Field Officer – Natural Resource Security

CRS Background:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS has been present in Jerusalem, West Bank, and Gaza (JWBG) since 1961 and currently supports programs in the sectors of health, humanitarian relief, livelihoods, civil society strengthening, and social justice promotion through its offices in Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. For further information about CRS, please visit: www.crs.org. 

In the West Bank, CRS is currently implementing Strengthening Resilience Amongst Vulnerable Bedouin and other Herding Communities, a four-year agricultural livelihoods project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through Caritas Germany. This project supports vulnerable communities in Area C to improve livestock-based livelihoods and dairy production through a robust Social Behavior Change approach. The project also seeks to improve natural resource security through innovations in land use and improvements in rainwater harvesting.

Job Summary: 

As a member of the Strengthening Herders’ Resilience project team, the Field Officer (FO) will assist project implementation of the natural resource security and dairy components of the project. The FO will work directly with the Ministry of Agriculture and community members, coordinating project activities and events in support of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work to serve the poor and vulnerable. The FO’s service and community relations skills ensure that communities feed into and benefit from the project that consistently applies best practices and continuously works towards improving its impact.

Job Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination and monitoring of project activities at the field level, ensuring implementation schedules are met as per the detailed activity plan, and that adherence to systems for quality project implementation are strengthened.
• Coordinate communication and facilitate information sharing among the project team, Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) extension staff, community mobilizers and project beneficiaries at the community level to assist in strengthening the community interest, involvement and support networks.
• Liaise with various community stakeholders and mobilize them to ensure full involvement of community leaders, community representatives, and local government representatives in the overall implementation and improvement of project activities. 
• Support the project team to identify technical opportunities and challenges related to natural resource security and dairy production and support the delivery of learning events to the targeted beneficiaries.
• In coordination with the project team support capacity building events for community mobilizers.  Support and conduct follow up and extension visits to the targeted communities to assess local practices and enhance the beneficiaries’ knowledge and practices.
• Coordinate, monitor, and report on challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to the plan and implementation schedule. 
• Ensure the Safeguarding Policy & Code of Conduct and Ethics is communicated to and understood by partner staff, beneficiaries and relevant community members (through ongoing, age-appropriate, contextualized verbal and/or written information shared in local language) 
• Compile data provided at the community level, from MoA staff, and from national experts; contribute to the preparation of reports and educational materials, including brochures and communication materials for both internal and external audiences.   

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Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree is required; degree in civil or agricultural engineering or related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of work and experience in a relevant field required, including demonstrated experience engaging local communities.
• General knowledge of social behavior change approaches, rural development and natural resource management is a plus, including understanding of cistern rehabilitation and/ or dairy production. 
• Additional education may substitute for some experience.
• Adult teaching experience is a plus.
• Computer skills required.

Personal Skills 

• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse groups

• Good relationships management skills with ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Fluent Arabic and English language skills are required.

Travel Required: The position is based in Bethlehem, with approximately 50% travel to project sites across Hebron and Bethlehem Governorates. Other travel within the West Bank may also be required.

Key Working Relationships: 

Supervisory: None

Internal: Program Manager, Project Officer, MEAL Project Officer, Head of Programs, Regional Technical Advisors for livelihoods and agriculture. 

External: Community members, community mobilizers, MoA staff, other local stakeholders, technical staff from other peer agencies

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff): 

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results. 

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Interested candidates with relevant education and work experience are invited to complete an application which addresses the positions requirements. In order to be considered for the position, candidates must submit both a CV and a cover letter, in English. Applications which fail to meet these requirements will not be considered. Applications must be submitted online at jobs.crsjwbg.org. This posting will remain open until filled; however, submission by Thursday, 28 May 2020 is strongly advised.