JOB SUMMARY:
The Land Use Planning Specialist for the USAID-funded Integrated Land and Resource Governance (ILRG) II project, implemented by Tetra Tech ARD, will enhance inclusive community land and natural resource governance in customary areas in Zambia. This position provides planning and data management support to ILRG II activities focused on biodiversity and conservation, Land Use Planning, and customary land administration. In collaboration with team members, the Land Use Planning Specialist will support community engagements to promote inclusive approaches to community governance and data management. The Land Use Planning Specialist will work closely with the ILRG II team to develop tools and facilitate community-based planning processes and outcomes and with government institutions, traditional leaders, civil society, and communities to strengthen use of data in land and natural resource management in Zambia.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:
The Land Use Planning Specialist will provide leadership in the use of planning tools, data integration, and capacity-building of communities to strengthen the management of land and natural resources in Zambia. Responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to:

Land Use Planning (LUP):

• Provide technical support to the implementation of participatory Land Use Planning activities to mitigate land encroachment and promote sustainable land use.
• Facilitate the capacity building of ILRG II partners in data collection, digitization, and analysis of data.
• Implement GESI-responsive tools and methodologies to support the meaningful participation of women, youth, people with disabilities, and the elderly in Land Use Planning.
• Provide technical advice to stakeholders, such as traditional leaders and local government, and others on GIS data integration in planning and use in decision making.

National Level Learning & Coordinator

• Lead coordination and learning at national level on Land Use Planning in customary areas on land and natural resource management.
• Represent ILRG II at national-level discussions, ensuring stakeholder engagement and knowledge-sharing around Land Use Planning and data management.
• Support data-driven approaches to integrate gender considerations into land and natural resource management.

Monitoring, Evaluation, & Learning (MEL):

• Collaborate with the ILRG II MERL Manager to implement MEL systems for tracking progress on land and resource management initiatives.
• Use data insights to refine strategies and improve land and resource governance.

QUALIFICATIONS: (MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS)

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Rural & Urban Planning, Geography, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Data Science, or a related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• At least 5 years of professional experience in facilitating planning processes, database management, or data analysis, particularly in rural areas in land, natural resource management, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in community engagements, building relationships between communities and other stakeholders such as government and NGOs, managing data systems for land use planning, customary land rights, and/or natural resource management.
• Proven experience in capacity-building, including training on data collection and management for government, NGOs, or community-based organizations.
• Experience in GIS and working with USAID-funded projects or international development initiatives is highly desirable.

SKILLS:

• Proficiency in planning and development of planning tools.
• Strong skills in land use planning processes.
• Familiarity with geospatial data collection, digitization, and analysis.
• Familiarity with customary land and natural resource governance issues in Zambia and facilitating inclusive processes and gender-sensitive approaches in land and resource management.
• Skills in building relationships between communities and other stakeholders to advance to advance biodiversity and conservation goals is an added advantage.

GENERAL:

• Displays Initiative: Proactive problem-solver who takes ownership of tasks and delivers results with minimal supervision.
• Highly Collaborative: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders to achieve project goals
• Results-Oriented: Self-starter who transforms ideas into action, ensuring timely and efficient execution of tasks.
• Teamwork: Cooperative team player, able to lead tasks and coordinate with other members of the ILRG II team, consultants, and partners.
• Effective Communicator: Able to clearly explain complex issues and solutions to diverse audiences through various channels, including facilitation, writing, and presentations.