Summary
Date Posted: Friday, March 31 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Position Overview
The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries launched and rolled out a ten-year National Oil Palm Project (NOPP) to different parts of the country to expand production supported by IFAD. The NOPP’s development objective is to ensure greater impact on household income for inclusive rural development and to deepen sustainable livelihood development (sustainable food security and income security) in the oil palm growing communities. This is through opportunities generated by the establishment of an efficient oil palm industry that complies with both national and international environmental and social regulations/safeguards. Solidaridad East and Central Africa will be implementing a 4 years project under the wider NOPP program focusing on; Building the capacity of NOPP implementers and beneficiary farmers on RSPO Independent Smallholder Standards, Oil Palm Best Management Practices, and climate-smart agriculture, Support oil palm farmers in boosting both above and below ground carbon sequestration efforts and linking them to appropriate carbon markets and Bolster on-ground environmental monitoring through the adoption of appropriate satellite-based monitoring systems. The project mainly targets smallholder oil palm farmers under the NOPP and will be implemented in 5 geographical hubs of Kalangala, Buvuma, Mayuge, Masaka and Mukono that cover the districts of Kalangala for the Kalangala Hub, Buvuma for the Buvuma Hub, Mayuge, Bugiri and Namayingo, for the Mayuge Hub, and Masaka, Kalungu and Kyotera, for the Masaka Hub and Mukono and Buikwe for the Mukono Hub. The Carbon Trade Expert will be responsible for the carbon farming, carbon trade, and carbon pre-financing aspects in the project.

Main objective of the function
The Project Manager **(**Carbon Trade Specialist) will be responsible for the carbon farming, carbon trade and carbon pre-financing work in the project. This work will include generating options to reduce the carbon footprint in the palm oil value chain, the build capacity of TOTs and Research Assistants in the onboarding framework eligibility criteria, and carbon farming and conservation techniques. They will be expected to work with the data M & E staff to profile, register and onboard oil palm agroforestry farmers unto the ACORN carbon market place. They will be also expected the use the ACRON regulatory framework to design documents and build the capacity of staff and in use and implementation of the carbon credit scheme. The expert will also support biomass specialists in developing project and baseline harvest prescriptions while optimizing credit generation and performing statistical analyses and database management of tree inventories. They are also expected to work with biomass specialist and GIS specialist in executing recommendations for carbon credit program and provide regular report to the Team Leader/RSPO specialist.

Organizational position
The Project Manager **(**Carbon Trade Specialist) is a middle-level technical person who will be reporting to the Country Manager.

Result areas
Project Planning
• Review project reports, work plans, budget, targets, key performance indicators (KPIs) and ensure that the planning is realistic (measurable, reportable and verifiable), both in terms of budget and implementation.
• Develop a detailed annual plan for technical and financial activities.
• Assist the partners to develop a plan in line with the required project objectives.
• Support the team by providing longer-term vision, strategic direction and appropriate planning aligning with Solidaridad’s regional ambitions and the global network strategic objectives.

Project Implementation
• Work with the concerned staff and, partners to ensure effective implementation of the project.
• Review and monitor the annual planning reports to ensure that these are realistic, both in terms of budget and overall project plan.
• Regularly review and track the project progress against milestones and take corrective action where required, raising issues with the concern personnel as needed.

Project Management
• Generate options to reduce the carbon footprint in the palm oil value chain.
• Build the capacity of TOTs and research assistants in the onboarding framework eligibility criteria, and carbon farming and conservation techniques.
• Work with the data officer to profile, register and onboard oil palm agroforestry farmers unto the ACORN carbon market place.
• Use the ACORN regulatory framework to design documents and build the capacity of staff and in use and implementation of the carbon credit scheme.
• Support the Biomass specialist in developing project and baseline harvest prescriptions while optimizing credit generation and performing statistical analyses and database management of tree inventories.
• Work with the Biomass specialist and GIS specialist in executing recommendations for the carbon credit program.
• Provide regular report to the Team leader/RSPO specialist.
• Support the collection and accurate reporting of impact data related to the project as guided by the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (PMEL) Manager.

Networking with Government and non-Government Organizations, and Private Sectors
• Build strong relationship with the government authorities (regional, national and local) and arrange field visit and regular progress review meeting where necessary.
• Learn good practices from other organizations and reflect them in project implementation.
• Represent Solidaridad, build and maintain relationships and partnerships with relevant service providers, government, national and international development partners, local stakeholders and communities, private sector and funder Partners representatives for effective implementation of projects.
• Contribute to public communication, strong and positive Solidaridad brand visibility and recognition, working closely with the Head of Programmes, Country (Projects) Manager and Regional Communications Officer.

Project Monitoring and Reporting
• Regularly field visit to intervention areas to observe progress, with a focus on ensuring ‘quality’.
• Prepare progress reports (annual, monthly and/or quarterly) based on a structured monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, including a review on financial report and provide necessary feedback.
• Ensure quality monitoring data collection from the field and timely reporting.

Staff Management
• Supervise, mentor and coach project team members directly as part of your leadership function.
• Assist with recruitment and coordination of project staff (as and when required).
• Continuously undertake performance management evaluations of assigned project team members.
• Support staff development – develop plans for capacity-building of project team members to enable them to be more self-standing in the future.
• Support effective communications and joint working within the team and with other teams across the organisation.

Other Ad-hoc Tasks
• Identify and discuss with the Regional Business Development (BD) Manager any potential future funding opportunities which present themselves in-country / location and provide advice on their suitability and potential alignment with the Solidaridad strategic direction.
• Be cognisant of the wider implications of the project, working effectively with other Solidaridad functions in-country and sometimes at regional level (such as, the quality function team, the innovation theme advisers) as appropriate.

Key Qualifications
• Post Graduate Qualification in Environmental/ Natural Economics with at least 5 years’ practical experience in carbon trading.
• Experience in working with farmers or rural communities in enabling them to access carbon markets is essential.
• At least five (5) years’ experience in managing climate smart agriculture and forest ecology community projects funded by international agencies or development partners.
• An understanding of the policy environment, issues and stakeholders in the agriculture and/or agribusiness sector in East and Central Africa.
• Record of accomplishment of delivering project goals within deadlines and budgets across public and private sectors and with NGOs.
• Capable of working in a dynamic, inter-cultural and multi-stakeholder setting.
• Able to travel extensively within Eastern and Central Africa and occasional international travel.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to produce professional reports in English language.

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

Job application procedure
SubmissionDetails****
Interested candidates that meet the above qualifications should send their cover letter, CVs and salary expectation to:
Emails: hr.eca@solidaridadnetwork.org 
Subject: “Project Manager (Carbon Trade Specialist) – Uganda”
****Deadline:****31 March 2023 at 5:00 pm (EAT).
Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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