Forest Expert Position

Global Resource Alliance – Tanzania

Global Resource Alliance – Tanzania (GRA-Tz) is an international non-profit association headquartered in Musoma, Tanzania. It is affiliated with the US non-profit, Global Resource Alliance (GRA). GRA-Tz promotes natural, holistic and sustainable solutions to the challenges of poverty, malnutrition, disease and environmental degradation in the Mara Region of Tanzania. The organization is promoting Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) best practices. Our activities are growing and the organization is looking for a Forest Expert to strengthen its Tanzania team, and drive the forest restoration component of a multi-year reforestation project in Butiama District to the highest standards.

Tanzania Forestry Program

GRA-Tz has been active since 2011, in partnership with the Belgian NGO, WeForest, distributing over 2 million trees to government schools and local communities in the Mara Region. To this end, it operates two tree nurseries, one in Butiama and one in Utegi currently producing a total of around 800,000 seedlings annually.

GRA-Tz, in partnership with WeForest, implements a five-year initiative called the Butiama Hillside Forest Restoration Project, re-greening the surrounding landscape that started in 2023. The organization is promoting Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) best practices, creating a movement and engaging the local communities and authorities to act responsibly.

The forest restoration project is focusing on nurturing back forest on the hillsides of Busegwe, Kigori, Mwikoro and Nyanza villages in Butiama District and increasing the tree components in the wider landscape. The total area of intervention is 1,921 ha of hillsides for the first 5 years of which 1,475 ha falls within the boundaries of the villages. Forest restoration on the hillside will be achieved by assisted natural regeneration and the introduction of woodlots and agroforestry systems in the surrounding lowlands to improve the livelihoods of the local population. The program will also involve the creation of community forests on the hillsides with a legal status and improve the water catchment to help restore dried up water springs.

GRA-Tz implements the project through the management of tree nurseries, agroforestry, community forest management of the hillsides and monitoring. WeForest is the main donor for the project and provides guidance and technical support on project interventions.

Role

The role of the forest expert would be to:

Drive the project towards Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) best practices
Support the creation of a Village Land Forest Reserve that is formally recognized under Forest Act
Develop a Joint Management Agreement signed by the local communities and council
Co-develop effective governance structures to implement joint forest management. Ensure that functional, accountable, equitable and inclusive community management structures are in place.
Co-develop strategy and management tools (management plan, establish rules and regulations) with communities to sustainably manage community forest
Ensure that all strategies developed are following a design required to instill long-term behavior change among community members, partaking in these activities
Establishing community surveillance system based on a law enforcement strategy
Provide training to local communities on fire management (early burning, combatting fires)
Organize selection of lead sprouts of reporting stumps on the hillside (silvicultural treatments)
Monitoring and evaluating forest restoration of the hillside (install permanent sample plots (PSP) and possibly a biomonitoring tool, follow-up on water flow of springs)
Promote 1-acre teak (Tectona grandis) plantations on private land
Support a beekeeping scheme
Other tasks:

Support with administration where relevant to the position
Provide direct support to project field teams in terms of capacity building and coaching

Terms & Conditions

Contract type: Renewable contract initially for 1 (one) year.

Start date: Ideally beginning March 2025

Position: Full-time contract, based in Butiama

Hours of Work: Full-time, working a minimum of 8 hours per day. Hours will however vary depending on project needs and flexibility is essential.Skill development programs

Reporting line: The forest expert will work under the supervision of and report to the project manager on site and regular contact with WeForest HQ staff

Package: Competitive package for a small NGO, with remuneration based on experience

Expected Deliverables

Expected deliverables and respective timelines will be agreed upon during the first month on board

Candidate Profile

Core competencies
Innovation and delivery-oriented: Ability to make new and useful ideas work, and to get things done.
Leadership: Ability to take decisions, when supported by evidence/data.
People and partnership management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction of team members/stakeholders.
Communication and facilitation: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform; excellent interpersonal skills.
Participatory, bottom-up approaches: Ability to foster a sense of ownership in partners and local stakeholders with different backgrounds. Engage local communities in forest restoration with support from the council, and support them in meeting restoration requirements
Compromising: Ability to comprise and keep different stakeholders in line with the common goal. Bridge-builder rather than pushing through.

Technical/functional competencies
Forests and development: Practical knowledge of forestry, legislation and economic principles
Project Management: Ability to plan, organise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals.
Knowledge Management and Adaptive Management: Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge and adapt strategies in real-time.
Advocacy and representation: Ability to productively share knowledge and activities for various venues and stakeholders.
Qualifications and other requirements:
Education
A B.Sc. or M.Sc., or equivalent experience, in Forestry or related field
Experience
A minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience in the field of community forest management
Knowledge of community forest management technical regulations and institutional set-up
Demonstrated experience and technical knowledge in community forest management and forest and landscape restoration approaches
Demonstrated experience in drafting Simple Forest Management Plans and Village Bylaws is a plus
Experience in fire management
Experience in law enforcement
Technology awareness: fully proficient computer skills, especially in mapping and landscape planning through GIS applications and database utilization
Experience in developing log frames & work plans, delivering projects against milestones and targets
Demonstrable skills and experience in management, coordination, training and reporting skills
Language requirements
Fluent in English and Swahili (both speaking and writing). This position involves working with a wide range of people within the institution, local communities, local and international partners, including technical and non-technical colleagues.
Other requirements
In possession of a driving license, experience with driving motorbikes is considered a plus
Flexible in terms of traveling and living conditions.