Job Description

Project Officer – PO – (Level 6-7)-1, CBM Nepal Project, Nawalparasi Office (Frequent Travel To CBM Sites)
Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD) is a non-profit making, non-governmental organization (NGO) established in October 1995 with its Head Office in Pokhara, Nepal. LI-BIRD is committed to capitalizing on local initiatives for sustainable management of renewable natural resources and improving livelihoods of rural people who are dependent of natural resources in Nepal and South Asia region.

LI-BIRD provides a collegial, supportive and multidisciplinary working environment where young professionals with a learning attitude thrive and succeed.  LI-BIRD provides unparalleled mentoring support while challenging its staff to learn, innovate and acquire skills and experiences that will become foundational for the rest of their careers.

Community based Biodiversity Management (CBM) Nepal is being implemented in 6 districts of Nepal with financial support from The Development Fund, Norway. The project aims to enhance the biodiversity based livelihood security of local communities. The project is building capacity of village development committee level farmers’ institution called the Biodiversity Conservation and Development Committee. These empowered farmer institutions are responsible for raising awareness of agricultural biodiversity, documenting the status and traditional knowledge of local varieties and developing appropriate conservation and promotional plans. These institutions typically operate a community seed bank, a community biodiversity management fund to provide access to small loans to farmers and provide access to quality seeds of local varieties to farmers.

Project Officer – PO – (Level 6-7)-1, CBM Nepal Project, Nawalparasi Office (Frequent travel to CBM sites)

Job Summary: Reporting to CBM Nepal Project Leader, the PO shall be responsible to ensure implementation of participatory plant breeding and varietal enhancement activities across project sites, and overall responsibility of project activities in Nawalparasi and Tanahun districts. PO's duties include; project planning, implementation and coordination, monitoring and quality control, data management, synthesis and report writing, communication, linkages, networking and supervision.

 Key Responsibilties and tasks:

1.       Project Planning, Implementation and Coordination

• Assist in developing annual work plans and site specific CBM plan working with CBM team and in coordination with BCDC
• Work in close coordination with DADO, DDC and VDC to ensure that the project work plans are mainstreamed in the local development plans
• Ensure Technical Assistants are adequately oriented and the work plan is prepared and implemented as per the project annual plan. Ensure implementation of field activities properly.
• Ensure farmers’ feedback is reflected and addressed in the site work plans as well as overall project strategy 

2.       Monitoring and Quality Control

• Ensure timely and quality implementation of the project activities
• Ensure project’s relevance based on farmers’ and stakeholders’ feedback
• Manage the project’s budget at the site level and ensure expenses are done in a timely manner and charged to the right budget codes
• Monitor the performance of Technical Assistants, provide timely feedback and identify appropriate capacity building interventions for them.

3.       Data Collection, Synthesis and Report Writing

• Collect and manage site level project activity related data
• Prepare and submit site level quarterly progress reports and annual summary reports to the Project Leader
• Ensure that lessons learnt are shared among the CBM team members
• Document, analyse and synthesize farmers’ knowledge and experiences on the project’s related activities

4.       Communication, Linkages and Networking

• Build relationship between farmers, groups, local stakeholders, partners and the CBM team members
• Ensure resolution of potential conflicts in a timely and agreeable manner
• Ensure district level stakeholders are aware, positive and supportive of the project through transparent and timely information sharing
• Ensure that farmers’ interests are addressed by project’s objectives
• Ensure the project’s lessons, outputs, outcomes and impacts are documented, analyzed and shared within and beyond project in the form of reports, web and other popular articles, radio programmes and scientific articles

5.       Admin and Finance

• Ensure timely assistance on administrative mater or the project activities including financial management, human resource management and staff performance evaluation
• Assist Project Leader in reviewing 'CBM Nepal' as a whole.
• Contribute to other projects of LI-BIRD as and when required and as instructed by supervisor or Programme Coordinator.
• Assist supervisor or Programme Coordinator as requested in technical and official matters. 

Education and Experience: MSc in Agriculture (Plant Breeding/Agronomy). with 2 years of work experience in relevant field.

• Strong conceptual, inter-personal, communication, negotiation, facilitation and representation skills;
• Sound knowledge on research design and statistics;
• Knowledge and skills to use participatory and empowerment tools and methods;
• Strong interest to work on issues related to agriculture, technology livelihood enhancement, climate change and natural resource management;
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills;
• Self-motivated with time and stress management skills and ability to work independently;
• Ability to take responsibility, meet deadlines and make progress with minimum supervision;
• Willing to travel extensively to the project implemented sites to conduct trainings,
• Monitoring and evaluation, and other field research and able to adjust and work in tough field situations;
• Capacity and willingness to learn new skills, research methods, and work routines under the mentorship of Project Leader;
• Computer literate with proficiency in MS Office; and
• Excellent attention to details including proactiveness, creativity and reliability.

LI-BIRD offers competitive remuneration and other benefits as laid out in its Personnel Policies. Interested candidates are requested to submit their applications with CV including two references, citizenship certificate and relevant testimonials by Deadline by Email with the e-mail subject starting as: [VACANCY]. Only short listed candidates will be called for the interview. Telephone calls will not be entertained and could lead to disqualification.

Applications from female candidates and members of indigenous and disadvantaged groups are highly encouraged.