Job Advertisement

POSITION TITLE: Community Liaison Officer (CLO) Biodiversity

COUNTRY: Rwanda

LOCATION: Karongi

RESPONSIBLE TO: EHS Supervisor

STATUS: Full Time

SUPERVISORY CAPACITY: TBD

DATE: October 2024.

Gasmeth Energy MISSION:

The overall goal of Gasmeth Energy in Rwanda is to contribute to the Rwandan energy sector and untapped gas resources by constructing an offshore gas extraction facility along with an onshore gas processing and compression plant for the production of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

 Community development

• Act as a bridge between the organization and the local community, fostering positive relationships, and maintaining a strong presence within the community.
• Advocate for community needs and concerns within the organization, ensuring that community voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.
• Facilitate effective communication between community members and the organization, conveying information, updates, and resources in a clear and accessible manner.
• Collaborate with community members to identify their needs, challenges, and aspirations, and communicate these insights to the organization to inform program development and improvements.
• Provide information and referrals to community members seeking assistance or resources, connecting them with appropriate services or programs both within and outside the organization.
• Plan and organize community events, workshops, and meetings that promote community engagement, education, and awareness of available services.
• Mediate and resolve conflicts or issues that may arise between community members and the organization, working to find mutually beneficial solutions.
• Gather and maintain data on community demographics, concerns, and feedback to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Collaborate with local community organizations, government agencies, and stakeholders to identify opportunities for partnership and collaboration on community initiatives.
• Responsible for developing and implementing community and environmental plans and policies.
• Enforcing policies throughout the Project.
• Evaluating practices and facilitating compliance with legal guidelines.
• Liaises with local communities and authorities on all subjects related to the Project.
• Conducts training and provides education for Company and Contractor personnel.
• Attends weekly meetings
• Contributes to Company reports
• Support community development initiatives targeted at actions that mitigate potential livelihood impacts for project-affected fishing communities, the tourism sector, and the local community.
• Ensure livelihood improvement and CSR plan has been established for the Project outlining specific livelihood restoration measures, particularly for fishing communities given the socioeconomic impacts identified for this sector.
• Serve as the focal point between CNG Project and other participating institutions especially in organizing local consultations with the identified stakeholders, ensuring a robust public consultation, disclosure, and dissemination platform that guarantees the appropriate balance of attention between ‘local’ (i.e. directly affected by the project, both negatively and positively) and ‘external’ stakeholder (i.e. Government /NGOs/ interest groups) interests in the potential social impacts of the CNG Project.
• Liaise with provincial/district/commune stakeholders to coordinate and confirm the establishment and working of local-level resettlement committees or alternative mechanisms for coordinating the work including grievance mechanism, dispute resolution, and review of available land or other options to PAPs.
• Take cognition of, ensure consultation with, and necessary attention to vulnerable individuals, such as the ultra-poor, widows, single mothers, the physically challenged, People Living with HIV/AIDS, and the elderly as identified by stakeholders.
• To plan and coordinate biodiversity conservation activities and biodiversity monitoring in the present as well as future Lake Kivu areas and report findings by requirements under the project environmental social impact assessment (ESIA) and environmental management and monitoring plan (EMMP).
• Carry out, support, and participate in biodiversity surveys and data collection to reduce biodiversity loss and conservation of protected plant and animal species.
• Daily biodiversity monitoring in the Lake Kivu areas especially bird and fish species in line with the Biodiversity Monitoring Plan (BMP).
• Assessment of possible impacts of CNG activities on Biodiversity and provide appropriate mitigation measures.
• Advise the company on required measures to conserve biodiversity and environmental management, on and around the project facilities.
• Coordinate all community development activities for private and public projects and mobilize/engage local communities’ consultation in their livelihood improvement in social economics and governance at the cell level.
• Working with project staff in livelihood restoration activities among the projected affected people (PAPs), through stakeholder engagement and citizen participation at the cell level.
• To receive and solve grievances raised by affected communities through and involve project staff in community meetings at the cell level.
• Provide the vulnerability status of affected communities by the requirements of the livelihood restoration plan from the Project at the cell level.
• Develop (or assist in the development of) documentation related to community development and liaison, as requested/required by the company.
• Develop (or assist in the development of) documentation related to biodiversity and environmental management and monitoring, as requested/required by the company.
• Perform any other Duties assigned by Superior.

REQUIREMENTS

• Advanced training (bachelor’s degree or higher) in Sociology, Development Studies, Social anthropology, Community Development, Political Science, Environmental sciences, or related fields.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a similar role.
• Qualifications in Health & Safety management would be an advantage
• Exposure to multicultural workforces of different nationalities
• Ability to work in the Karongi district with preference given to those currently residing in the local area.

SKILLS

• Ability to develop and write environmental, biodiversity, and community liaison plans and procedures and excellent writing, analytical, presentation, and reporting skills.
• Expertise in developing and using participatory approaches at all levels (regional, national, and community), preferably in complex projects with tangible positive impact on project implementation. Experience with social marketing or behavior change will be an asset.
• Good computing skills, including knowledge of software packages for word processing, databases, and spreadsheets; Familiarity with modern communication systems (such as the Internet, worldwide web, email, etc.)
• Communication and negotiation (oral and written)
• Work effectively with various personnel and be flexible in work assignments.
• Regulatory Compliance.
• Willing to work and stay within the project area, as work demands.
• Training and education on gas use and safety among community customers.

EDUCATION, TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED:

• Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Development Studies, Social anthropology, Community Development, Political Science, Environmental sciences, or related fields.
• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience as a Community Liaison and biodiversity Monitoring Officer in a related industry.
• Expertise in developing and using participatory approaches at all levels (regional, national, and community), preferably in complex projects with tangible positive impact on project implementation. Experience with social marketing or behavior change will be an asset.
• Excellent consensus-building, multi-cultural, and interpersonal skills; Strong team-building and mentoring capabilities; Knowledge and skills in the use of consensus-building tools will be an asset.
• Excellent writing, analytical, presentation, and reporting skills.
• Good computing skills, including knowledge of software packages for word processing, databases, and spreadsheets; Familiarity with modern communication systems (such as the Internet, worldwide web, email, etc.)
• Training and education on gas use and gas safety across the community customers.
• Excellent organizational, time-management, and communication skills.
• Team player

Submission of applications – to include combined in one folder 1 page Cover letter, an updated CV (maximum three pages), and names, title, and contacts of three professional referees - should be submitted via the apply button below with the position applied for clearly indicated in the subject line. The deadline for submission of applications is 13^th November 2024 at 17:00hrs.