Senior Climate Change Mitigation and Livelihood Officer

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

Organization Background

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities which support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. At work today in over 40 countries and 25 U.S. cities, we improve outcomes in the areas of health, safety, economic wellbeing, education, and power.

The IRC has been working in Uganda since 1998 supporting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), refugees and various institutions in the country, notably the government, community-based organizations (CBOs), civil society organizations (CBOs) and the private sector. The current program portfolio in Uganda includes health and nutrition, support to persons with specific needs (PSNs) including case management, legal assistance to refugees, prevention, and response to gender-based violence, and economic recovery and development (ERD). The IRC has a country office in Kampala and field offices in Imvepi, Kyegegwa, Lamwo, Moroto and Yumbe, as well as an urban office in Naguru Vale within Kampala.

Job Overview

The Senior Climate Change Mitigation and Livelihood Officer will support the technical implementation of a project focused on Climate Risk Mitigation for small holder farmers, within IRC operational areas in Lamwo District. He/She will support activities to increase access to climate risk information, risk reduction and mitigation training, skills and knowledge, and cash-based assistance to support improved resiliency to climate change stresses and shocks. The Senior Climate Change Mitigation and Livelihood Officer will oversee cash transfer payments to smallholder farmers within a specified time frame to help reduce vulnerability to climate shocks.

Duties and responsibilities

Agriculture

• Work closely with ERD Assistant and community Volunteers to mobilize the community to engage in agriculture activities.

• Supporting communities on biodiversity regeneration and restoration initiatives.ie., agroforestry, permaculture etc.

• Implementing soil and water management techniques for smallholder farmers

• Develop tools to support communities in the green transition through documentation and evidencing the multifaceted benefits of climate change mitigation.

• Prepare reports timely for all projects being supported to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Cash Transfer Programming

• Organize and supervise the distribution of cash to the targeted smallholder farmers.

• Responsible for the selection and verification of smallholder farmer in coordination with community committee and authorities and the use of selection criteria

• Actively engage and support in community sensitization activities on selection criteria, cash redemption process and feedback mechanism.

• Develop distribution plans for Cash and share for final approval.

• Maintain clear communication with cash transfer agents and beneficiaries in accordance with IRC policies and procedures.

• Coordinate with cash transfer agents on the schedule of distributions to make sure they are ready with cash to smoothly distribute cash to beneficiaries.

• Organize cash distributions considering safety and dignity of beneficiaries.

• Conduct field visits to project sites and meet with community leaders to select specific vulnerable locations for targeting and ensure a conducive community mobilization system.

• Carry out the staff appraisal for the ERD Assistant.

Livelihoods Programming

• Climate risk reduction activities.

• Provide Within the context of a longer-term strategy to support livelihoods and vulnerability reduction for agricultural communities, support the facilitation of Climate Risk Mitigation inception assessments focused on household and community level climate risks and mitigation practices, stakeholder mapping, and climate risk information systems in collaboration with the ERD Manager, M&E team and IRC HQ Technical staff.

• Participate in the identification of technical information and materials that will ensure effective implementation of climate close supervision and monitoring to the implementation of the Climate Risk Management project related activities in the field.

• Coordinate with other partners and relevant project stakeholders in the implementation area for project success.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Research

• Conduct post distribution monitoring

• Support in conducting market assessments or cash feasibility assessment in the targeted communities.

• Under the supervision of Program Manager & Research Coordinator conduct Climate Risk Management project research and assessments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agroecology, Climate Studies / Natural Resource Management, Food Security studies, Livelihood studies, Rural Development or related discipline.

• Minimum of 3 years relevant work experience in the relevant field

• Good written and spoken English.

• Experience in community-based programming, coordination, and stakeholder analysis.

• Proven abilities in coordination within teams and with other stakeholders.

• Prior experience in developing program implementation work-plans and program reporting.

• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.

• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills, creativity and flexibility.

• Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.

• High level of integrity.

• Ability to handle multiple tasks, proven self-initiative and problem-solving abilities.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Deadline for receiving applications is 21st September 2023.

Professional Standards

IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request reasonable accommodation.