Community Development Facilitator (CDF) -5 Positions

JOB TITLE: Community Development Facilitator (CDF)

REPORTS TO: Project Coordinator

STAFF REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER: None

LOCATION: South West Region 3 positions and Oromia 2 Positions (Dello Menna and Harena Buluk Woreda)

DURATION: Up to March 31st, 2027, with a 60-day probation period

 

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Community Development Facilitator (CDF) will be based in Harena Buluk Woreda and work under the direction and guidance of the Harness Project Coordinator. The Community Development Facilitator will be responsible for the implementation of the Harness project activities at the community level.

The CDF is responsible for the overall implementation of the Harness project activities at the community level with the participation of the community, CBOs, local government and other stakeholders. The CDF bridges the link between the Harness project field team and the communities and local government representatives and engages in community/institutional capacity-building activities.

 

KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Implement project activities at the community level

• Work with the Harness project team based at Bale, the country office team in Addis Ababa and government counterparts to achieve the project outputs/outcomes.
• Facilitate the selection of project intervention sites and beneficiaries of the Harness project in Harena Buluk woreda in collaboration with government partners and project staff.
• Participate in the preparation of an integrated plan and detailed activities to be implemented in the watershed following a holistic development approach.
• Implement the Harness project as per the detailed plan with the required quality, time and budget
• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of Woreda and village/community level stakeholders, ensuring active participation of women
• Participate in the assessments, studies, surveys, monitoring, review and evaluation activities at the community level
• Facilitate field visits, experience sharing visits at the community level
• Support to identify training needs, prepare training materials, and deliver training, business plan development and other services to CBOs and unions
• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of Woreda and village/community level stakeholders, ensuring active participation of women
• With support of the field technical team, provide expertise and advice for community institutions/Organizations on gender mainstreaming in the project scheme
• Facilitate community meetings, dialogues among others, and discuss modalities within CBOs/PFMCs/PRMCs/ women and youth enterprises
• Prepare monthly progress reports and update the implementation of the Harness project activities on time

Support and facilitate community/institutional capacity-building activities

• Facilitate the periodical capacity assessment of CBOs by collecting data using the Organisational and Managerial Capacity Assessment tool (OCAT)
• Ensure implementation of these capacity-building plans (including, among others, technical support) in close collaboration with the Community Development facilitator and Woreda Level Cooperative Promotion Office.

Play an active role as a member of the Farm Africa project team

• Act as an active member of the project team by identifying and exploring opportunities to improve project implementation and guarantee its sustainability
• Contribute to the implementation of Farm Africa’s strategy
• Participate in broader Farm Africa meetings with other project staff members, as requested by the line manager

Safeguarding & Code of Conduct Responsibilities:

• Comply with and uphold Farm Africa’s Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, and related policies at all times.
• Treat all individuals and communities with dignity, respect, and fairness, promoting a safe and inclusive working environment.
• Ensure that personal and professional conduct does not put beneficiaries, colleagues, or partners at risk of harm or abuse.
• Recognize and report any safeguarding concerns, suspicions, or incidents in accordance with Farm Africa’s safeguarding and reporting procedures.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with beneficiaries, community members, and colleagues.
• Ensure that communications, images, and information about beneficiaries are used responsibly and with informed consent.
• Support the organization’s commitment to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, and any form of discrimination.
• Participate in safeguarding training and awareness activities as required.
• Contribute to creating and maintaining a safe working environment for all staff, partners, and the communities we serve.

These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. CDF will be required to perform other job-related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential	Essential
Education, qualifications & other knowledge
BSc qualification or equivalent in either of the following fields: NRM, Forestry, agricultural fields or any other relevant discipline.	BSc qualification or equivalent in either of the following fields: NRM, Forestry, agricultural fields or any other relevant discipline.
Knowledge of PFM, climate-smart Agri-value chain development and integrated watershed management	Knowledge of PFM, climate-smart Agri-value chain development and integrated watershed management
Good understanding and firm belief in gender equality and issues in rural communities	Good understanding and firm belief in gender equality and issues in rural communities
Experience
Three years of work experience in Participatory Forest Management (PFM), NRM, landscape, watershed management and agriculture in similar organisations.	Three years of work experience in Participatory Forest Management (PFM), NRM, landscape, watershed management and agriculture in similar organisations.
Experience in the area of organisational capacity building of community-based institutions	Experience in the area of organisational capacity building of community-based institutions
Experience with grassroots NGOs and/or communities in Ethiopia	Experience with grassroots NGOs and/or communities in Ethiopia
Demonstrable experience of a participatory development approach	Demonstrable experience of a participatory development approach
Experience with participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools	Experience with participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools
Skills & abilities
Basic knowledge of verbal and written communication skills in English	Basic knowledge of verbal and written communication skills in English
Fluent in the local languages of the region	Fluent in the local languages of the region
Good skills in data analysis and good report writing	Good skills in data analysis and good report writing

Our Values

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa.

• EXPERT: Expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.
• GROUNDED: Our teams and partners work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.
• IMPACTFUL: We deliver long lasting change for farmers, their families, and the environments they live in.
• BOLD: We model innovative approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.

Farm Africa is an equal opportunity employer and promotes gender equity. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification. Farm Africa does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. (E.g. Application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees).