Long-term and seasonal weather patterns are critical to the viability of many natural resource-dependent livelihoods. For instance, the onset and duration of rainy seasons, the quantity of rainfall, its variability and even intra-seasonal rainfall shape farmers’ decisions about when to sow and harvest, as well as the success or failure of their crops. It is, therefore, cause for grave concern that so many smallholder farmers and pastoralists are reporting marked changes in the timing, quality, and quantity of rainfall. Their observations are striking for several reasons, including geographic scope and consistency of described changes.
Erratic weather has always presented serious challenges to people dependent on natural resources for their livelihoods, but increasing variability is making farming, pastoralism and even artisanal fishing more difficult and risky. Climate change is worsening the odds of longstanding risks such as heat stress, insufficient or too much rain at crucial moments in the plant cycle, and pests or diseases. These interact with a range of escalating stresses on rural livelihoods – such as land pressure, soil erosion, deforestation and depleted water resources – that would exist regardless of climate change. Their cumulative impact on food security can be devastating and is already affecting human migration patterns in new ways.
CARE, in partnership with the UN University, is beginning a three-year programme of work exploring the inter-linkages between shifting rainfall patterns/agro-climatic risks, food insecurity, and human mobility. CARE is currently recruiting a Project Coordinator to lead this new initiative.
2. Job responsibilities
The Project Coordinator will support and coordinate implementation of an action-research project on agro-climatic risks, food security and human mobility. Specific responsibilities will include:
Risk research: Support implementation of action-research on agro-climatic risks, food security and human mobility. Specific responsibilities will include:
• Working in partnership with the UN University's Research Director and Project
Principles and with technical expertise and input from the donor to support all research activities (from design, to implementation, to analysis and final communication);
• Supporting field work, especially with regards to the integration of/training in participatory research methodologies;
• Ensuring that all aspects of the research (including design, processes, analyses and policy recommendations) include a gender perspective and respect the rights of marginalised social groups; and
• Coordinating field-work logistics with CARE Country Offices;
• Coordinating production of all the expected outputs of the project - in particular, research reports, narrative and financial reporting of the project.
Community-based Adaptation: Support CARE staff to design and implement CBA projects in four countries. Specific responsibilities will include training field-staff in CARE’s CBA Toolkit and backstopping the use of CARE’s participatory M&E methodology for CBA projects.
Advocacy: Coordinate with the initiative’s part-time policy analyst to (a.) identify policy combinations that can reduce people’s vulnerability to agro-climatic risks and enhance their range of adaptation options (including migration) and (b.) design and implement an effective advocacy strategy.
Public and business-to-business education/behavioural changes: Work with CARE’s private sector partner to educate the public and peer organisations about how climate change increases the risk of hunger in poor countries and accelerates distress migration. It is also about explaining who is at greatest risk of hunger and distress migration due to climate change, why and what the private sector can do to make a positive difference. This education campaign will foster and link citizen actions in the North and South, showing that we all have a role to play in forging local solutions to global problems.
Project management: Monitor/manage the use of the project budget. Ensure that all relevant contractual documents required by the project are established (MoU, contracts, CARE internal agreements, etc.).
3. Required experience and competencies
• Graduate degree in the social sciences;
• Fluent in English;
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills;
• Extremely organized and rigorous project management skills.
• Fast and high quality writing skills.
• Strong leadership and diplomatic skills to motivate and work with a wide range of individuals
• At least 2 to 3 years Field experience in development projects. Experience building complex partnerships - ideally between civil society and the private sector;
• Applied knowledge of participatory research methodologies;
• Clear understanding and experience in the field of climate change adaptation
• Good understanding of the relationships between gender, poverty and food security;
• Experience designing and implementing rural development projects;
• Experience conducting social science research in developing countries; and
• Policy analysis and advocacy experience, specifically with regards to poverty reduction.
• Understanding and experience in working within an international organization such as CARE, with a broad variety of stakeholders worldwide.
5. Desirable experience and competencies
• Experience living and working in developing countries;
• Experience designing and implementing Community-based Adaptation projects;
• Experience engaging with the private sector and corporate social responsibility;
• The mastering of a second language such as French or Spanish is most welcome.
6. Terms of employment
Period of employment: 3 years, beginning no later than 1st April 2011
Location: Paris, France. Exceptionally, home-based employment elsewhere is open to negotiation.
Travelling: Significant mobility required: 30% of time expected for travelling Remuneration: Dependent upon experience.
7. Application
Please send CV and Motivation letter in English to recrutement@carefrance.org by March the 15th, 2011 latest.
Only those candidates whose application is pre-selected will be contacted for further exchanges.
