Senior Program Officer

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world. DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner. DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

Scope of Work

USAID BIODIVERSITY (Jal Jangal)

Senior Program Officer

USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will conserve nature, enhance human well-being, and safeguard Nepal’s biodiversity to improve the health of ecosystems, fight environmental crime, and improve the ability of communities to prepare for and adapt to impacts caused by climate change and natural disasters. The activity will achieve measurable conservation targets within the biodiversity-rich, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems in and around the Chitwan-Annapurna Landscape, Kailash Sacred Landscape, Terai Arc Landscape, and the proposed Karnali Conservation Landscape while increasing resilience to climate change and contributing to the inclusive and sustainable development of the Nepali people. To accomplish this, USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) will implement activities aligned with three mutually interrelated and reinforcing objectives: improve the health of ecosystems (Objective 1), strengthen environmental crime control and natural resource safeguards (Objective 2), and enhance the climate resilience of natural and human ecosystems (Objective 3).

1. Objectives of the assignment 

The Senior Program Officer will support the Landscape Team lead to represent the project within each local geographical area, overseeing the implementation of activities, coordination with partners, and liaison with GON.  The Senior Program Officer will support biodiversity conservation and climate change activities for the project, ensuring incorporation of GESI considerations, adherence to ethics and compliance approaches required by the project, and leading timely implementation of all activities.  The Senior Program Officer will work under the supervision of the Landscape Leads and will have extensive coordination with objective leads, GESI and MEL staff, and the Senior Program Manager. The Senior Program Officer must be able to multi-task, meet tight deadlines, and have strong facilitation, coordination, and community mobilization skills.

2. Tasks & Responsibilities

The Senior Program Officer’s tasks and responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

• Undertake day-to-day operations, implementation, and monitoring of activities in the local geographical area.
• Provide oversight, coaching, advising, and monitoring of local grantee partners in the local geographic area.  
• Coordinate with the Local Government (LG), development partners, and communities for the implementation of site-level interventions and activities within the remote satellite office geographical area. 
• Support to develop/update LG environment/biodiversity conservation-related policies, plans, and documents in coordination with the Landscape and Technical teams.
• Support local stakeholders by facilitating regular stakeholder dialogues in an open and transparent manner.
• Facilitate landscape-level codesign meetings/workshops to prioritize and design USAID Biodiversity’s (Jal Jangal) Annual Workplan activities.
• Support Landscape Leads, objective leads, private sector engagement specialists, and others as per the requirement to ensure quality control and reporting in coordination with M&E team.
• Track, document, and monitor project progress within the landscape and provide indicator-wise progress data periodically to integrate into quarterly and annual reports.
• Support USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) communications team for outreach, communications, and dissemination of biodiversity conservation-related activities at the landscape level.
• Support USAID Biodiversity (Jal Jangal) grantees, subcontractors, and partners to undertake their landscape-level interventions.
• Track policies, initiatives, and/or organizational and community development work of partners and stakeholders in the geographic area.
• Report to the Landscape Team Lead and undertake other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Landscape Team Lead.

3. Qualifications

• Project management experience in any technical area including with grantees, reporting, monitoring, representation, and GESI. 
• Good grasp of monitoring, evaluation, and learning as well as communications functions.  
• Relevant experience working on a USAID contract in a related role is highly preferred but not required. 
• Good written and verbal communication skills in Nepali and English required. Strong computer skills (MS Office) required.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry, Watershed Management, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Climate change, or other relevant development field preferred but not required;
• For a candidate with a bachelor’s degree, 5 years of relevant work experience is required. For a candidate with a high-school diploma (+2), 7 years of relevant work experience is required. (The hiring team reserves the right to adjust the education and years of experience required for persons of excluded groups)
• Preference will be given to candidates with biodiversity, conservation, and/or climate change experience and qualifications, preferably with an international donor-funded organization. 
• Preference will be given to candidates already based in or around each geographic area.

Application link

https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/uphnkq1gw0/index

Application instructions:

Please select the position and location for which you are interested in applying for, fill out the required information and upload your CV. Only shortlisted applicants will receive notifications on the next steps.

Interested candidates should submit their application no later than March 16, 2024. 

Note: Women and persons from excluded groups are encouraged to apply.

Consistent with DAI’s commitment to attracting and retaining staff from all races, ethnicities, castes, and backgrounds, DAI may adjust eligibility requirements to allow for applicants from excluded groups.  In these cases, the Scope of Work and vacancy announcement will indicate the minimum requirements according to the Country Compensation Plan as well as the revised minimum requirements for applicants representing an excluded group. DAI promotes workforce diversity and in Nepal, DAI considers excluded groups to be women, Dalits, indigenous, ethnic minority groups, Madhesi, Muslims, persons with disabilities, people living in remote areas, and sexual and gender minorities.