JOB DESCRIPTION

PROGRAM MANAGER

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. Our activities are growing and the organization is looking for a Program Manager to strengthen its Tanzanian team, and manage an upcoming, multi-year reforestation project in Butiama District to the highest standards.

Tanzanian 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, is planning to implement a five-year initiative called the Butiama Hillside Forest Restoration Project, re-greening the surrounding landscape starting 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 Mwikoro and Kigori 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 Mwikoro and Kigori villages. Forest restoration will be achieved by assisted natural regeneration and the introduction of woodlots and agroforestry systems 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, project coordination, 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.

Program Manager Duties

The Programme Manager carries out a wide range of responsibilities from steering the strategy development, resource mobilization, executing and monitoring the day-to-day operations of the organization, to externally engaging and representing the organization at Mara Region administrative level and being GRAs’ principal spokesperson.

The role of the Program Manager would be to:

• Oversee the Program’s strategic plan, logframe and work plans with assistance from the GRA Director and WeForest to deliver measurable impact
• Oversee the Program budget
• Oversee the Program reporting tools and processes and submit regular reports (financial and programmatic) to GRA-TZ, GRA-USA and WeForest in a timely manner
• Lead, support and empower a skilled and technically strong Tree Program team of 24 people and conduct performance reviews
• Process administrative requests/documents (e.g., travel requests, expense claims, vouchers, visa applications, etc.) with assistance from the GRA-Tz Director
• Cultivate and maintain positive working relationships with relevant government offices at all levels in accordance with Program goals and priorities to create impact and change
• Unite people working towards a common goal, acting as a role model for collaboration and shared responsibilities

• Facilitate establishment and operationalization of village participatory Land Use Plans
• Collaborate with district authority and Tanzania Forest Services to establish and operationalize Village Land Forest Reserves (VLFRs) as per community-based forest management guidelines
• Facilitate the establishment of village land registries and provision of CCROs in targeted areas

• Monitor the overall Program to ensure it annually meets milestones and goals in accordance with the scope, timeline, and budget
• Work with Program staff to schedule and coordinate monthly project activities in accordance with objectives and budgets
• Strengthening the financial position of organization and network by diversifying funding streams
• Collate and review all Program reporting data to ensure consistency and accuracy
• Supervise the work of M&E coordinator including implementing improvements to all tools and processes within the M&E program, supervise implementation of surveys, use of digital tools and others
• Supervise the work of Tree nursery staff at Butiama and Utegi that targets set as for number of trees and species variety are attained

Terms & Conditions

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

Start date: Ideally beginning of October, 2022

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.

Reporting line: The Program Manager will work under the supervision of and report to the GRA-TZ country director.

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

This role requires a strong strategic focus and a track record of leadership, coupled with highly effective networking skills. The ideal candidate has a solid ability to motivate and inspire a multi-stakeholder group, funders, staff, and partners as well as citizens, foresters, private sector, and governments to promote the vision and mission of GRA and contribute to the protection of forests and achieve social impact for its inhabitants.

The right candidate will be authentic and charismatic and comes with a diverse skillset. GRA is a small/medium-sized organization and the Project Manager needs to be hands-on, with a co-creating mindset and ability to delegate and execute at the same time.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a majority of the following skills and experiences:

• Core competencies
• Innovation and delivery-oriented: Demonstrable skill in developing, evolving, and implementing vision and strategy and a proven ability to deliver results, preferably gained in a multi-stakeholder setting.
• Leadership: Ability to take decisions, when supported by evidence/data.
• People and partnership management: Ability to inspire, motivate and empower staff and wider stakeholders.
• Communication and facilitation: Strong and inspiring communication skills, in particular in advocacy and policy. 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 villagers in forest restoration with support from the village and district councils, 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.
• Technology: A relevant understanding of digital technology, with a vision of how to leverage this for the benefit of an organization and its stakeholders.

• Technical/functional competencies
• Forests and development: Practical knowledge of forestry, legislation and economic principles
• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize 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 Masters degree, or equivalent experience, in Natural Resources Management, Project Planning and Management or any other related field

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years work experience in relevant sectors, in particular with regard to community-based natural resource management in rural communities
• A track record of successfully applying results-based management (RBM) and M&E frameworks to ensure effective on time implementation of complex donor funded projects
• Experience in developing logframes & work plans, delivering projects against milestones and targets
• Computer literate and ability to use data analysis programs (SPSS), MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.
• 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 nontechnical colleagues.

Other requirements

• In possession of a driving license, experience with driving motorbikes and other vehicles is considered a plus
• Flexible in terms of traveling and living conditions
• Ability to work under pressure, tight deadlines and less supervision, self-motivated person, team player, reporting and presentation skills