, strategy development and fundraising activities.

Qualifications and experience

  • University degree in international development, social anthropology, law, or related field;
  • Experience in work with local organisations and local communities in developing countries, preferably in Africa;
  • An understanding of and commitment to human rights issues and gender issues, particularly at the community level;
  • High level of English and French is required;
  • Experience in GIS and mapping is an advantage;
  • Ability to identify issues and related problems in a community setting;
  • Financial literacy required, and some experience of project and budget management desirable.

Terms of employment

  • Fulltime or part-time position (depending on candidate’s availability and experience) with a preference to be based in FPP’s office in Moreton-in-Marsh; if based remotely you will be required to visit the office regularly; or based in the Republic of Congo (provided candidate has or can obtain a right to live and work in RoC);
  • Travel to RoC, including to remote areas, will be required;
  • Fixed term contract starting ASAP until the end of June 2019 (with 3month probation period), with possibility of extension (subject to performance, needs and funding);
  • Payment equivalent to gross annual salary between £24,000 £28,000, pro rata, depending on qualifications, experience and proposed location;