Researcher – Community and Stakeholder Engagement Officer

Science production Support in conducting research activities (data collection and analysis), particularly in collecting data at the provincial and district levels. Assist the project team in developing tools, manuals, and guidelines. Develop monthly and annual (detailed) work plans (including stakeholder engagement plan) with appropriate approaches in consultation with the ICRAF project management and relevant scientists.

Liaise and network with local (and national) stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and local community representatives, to ensure smooth project coordination and implementation. Deploy suitable community engagement and analysis methods with relevant stakeholders as required in coordination with ICRAF scientists. Support the project team leaders to ensure high-quality outputs and timely submissions of consultant and partner research outputs.

Document, communicate and advocate progress in the implementation of Green Value Chains, Payment for Ecosystem Services, Sustainable Landscape Management and Capacity Development processes. Human capital Support in research activities of students and interns, including facilitating and evaluating their work. Assist the project team in strengthening the capacity of partners at national and sub-national levels, including facilitating and organizing training, workshops, and other events in collaboration with partners and country teams.

Game-changing solutions Engage in setting up and functioning of soft institutions and stakeholder platforms with relevant stakeholders/stakeholder institutions for upgrading green value chains that support effective application of sustainable land management practices as per project requirements. Assist in developing green value chain and sustainable financing networks connecting both existing value chains and those developed by the project at different levels.

Examine the benefit sharing across the different actors of the value chains and sustainable financing and propose actions to ensure equitable benefit sharing. Motivate actors for sustainable landscape management practices and connect them effectively with value chain upgrades & PES mechanisms. Contribute to strengthening coordination and synergies among external consultants engaged by both ICRAF and the PMU.

Represent the organization in engaging with public, private, and smallholder farmers in various events – as a resource person, participant, and other relevant capacity. Contribute to local and national discussions on relevant topics of expertise in close coordination with the supervisor and Sri Lanka senior researchers.

Structural capital Support the project team leaders to ensure accountability processes to donors by contributing to timely submissions of reports and activities on the ground. Contribute to project reporting, monitoring, and evaluation in collaboration with other team members and project partners. Participate in adaptive management reviews of implementation.

Maintain records on stakeholders and community engagements (e.g. prior notice, list of attendances and contacts, gallery of photos, agenda & minutes preparation). Track the follow-up actions of the decisions taken in the meetings. Provide monthly summary reports comprising type of engagement/meeting, decisions taken, progress of follow up actions and remarks, and contribute to the annual donor reporting as required.