Community Engagement Officer

Community Engagement Officer (Open to Nepali Nationals only)

Location: Pokhara

Description

iDE has been in Nepal since 1992, developing market systems that provide simple innovations to help rural communities get out of poverty. Our long-standing presence in Nepal is a testimony to adaptive learning, continual innovation, and commitment to delivering meaningful impact. From the germination of an idea, through research, piloting, and its evolution into impactful and scalable solutions, iDE possesses an unparalleled understanding of Nepal’s market dynamics. This deep insight has enabled us to diagnose critical value chain bottlenecks, paving the way for strategic interventions that open doors of opportunity for the marginalized.

iDE Nepal’s holistic approach to market development is what truly sets us apart. In addition to identifying market opportunities for marginalized populations, we nurture them from seed to fruition. We work hand-in-hand with the private sector, forge partnerships with governments at every administrative level, collaborate with global development partners, and most crucially, have earned the trust and partnership of the rural communities we serve. Our expansive reach, covering all seven provinces, and our continued efforts towards inclusive and resilient market development, stand testament to iDE Nepal’s unwavering commitment to making a difference—one innovation at a time.

The roles include conducting needs assessments in coordination with digital advisory services (DAS) stakeholders at the provincial, and local levels. Map and establish digital agriculture engagement hubs at local level to raise awareness and education about DAS and sustainable land management (SLM) practices. Similarly, organize sensitization workshops in project districts, disseminate communication materials, and facilitate the formation of Adaptive Learning Networks (ALN) to encourage stakeholder collaboration and information exchange. Identify and train digital advisory champions, particularly youth and women, to advocate for DAS in the communities, and organize demonstrations to highlight DAS’s practical applications. Conduct quarterly learning-sharing sessions within the ALN network, focusing on enhancing digital literacy and addressing gender barriers through training and community sensitization. Facilitate training on sustainable land management practices in communities and organize workshops with government stakeholders to exchange information and develop policy recommendations.

Planning, coordination and Implementation

• Conduct a scoping visit to identify the needs and potential of the engagement hubs.
• Support to develop communication materials emphasizing the digital agriculture advisory tool’s uses and significance.
• Identify and train the champions who can advocate and promote DAS within the communities. Especially youth and women.
• Organize training sessions on sustainable land management (SLM), to the extension agents, farmers, farmer groups or cooperative, to raise awareness about impact of climate change and adoption of climate-smart agricultural and sustainability practices.
• Organize demonstrations to showcase the practical aspects of the digital advisory services.
• Organize review and follow up meetings with extension agents.
• Conduct e-learning sessions in the project districts
• Conduct training on gender equality, social inclusion and community mobilization
• Establish Adaptive Learning Network ( ALN ) of multiple stakeholders ( farmers, extension agents, agro-vets, cooperatives, collection center/MPC as so no.)
• Collect and analyze data and information regarding the best practices and activities at farm level, prepare and share reports and findings
• Conduct quarterly learning-sharing sessions within the ALN network.
• Establish the Policy Stakeholders Forum ( PSF) at the provincial level
• Organize PSF workshops for sharing experiences on Digital Advisory Services (DAS) at provincial levels.
• Participate and contribute in sharing learning sharing workshops

Monitoring and Reporting

• Prepare event reports, project progress reports on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis and share with supervisor and project lead.
• Conduct regular supportive supervision and monitoring visits, joint supportive supervision and monitoring visits with partners and stakeholders, and handle any issues that may arise
• Implement project activities and monitor project indicators according to project log frames and theory of change
• Participate and provide meaningful inputs in meetings, discussions, workshops etc.
• Monitor, coaching and provide adequate support to partners and their team regarding projects’ progress, documentation, compliance, accountability etc.
• Actively engage in documenting the best practices, key learnings, unique cases, and other relevant documentation to share with the wider team

Safety and Security

• Maintain an effective coordination with safety and security focal person , on contextual and security matters
• Collect and analyze information to establish risks and mitigation measures
• Support to develop/update local security plan and share with the CO security focal and the direct report
• Ensure the application of security procedures and protocols
• Manage any security incidents at the district and local level and communicate to the direct report and the RO security focal
• Actively participate in security audits and ensure the implementation of recommendations.
• Safeguard all the related assets, tools, information and documents.

Requirements

Graduate with 3 years’ experience at Supervisor/Assistant level or Master with a year experience.Minimum Bachelor degree in agriculture, social science or other related fields

• Graduate with 5 years’ experience or a master’s with 2 years of experience.
• Professional experience, climate resilient agriculture, and agricultural development
• Experience working in in community and stakeholder mobilization and engagements
• Experience in climate-resilient agriculture technologies and sustainable land management practices, agricultural digital tools and applications
• Proven track record in the development, implementation, and analysis of technical data and information pertaining to nature-based crop protection
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multicultural environment
• Good spoken and written skills in both English and Nepali.
• Proactive, well organized and ability to manage priorities, adaptable, reliable, accountable, and responsive personality
• Leadership, team-working and coordination skills
• Interpersonal and verbal communication abilities, charisma, tact and diplomacy, intercultural and difference awareness
• Assertiveness, networking, mediation and negotiation, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Experienced with computer skills including Google applications, MS Office package, mobile applications and other communications tools
• Able, willing, and committed to work with people of different backgrounds
• Have a humble and polite personality with strong professional skills
• Have a listening as well as analyzing capacity to make the operational activities more comprehensive and easier to conduct.
• Sensitive and responsive to gender, social inclusion, diversity
• Contribute constructively to a working environment based on mutual respect, trust, and commitment
• Having a two-wheeler license is essential.

Benefits

As per the iDE norms.

iDE Nepal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and Members of Disadvantaged Caste, Ethnic and Religious Groups are Strongly Encouraged to Apply.

Interested and qualifying applicants can submit their application Letter and CV in English, with both phone and email contact details of at least 3 professional references by October 4, 2024.