SCOPE Zimbabwe
DUE: 25 MAR 2025
Position Title: Programme Officer (full-time, one -year fixed term contract – renewable )
Location: Harare, Mt Hampden
About SCOPE
SCOPE Zimbabwe is a multi-award-winning sustainability education Hub established as a PVO/12/92
that works with Zimbabwean schools and institutions to promote sustainable development and
regenerative design concepts. Working in conjunction with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary
Education and other partners, SCOPE’s primary purpose is to encourage the engagement of young
people in improving local community and environmental resilience.
Background and Position Summary
The growing human population and rural poverty are driving land-use change, fragmentation, and
habitat degradation, leading to potential conflicts with wildlife. Unsustainable agricultural practices
are threatening the ecological integrity of natural landscapes and farming communities’ resilience. To
ensure food security and protect the environment, communities can establish climate-resilient food
systems based on livestock and natural resource management. Sustainability education is crucial for
young individuals to address climate change, waste management, energy consumption, soil
degradation, and food insecurity. It is essential for young people to understand wildlife and ecosystem
services, such as water and grasslands, and ensure their value and sustainability through community
stewardship through sustainable food production and consumption systems. Prioritizing education
that cultivates a thorough understanding of these interconnected issues can equip future generations
to implement solutions that improve ecological resilience and contribute to sustainable development.
Role Description
The Programme Officer role is essential for building sustainable food systems within the school
sustainability education landscape that SCOPE and its partner’s support. The primary responsibility of
this position is to lead the co-creation, development, implementation, and monitoring of a
regenerative agriculture and food sovereignty strategy. This strategy will encompass sustainable
production and consumption practices integrated into the curriculum. The Programme Officer will
collaborate closely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including local school and higher learning
institutions’ communities, conservancies, partners, and other experts, to develop and implement
pilots that promote sustainable food production models. Key initiatives include working with school
communities on integrated land and water management models in riverine, forest, and grassland
ecosystems to foster sustainable education and farming practices. Additionally, the role will involve
the co-creation and establishment of demonstration programs that serve as lighthouses for schoolbased models and exploring sustainability accelerators within the target landscape.
Through capacity building and shared learnings, the Programme Officer will inform and enhance
approaches to sustainable food systems across SCOPE’s priority areas in the country
Key Duties and Responsibilities
• Develop a comprehensive permaculture, agroecology, and integrated land use design
implementation plan for the organization’s programmatic focus on agriculture and food
systems transformation.
• Lead the design and implementation of regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems
projects with schools, higher learning institutions and communities.
• Collaborate with all schools, higher learning institutions, and landscape stakeholders.
• Support consulting missions related to programmatic focus.
• Lead scoping analyses, baseline reviews, and studies to measure project impact.
• Monitor and evaluate agriculture/livestock-related data and project reporting.
• Conduct capacity building activities to create awareness and facilitate co-learning.
• Oversee project technical and financial management.
• Assist learning institutions and communities in planning, prioritising, and implementing
sustainable production and consumption activities.
• Support fundraising and fund tracking efforts for ILUD projects.
• Measure the number of benefits accrued from projects.
• Establish good working relationships with local communities and their leaders.
• Collaborate with other Programmes of SCOPE-regional Network.
• Share and document learnings to support the wider development of resilient community
livelihoods.
• Report to key stakeholders and ensure activities align with donor grants, expectations, and
planned outcomes.
• In collaboration with the SCOPE Communications Unit, contribute to outreach activities,
periodic publications and features on community engagement across the SCOPE Network.
• Identifies and aligns with the core values and principles of effectiveness of the SCOPE
organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration
Qualifications
Advanced university degree in the field of agroecology/agricultural sciences / Animal Science and
management/ agronomy / food systems / natural resource management. (A relevant Master’s degree
is an added advantage).
Experience
A minimum of 3 years of active engagement and experience of working with local rural communities
on agriculture and sustainable production.
Key Skills / Competencies
• Experience in developing and implementing permaculture/ agroecology sustainable
education and sustainable food systems related projects, preferably in a natural-resource
context.
• Skilled project management and managing budgets
• Familiarity with the dynamics and key issues related to regenerative agriculture and food
systems in Zimbabwe.
• Understanding of factors related to the sustainable education- conservation nexus in
education context.
• Ability to build good relationships and work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders in a
respectful, participatory manner.
• Experience engaging with ‘hard to reach’ members of society is desirable.
• Experience with participatory (action) research and co-creation of sustainable, regenerative
and conservation initiatives with a wide range of stakeholders is highly desirable.
• Ability to organize and host meetings, with strong diplomatic skills.
• A command of written and spoken English and spoken Shona/ Ndebele or/& local languages
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative social science research methods, including
surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, research on sensitive topics and their
analysis; understanding of research ethics.
• Self-driven with a proactive approach to problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritise multiple tasks.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
• Frequent field trips away from assigned location
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and verbal) with a wide range of
collaborators/audiences, including proven ability to write project and donor reports.
• High levels of computer literacy; competent use of Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint and
Word). Commitment to SCOPE and its mission.
• Working Relationships External: Interacts frequently with consultants, researchers, donors,
government departments and other agencies, communities, NGOs and INGOs. Internal:
Interacts frequently with a range of people.
TO APPLY
Please send your application letter and CV (max 4 pages, all in one PDF format including full contact
details of three referees) to email address: [email protected] clearly
marked Programme officer in subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The
deadline for applications is 26 March 2025.