Community Development Consultant

Background 

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization founded in 2000 that manages 23 Protected Areas (PAs) in 13 countries covering over 20 million hectares. This is achieved through long-term agreements with national governments, funding solutions, and good governance and management to achieve ecological, social, and financial sustainability. Among the protected areas under the management of African Parks is Liuwa Plain National Park (LPNP).
LPNP is 3,660km2 in size, a seasonally inundated grasslands situated in Kalabo District of Zambia’s Western Province. The park is encompassed by the Upper-West Game Management Area (GMA). The Luambimba river acts as the park’s northern boundary, while the Luanginga river to the southwest skirts the southern park boundary. This Protected Area forms part of an extensive open ecological system known as the Western Zambezian Grassland Ecosystem and forms an integral part of the Zambezi catchment area. The park also falls within and makes up a significant portion of the Barotseland traditional constituency.

Job Purpose

A community development consultant is responsible for spearheading the process of formulating a comprehensive community development plan to address the social, economic, and environmental needs of the community in and adjacent to LPNP, by making use of the KIT report, Land Use Plan, Environmental Social Safeguard study and District Development plans for information to improve the living standards of local communities whilst conserving wildlife and the environment. Besides local residents, this person will have to involve all relevant stakeholders so as to come up with a comprehensive and inclusive plan.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Understanding needs assessments conducted so far:
  Conduct thorough literature review of existing reports (this should include those generated after an environmental and social due diligence) have a clear understanding of the existing conditions in and around Liuwa and identify key challenges and priorities within this community, including demographic data, social issues, economic opportunities, and environmental and social concerns.
• Stakeholder Mapping:
  Analyse the existing stakeholder and Identify other potential stakeholders so as to come up with an inclusive stakeholder mapping and suggest the most efficient methods of engaging with these stakeholders.
• Stakeholder engagement:
  Facilitate public meetings and discussions with the community and relevant stakeholders to actively involve indigenous residents and other stakeholders in the planning process, ensuring their voices are heard and considered so as to coordinate efforts and leverage resources.
  Guide and mentor the Community management team to ensure that they gather the skills for future plan writing.
• Goal and vision setting:
  Lead the community in formulating a shared vision for the future, establishing clear goals and objectives for the community development plan.
• Suggesting implementable Strategies:
  Generate an overarching community development plan, outlining strategies, action steps, and timelines that are specific.
• Literature review analysis:
  Examine and synthesize the available literature to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge and identify trends, patterns, and areas requiring focus in the development plan.
• Drafting of a Community Development Plan:
  After gathering all the necessary information from the relevant stakeholders, draft a five-year community development plan for LPNP and attend to any further reasonable and lawful request made to him/her by Management.

Skills and qualifications for a community development plan consultant:

• Strong analytical and research skills.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Project management expertise.
• Understanding of community development principles and best practices.
• Knowledge of the Lozi culture, the Liuwa landscape, local government processes and regulations.

Behavior Competencies 

• Integrity – Maintain high ethical standards, both personally and professionally; show integrity, respect and fairness when dealing with the community and stakeholders.
• Teamwork – Co-operates and works well with others in pursuit of the team’s goals; shares information; supports others. Contributes effectively towards a collective (organizational) goal or towards solving problems/conflicts even when the topic involved does not directly serve one’s own interests.
• Conflict resolution: Ability to work with conflict and emotionally distressing matters.
• Flexibility – Adaptable; receptive to new ideas; willing and able to adjust to changing demands and circumstances. Willingness to work on weekends and during holidays if needed.
• Planning and organizing – Setting goals and budgeting in a transparent and effective manner; indicating necessary action, time and resources and monitoring progress.
• Initiative – Recognising opportunities and acting on them. Proactive, self-starting rather than passively accepting; actively influencing events.
• Creativity – Conceiving original solutions to job-related problems.

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, social work, public administration, geography, environmental studies, natural resource studies, or a related field. A master’s degree or better in a relevant field, shall be an added advantage.
• Track record of having developed executable community development plans in Africa.
• An undoubted understanding of the Lozi culture and Barotse landscape.
• A good understanding of Zambia’s political system.