Terms of Reference
Position : Livelihood Development & Community Engagement Specialist
Job Grade : Band 5-EO1
Program/Unit : Rights and Communities
Base : Bogor
Duration of Assignment : 1 (one) year (PKWT-A)
Background
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) works in over 60 countries to save wildlife and wild places through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS has worked in Indonesia for over 20 years supporting the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in conserving Indonesia’s biodiversity in several priority landscapes. WCS works closely with relevant government agencies, local communities, schools and universities, and the private sector. Further details of our program are available at https://indonesia.wcs.org and about WCS’s global work at https://www.wcs.org.
The WCS Indonesia Program (WCS-IP) is structured around five core thematic programs: Forests, Marine, Wildlife Trade and Policy, One Health, and Rights & Communities. Within this framework, WCS-IP is actively developing its Rights and Communities Program, aligning it with our overarching institutional goals. WCS acknowledges that effective partnerships are integral to achieving sustainable conservation outcomes. This initiative aims to prioritize the protection of local communities' rights and well-being, as well as ensuring the health and security of the communities, our staff and partners while actively contributing to conservation targets. To achieve these objectives, WCS-IP is implementing a country-wide human rights-based approach to conservation, including the establishment of an environmental-social safeguards system. This system is being progressively rolled out across our priority landscapes and seascapes. It is guided by WCS's global policies, which underscore our commitment to upholding social safeguards and international human rights, in accordance with international environmental and social performance standards, policies, and guidelines.
The Livelihood Development & Community Engagement Specialist within the cross-cutting Rights & Communities Program plays a pivotal role. The Specialist provides technical assistance, guidance, and oversee the monitoring and evaluation of livelihood development and implementation activities, as well as community engagement efforts within WCS-IP's landscapes and seascapes.
Position Objectives
The Specialist will be responsible for compiling, assessing, and analyzing existing socio-economic data, conducting necessary adjustments, reviewing on-going livelihood activities and local development plans. These will allow the Specialist to map out partnership opportunities and monitor the implementation of knowledge-based livelihood strategies for field operations. The other main responsibilities include overseeing and developing community engagement strategy, that links closely to conservation activities in our priority landscapes and seascapes, building positive relationships with local, provincial and NGO partners, while actively managing good communication with national government and private sector partners to support the sustainability of the livelihood initiatives/interventions and community engagement around landscapes and seascapes where we work.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Social Safeguarding Measures
- Oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of a livelihood development and community engagement strategy which linked to the Environmental and Social (ES) safeguarding measures stated in ESMS, SOP and protocols in each WCS-IP landscapes and seascapes, replete with a full set of measures and instruments, including the PFs (Process Frameworks), SEPs (Stakeholder Engagement Plans), PAP (People Affected Project), LRP (Livelihood Restoration Plan) and VAPs (Village Action Plans)/LAPs (Lhok Action Plans).
- Ensure effective integration of ES safeguard considerations into all aspects of identification, consultation, planning and implementation of livelihoods development and community engagement by identifying targeted villages/sites; SEP (Stakeholder Engagement Plan), defining PAP, development of LRP and V/LAPs, through appropriate approaches PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) and FGD (Focused Group Discussion) as such which applying FPIC (Free Prior Inform Consent) process.
- Ensure consideration of the relevant ES safeguards aspects in the identification, consultation and planning project activities, and their integration in activities during the implementation phase.
- Ensure ES risks of livelihood interventions and community engagement are assessed and identified (based on the ESMP/VAP and own observations during project implementation), and where present, avoided, mitigated and/or appropriately managed.
- Assist with the implementation of measures in a conflict resolution mechanism, such as GRM, that involves the creation of an easy to understand and transparent consultation process that is culturally appropriate and readily accessible, and at no cost and without retribution to the party that originated the issue or concern, in accordance with IFC guidelines.
- Lead and ensure the development, implementation, and monitoring of livelihood interventions, and LRP (when required) for each site, by incorporating findings and ensure provision of appropriate alternative livelihood opportunities for people and communities impacted by project interventions.
- Assist in the identification, and where needed, initiate technical assistance for WCS-IP in using its leverage through partnering with MoEF and other organisations to introduce environmental and social safeguard instruments, to strengthen landscape and seascape activities and initiatives that engage rural communities and its livelihood interventions.
