The Nature Conservancy
WHO WE ARE
The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor.
Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”
Since establishing the Africa Program in 2007, The Nature Conservancy’s vision in Africa is to work towards fostering a sustainable future for people and nature, partnering with indigenous communities across 55 million acres on the continent. Our efforts are firmly rooted in people, leveraging scientific and technical expertise as we collaborate with governments and organizations to conserve and enhance Africa’s shared resources in the nine countries where we operate.
Food production systems are responsible for approximately 80% of deforestation, 70% of terrestrial and 50% of freshwater biodiversity loss. They contribute to about 23% of all greenhouse gas emissions. In Africa, agricultural landscapes are where people and natural systems co-exist. Agriculture must go far beyond nature protection, to develop equitable household and community-level incentives for sustainable conservation. Traditional conservation efforts focused around protected areas will achieve little without going where nature is intertwined with agriculture. Lessons show that the future of agriculture in Africa will be derived directly from healthy ecosystems. Agriculture will be at the heart of climate mitigation, significantly and positively influencing C, water and nutrient cycles, pollination, and genetic diversity that are key for long-term viability of land enterprises. In view of these, TNC’s Africa Agriculture program, Global Regenerative Food Systems team, Africa Business Unit, and other teams are working to better understand this and other complexities that underpin our global food system as a first step toward changing it. By driving systems change at the level of a foodscape we hope to build bridges between global ambition and local implementation.
TNC is working with partners to catalyse a transition to regenerative food systems; productive socio-cultural/economic arrangements that enable food security, food sovereignty, secure livelihoods, while supporting and valuing nature. Regenerative food systems go beyond sustainability. It ensures benefits and eliminates trade-offs. By developing smart strategies in partnership with producers and communities, we work to make farms, rangelands, ranches more productive, protect freshwater, increase biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst securing the food supply for a rapidly growing population. This work constitutes TNC’s systematic effort in regenerative foodscapes across the globe. For more information on TNC’s work in Foodscapes, visit: https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/foodscapes-regenerative-food-systems-nature-people/
WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER
TNC has for the last one year led several partners to codesign what is called the Central Highlands Ecoregion Foodscape (CHEF). CHEF aims to develop incentives and initiatives that promote land health, water resources management, and biodiversity in food systems, against the backdrop of climate change, environmental degradation and rural poverty. CHEF is tailored to connect different geographies, climates, ecosystems, social and economic contexts, and the motivations of relevant stakeholders, including local communities. CHEF will cover an area spanning from source water locations in counties around the Mt Aberdare and Mt Kenya, through production areas leading to the rangelands of Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu Counties. Solutions from the CHEF will be cross-border, national and local in nature. It is a partnership program for integrated action around solutions that fall in five action areas. (1) Foodscape innovation hub. (2) Scaling regenerative practices in crop, livestock, fish, and forest (margin) systems. (3) Market systems and business models and innovations that enable sustainable livelihoods. (4) Policy Engagement. (5) Building capacities and multi-actor processes for social- ecological resilience.
We are looking to hire a Field Coordinator – CHEF to join our growing team to catalyse daily field engagements with partners. The Field Coordinator – CHEF is the frontline coordination representative who works closely with broad local level entities to solicit and/or maintain support & participation within in the CHEF. The Field Coordinator backstops partner practical, community-based engagement programs among producer communities in TNC sites. The Field Coordinator – CHEF supports the CHEF director in the initiation and implementation of our overall approach to engagement with communities, landowners, farmers, government, local stakeholders, and other partners. In doing this, they will deputise the Innovation Specialist to initiate and establish the CHEF Foodscape Innovation Hub, the core mechanism of executing our partnerships and directing finance/ investments. The role will be a field-oriented position, with regular travel to other TNC sites. The Field Coordinator – CHEF works closely with the Africa Agriculture Program members, CHEF partners, government officials, the TNC Freshwater Strategy team, AFCC Strategy, Global Provide Food and Water, Kenya TNC Country program, the TNC Africa regional staff to advance progress across the five action areas. The role will be field based but will also require time spent in the Nairobi TNC offices as the need arises. Frequent travel to CHEF and other TNC sites, and to stakeholder meetings will be a core activity of the role.
The position reports to the CHEF Director and will be based in Nanyuki Town, Kenya. No employment visas or relocation assistance is being offered with this position except for the local labor employment requirements.
WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU
Are you looking for a career to influence the transition to regenerative food systems for people and nature? We are looking for you. Your role as Field Coordinator – CHEF will be pivotal in facilitating the smooth running of CHEF projects to meet conservation targets. Your responsibilities will mainly be to manage relations with grassroots entities, as well as collaborating with stakeholders to ensure efficient land and resource management.
Specific Roles and Key Responsibilities:
- Coordinate and organize project planning, gathering feedback, sampling (soil, water, resource, producers) exercises, and farmer/community awareness on agriculture-conservation nexus.
- Support the CHEF director to liaise with key CHEF stakeholders on day-to-day basis, esp. farmers, community institutions (Water Resource Users Associations, cooperatives, etc.), extension, private sector, civil society to monitor timely implementation of all project lifecycles.
- Ensure on daily basis collaboration with the CHEF Director and the Ag. Innovation Specialist to set up (and act as the main contact point for) the Foodscape Innovation Hub to supply conservation planning teams with site or landscape level information relevant to the planning process.
- Collaborate with the Ag. Ecologist, Cropping Systems Specialist, and Innovation Specialist to ensure the integrity of collective learning sites – incl. ensuring that they consistently meet CHEF objectives.
- Develop and maintain an adequate knowledge of the social, economic, political, and cultural characteristics of the sites.
- Analyze situational information and identify educational needs of producers that can be met through the TNC Agriculture Strategy scaling activities.
- Coordinate the CHEF Program staff in planning and stewardship to ensure that the DEIJ targets and compliance are achieved.
- Prepare field plans of work relating to partners and producers relevant to the planning process.
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances. The position will involve frequent domestic and occasional international travel.
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
- Bachelor’s degree and 3 years’ experience in natural resource management, agriculture or similar field or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Experienced in developing and maintaining excellent relationships with farmers, extension agencies, experts in relevant fields of agriculture (in the County Governments, Universities, Civil Society), and county/national officials involved with soil/land/water management, farming organizations.
- Experienced with stakeholder perspectives and experience building relationships in day-to-day work.
- Experience in problem-solving, and an ability to work capably on own initiative with respect to timelines for extended periods.
- Experience managing staff or volunteers.
- Experience in training.
- Experience using common software applications such as Word, Excel, web browsers, etc., along with other data collection and processing tools/techniques such as GPS, basic GIS.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- 3-5 years’ experience in agriculture-conservation nexus, similar field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Ability and willingness to apply science to decision-making and guide activities.
- Familiarity with principles of sustainable agricultural intensification.
- Excellent communication via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and Kiswahili.
- Experience in assisting with an agricultural or environment strategy in respect of farmer training, public planning is highly desired.
- Excellent interpersonal skills including self-motivation, courtesy, enthusiasm, and teamwork skills.
- Knowledge of the intersections of climate, water, biodiversity, and livelihood.
- Must possess a valid driving license, with at least 5 years’ experience driving manual 4×4 field cars.
- Demonstrate relevant experience working directly with diverse local and international partners in the field of soil and land management and rural livelihoods.
- Knowledge of the agriculture-water-environment nexus and experience translating scientific outcomes to easy-to-understand formats for different audiences.
WHAT WE BRING
Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!
TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.
We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.