Livelihoods Project Coordinator

Livelihoods Project Coordinator

Looking to advance your career in climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and community-led development? Vi Agroforestry is seeking a qualified professional to join its Kenya Country Office as the Mount Elgon Livelihoods Project Coordinator based in Kitale. This role offers an opportunity to support a long-term climate change mitigation and adaptation initiative focused on improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia Counties through sustainable agriculture land management (SALM), agroforestry, biodiversity conservation, and community empowerment.

Duty Station: Kitale, Kenya
Duration: Fixed term of 2 years, with possibility of renewal; 6 months’ probation period
Start Date: As soon as possible

About Vi Agroforestry

Vi Agroforestry is a Swedish development organisation fighting poverty and climate change together. The organisation supports smallholder farmer families to lift themselves out of poverty through sustainable agriculture land management (SALM) based on agroforestry. What started as a tree planting initiative in 1983, is today an expert organisation implementing development projects through local partnerships with member-based farmer organisations.

The aim is to reduce poverty, hunger, deforestation, harmful gendered norms, and contribute to increased mitigation, resilience and adaptation to climate change, increased biodiversity and sustainable food systems.

Current projects and programmes target smallholder farmer families – especially women, youth and children – in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The head office in Stockholm, Sweden focuses on fundraising, advocacy, and programme monitoring and evaluation. The regional office in Nairobi, Kenya coordinates operations, advocacy and expertise. Projects and partnerships are managed by country offices in each country.

Vi Agroforestry is carrying out the Mount Elgon Livelihoods Project, a climate change mitigation and adaptation initiative scheduled to continue through to 2036. This project’s primary aim is for smallholder farmers in the expansive Mount Elgon watershed, located in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia Counties, to achieve prosperous livelihoods that deliver environmental, social, and economic advantages.

Purpose of the Position

The position is responsible for sensitizing, recruiting, contracting, and developing the capacity of smallholder farmers in Sustainable Agriculture for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, hence sustainable development.

The Project Coordinator shall work in accordance with the Mount Elgon Project document, the Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement, and the SALM Methodology to ensure quality and effective Project implementation. The Project Coordinator reports to the Carbon Projects Manager.

Values

Vi Agroforestry is a human rights-based organisation. The core values of non-discrimination, meaningful participation, accountability, transparency, empowerment, and continued learning guide all work, including the work with partners.

People are stronger together, and sustainable development requires respect for human rights, democracy, and the environment. Through all actions, Vi Agroforestry therefore seeks to live by the principles of respect, transparency and together.

General Responsibilities

• Promote and support the interests of Vi Agroforestry
• Be committed to and contribute to the fulfilment of the Vi Agroforestry Strategy
• Ensure and promote a rights-based approach in all that we do
• Ensure adherence to Vi Agroforestry policies, guidelines, operating procedures, and workplans
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements
• Ensure high-quality delivery in all that we do
• Be committed to fighting corruption and fraud and always report any suspicion of such
• Take an active part in Resource mobilization
• Ensure that gender is mainstreamed, and Gender Transformation is promoted in all our operations
• Keep abreast with the development in your area of responsibility
• Liaise with partner organizations, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders
• Contribute to effective cooperation between staff in the global organization
• Contribute to a healthy work environment at the workplace
• Support teamwork and assist each other as needs arise
• Upon request from the Country Manager, fulfil other tasks at the country office or department level
• Keep your supervisor updated on opportunities and challenges, as well as on the progress of your assignments
• Contribute to the development and implementation of risk management plans, work plans, and budgets for the office

Key Responsibilities

• Offer technical advice to Vi Agroforestry Project/Field Officers, Partners/CBOs, and Stakeholders on issues related to agroforestry, SALM, food security and nutrition, biodiversity, and ecosystem services
• Develop and oversee implementation of MELP annual budget & work plan
• Ensure good collaboration between farmer organizations/CBOs and Government representatives to ensure local ownership and sustainability of the interventions
• Coordinate, oversee, and supervise MELP Project/field officers and Community facilitators
• Oversee implementation of common interests and income-generating activities among the groups of participants
• Capacity build Project/field officers and Community facilitators in areas relevant to effective project implementation, delivery, and follow-up
• Ensure adherence to the MELP methodology and VCS standard procedures by the field teams
• Coordinate the facilitation of farmer groups’ capacity in financial resource mobilization
• Coordinate the implementation of Sustainable Land Use Systems, Integrated Catchment Approaches, and community-driven impact monitoring
• Liaise with the project manager/regional office in the development of reliable data collection tools and consistent record keeping among the farmer groups
• Oversee the formation and strengthening of farmer organisations/CBOs to offer services to their members
• Prepare and submit to the Country Manager monthly, quarterly & annual reports
• Oversee the strengthening of farmer organisations/CBOs capacity to do quality assurance of all data collected and submitted to the database
• Coordinate planning for the implementation of SALM activities for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation by targeted participants
• Ensure maintenance of up-to-date records of different activities implemented in the project area
• Ensure groups adhere to the SALM Methodology and the ERPA conditions
• Ensure farmer groups have a suitably adapted and functional M&E system to support their own and project needs
• Coordinate and oversee the capacity strengthening of group leaders on their roles and responsibilities
• Coordinate the relevant capacity strengthening of Community Facilitators to enhance their ability to support the project delivery
• Ensure adherence to the Vi Agroforestry operating procedures
• Carry out any other duties assigned by the supervisor

Required Qualifications

Education Level

• University degree for the position in relevant area

Other Professional Qualifications

• Knowledgeable on grant management and compliance issues
• Good knowledge in Microsoft Office365 applications

Work Experience

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience from the NGO sector
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience from Leadership
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience from working with agroforestry, sustainable agriculture land management practises, climate change mitigation, carbon sequestration
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in project management

Languages

• English
• Kiswahili

Personal Competencies

• Strategic and conceptual thinking skills
• Leadership skills
• Accountable, honest, responsible and trust building personality
• Respectful and Transparent
• Decisive
• Good planning and analytical skills
• Analytical skills
• Communication skills
• Collaborative skills
• Structured personality
• Flexible and creative personality
• Self-driven personality
• Team-player

How to Apply

Apply by sending your CV and cover letter indicating your salary expectation to:

recruitment@viagroforestry.org

Subject heading:
“Mount Elgon Livelihoods Project Coordinator”

Deadline: 26th May 2026

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