Livelihood Interventions and Community Engagement
- Undertake livelihoods needs assessment and its ESG (environmental, social, governance), assess the existing livelihood practices and feasibility of its implementation as well as its sustainability (sustainable financing as such).
- Undertake and or provide inputs and technical assistance on the livelihood and community engagement assessment process, survey, and analysis through various ES science-based approaches (i.e. socio-economic survey; SLA/sustainable livelihood approach etc.).
- Working with other teams, liaise and communicate all project concerns related to organizational development areas to subgrantee(s), etc. Be directly involved in the capacity building support to project subgrantee beneficiaries/other parties as the needs arise.
- Provide inputs and support for budget allocation and expenses in the monitoring of livelihoods interventions in each site/village.
- Lead on the institutional strengthening program for local community to increase their capacity related access to local and national governments program and development.
- Oversee the whole WCS IP landscape and seascape – livelihood interventions and community engagement, facilitate and provide technical assistance for share learning from each site’ interventions and community engagement and generate lessons learned.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Lessons Learned
- Together with ES Science Coordinator, lead and oversee the development of a robust MRE (Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation) system, to evaluate the intervention impact on the socio-cultural-enviro-economic beneficiaries and communities, as well as their wellbeing.
- Develop a simple screening matrix to monitor and evaluate all the interventions for effective management.
- Develop a project exit strategy (phase out) related to community – engagement and livelihood interventions.
- Assist with documenting lessons learned from project implementation and briefing notes for the SMT to improve implementation and coordination of project activities, support decision-making processes and knowledge management.
- Provide technical and facilitating support to meetings, seminars, workshops and formally represent WCS as necessary in such meetings, workshops, and conferences.
- Review and submit activity reports and assist the Program Manager in preparing project narrative/progress report, as required by donors and/or stakeholders.
Deliverables
The Livelihood Development & Community Engagement Specialist will be responsible for producing the following deliverables:
- A review of current implemented livelihood interventions and community engagement, accompanied with its capacity buildings (strategic planning, training, share learning, and institutional strengthening) and socio-economic development opportunities.
- A program strategy on livelihood development and community engagement, and an accompanying work plan.
- Livelihood interventions and community engagement implemented, accompanied with its capacity buildings (strategic planning, training, share learning, and institutional strengthening), improvement and its sustainability process.
- MRE of livelihood and community engagement interventions and priority project phase out strategy.
- A sustainability and project exit strategy (phase out) related to community – engagement and livelihood interventions.
- Livelihoods and community engagement lessons learned document on WCS-IP’s implementation of the Program strategy.
Competency Requirement
- A graduate or post-graduate degree in social sciences or a related field, or equivalent experience in livelihood development, community engagement in sustainable natural resource management, conservation, or a related field, would be advantageous.
- Minimum of five years of professional experience in on-the-ground livelihood development and community engagement strategy.
- Proven ability to design, conduct, monitor, analyze, evaluate, and document lessons learned from livelihood interventions and community engagement in sustainable natural resources management.
- Experience in capacity building (strategic planning, training, knowledge sharing, and institutional strengthening) and socio-economic development opportunities is essential.
- Good analytical and planning skills; capability to forecast and refine/review plans based on experience and further analysis; with good report writing, and presentation abilities. Skills in assessing the effectiveness of livelihood interventions and community engagement related to sustainable resources management and conservation would be advantageous.
- Demonstrated innovation and proficiency in developing new approaches to livelihood development and community engagement for sustainable natural resources management.
- Ability to establish partnerships with relevant authorities, civil society, the private sector, donor agencies, and international institutions.
- Strong facilitation, coordination, networking, negotiation skills, decisiveness, independence, and sound judgement.
- Working knowledge of environmental and social safeguards processes.
- Willingness to travel for fieldwork, ability to work under pressure, patience, and flexibility are essential.
- Fluency in English is required, along with a commitment to WCS’s values of respect, accountability, transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.
Please send CV and cover letter in English to idrecruitment@wcs.org stating in the subject line “Livelihood Development & Community Engagement Specialist” at the latest on 08 August 2024. No correspondence as only short-listed candidates will be notified.