Role: Landscape Management Advisor

Reports to: Head of Component – CSP IV

Duration: Until 30 June 2025 (With the possibility to extend until December 2027)

BACKGROUND

The project “Growing Greener - Restoration and sustainable use of agro-pastoralist systems in open arid landscapes across Southern Africa“, promotes community-led, market-oriented agro-pastoral land-use systems that prevent landscape degradation while fostering sustainable rural development. The project, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) as part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), will apply this “Herding for Health” (H4H) approach to different scales, adapting the approach to local contexts in Botswana, Madagascar, South Africa and Zambia, whilst leveraging impact and transformation at the regional SADC level.

South Africa faces development challenges linked to unemployment and poverty as well as issues of poaching, unsustainable land use change and climate change impacts. The project “Growing Greener” aims to implement activities in the arid Namaqualand region due to its unique biodiversity, high socio-economic vulnerability, and opportunities for a just transition towards climate resilience and sustainable socio-economic systems. This makes it a priority to introduce sustainable land and livestock management for conservation and livelihood development. The area is sparsely populated and has rainfall ranging from 150 to 450 mm/year. Agriculture is mainly livestock-based, mostly goats and sheep. Biodiversity is threatened by climate change, mining, agricultural expansion, and poaching of succulents and reptiles. The GIZ and project partner Conservation International (and Conservation South Africa) have worked in the region over many years to create a mature and established foundation with local communities, local and national government as well as other prominent stakeholders in the landscape. The ongoing work here will serve as the basis for further upscaling into neighbouring municipalities and into national climate change response planning.

The programme’s transformative approach works at the local, national and regional level including (1) working with agro-pastoralists to adopt innovative land-use practices and nature-based solutions, (2) developing soil and landscape restoration economies through public and private investments, market access, ecosystem valuation and green Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME) support, (3) strengthening an enabling policy framework for sustainable land use, and (4) enhancing capacity to scale up sustainable management practices across Southern Africa.

The Project will be implemented by a consortium comprising GIZ as lead agency, Conservation International (CI) for implementing on-the-ground activities in Botswana, Madagascar and South Africa, Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) for on-the-ground implementation of activities in Zambia and the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in Southern Africa (CCARDESA) for knowledge management and capacity building support. GIZ ensures policy-related activities and coordination of the project and stakeholders at the national level in each country and at the regional level across the four countries.

In South Africa, the project will scale up Herding 4 Health work already underway on common land in Steinkopf and Leliefontein / Kamiesberg in the Northern Cape province and will begin work in Concordia. The role of Growing Greener will be to expand the number of agropastoralists applying new rangeland management techniques in these three commonages, in order to bring the numbers up to a critical mass that will make it possible to actually map out rotation schedules and thus improve vegetation quality. Local and national government will also be supported to develop and implement land use plans that support sustainable development.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Under the supervision of the Project Manager (DV), the national advisor carries out the following
  • Contract management: prepare tenders and manages consulting contracts and grant agreements with public and civil society partners.
  • Support preparation of project related meetings, workshops and events and facilitate their implementation (e.g. Steering and Planning Meetings, Meetings with consortium and partners).
  • Supporting the project manager (DV) in the execution of other activities outside of the main responsibilities.
  • Liaise with relevant Government partners at Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in South Africa.
  • Establish and contribute to a monitoring system with consortium partners in the four countries and ensure monitoring of relevant data for reporting.
  • Support reporting to the Regional Project Coordination Unit in Botswana.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Suitable candidates should apply for this position by submitting:

  • A motivation letter (concisely 1 page) stating why they should be the preferred candidate and the value they will bring to the work of the project.
  • A detailed CV indicating their nationality.

Applications should be submitted to: recruit-pretoria@giz.de with subject line

“Application for Landscape Management Advisor” for the attention of the Head of   Human Resources.

Closing date for applications: 17 March 2023.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Applications without a motivation letter will not be considered!

Full job description download below.