THE ORGANIZATION
The Alliance of Bioversity International (www.bioversityinternational.org) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) (www.ciat.cgiar.org) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.
The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.
About the position
Background
The CGIAR’s Mega Programmes 2 on Multi-Functional Landscape aims to re-imagine, co-create, and implement nature-positive solutions-based agri-food systems that equitably support food and livelihoods while ensuring that agriculture is a net positive contributor to biodiversity and nature.
This objective will be achieved through the following activities:
• Conserve agrobiodiversity: Developing nature-positive solutions for conservation of interlinked agrobiodiversity, water and soils systems, focusing on the nexus of agrobiodiversity conservation and the water and soil resource management critical to reversing biodiversity loss.
• Manage biodiversity, water and soil: Managing biodiversity and other natural resources in a sustainable, nature-positive way, working with smallholder communities to improve production systems, introducing solutions and innovations around biodiversity, water and soil management.
• Enable resilient restoration: Promoting nature-positive solutions as cost-efficiency models for community land restoration by providing the evidence base and capacity to monitor and quantify ecosystem service delivery and maximize efficiency to help local restoration stakeholders establish innovative solutions that attract investment and break the degradation cycle.
• Create nature-positive recycling solutions: Educating a wide range of stakeholders on nature-positive solutions for a circular economy approach to rural waste management, ensuring that recycling is used effectively by SMEs to generate increased resources that benefit poor farming households in rural areas and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Build an engaging and enabling environment: Engaging key actors in creating an enabling environment for nature-positive solutions by a) researching the cost of food, including the hidden costs of women’s labor and b) valuing and shaping different incentives, and c) building mainstreaming implementation and scaling capacity.
The project is being implemented in an aggregated farm in Nyakach Sub-County in two Locations of Agoro East and Jimo East. In the two sites, the project is committed to fostering strong relationships with communities who have aggregated their farms to ensure inclusive and participatory engagement. The Community Liaison Officer will serve as the primary point of contact between the project management team and the community, ensuring transparent communication and trust-building.
Main responsibilities
Specific Terms of Reference include:
· To be the primary point of contact between the project and the community through their registered cooperative society, ensuring effective communication and addressing concerns or feedback.
· Facilitate and organize meetings, workshops and keep consultations with community members and other stakeholders to promote understanding and cooperation.
- In collaboration with the project technical team, assist in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of community-related projects within the aggregated farms, ensuring they align with the needs and priorities of the community.
- Addressing and mediating conflicts or grievances that may arise between the project and the community.
- Maintain records/documentation of community interactions, feedback, and project progress, and provide regular updates to the organization.
- Gather feedback from the community and report insights to the organization.
- Ensure that the organization’s activities are communicated effectively to the community.
Requirements
Education qualifications and experience
- Education: Minimum Diploma in a relevant course from a recognized Institution.
- Experience: Proven track record in community engagement or similar roles.
- Skills:
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in Luo language.
- Conflict resolution and problem-solving capabilities.
- Cultural sensitivity and awareness.
- Organizational and documentation skills.
- Familiarity with the project area and activities
Benefits
Terms of employment
This is a nationally recruited position based in Jimo East Location, Nyakach Sub-County in Kisumu County, Kenya. The initial contract will be for up to Four (4) Months.
Reporting and Accountability
The Community Liaison Officer will report directly to the Senior Scientist Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture and will work closely with Scientists and technical persons engaging in the project. and will submit weekly reports on community engagement activities, challenges, and successes.
Duration and Hours
Monday to Friday and on Weekends if there is need.
Performance Indicators
- Timeliness and effectiveness in resolving community concerns.
- Level of community engagement and participation in organizational activities.
- Quality and timeliness of reports submitted.
- Strength of community relations over time.
The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with a competitive salary and excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer, and strive for gender, diversity and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.
Applications
Applicants are invited to visit https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/ to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number Ref: RFP300954 - CONSULTANT - COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICER as the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting.
Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applications closing date: 14th November 2025
Please note that email applications will not be considered.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
We invite you to learn more about us at:
http://alliancebioversityciat.org