Rangeland Officer

The One Mara Carbon Project (OMCP) is an ecosystem-level conservation initiative that aims to protect ecological resources and provide economic and social benefits for local communities in the Maasai Mara. The Rangeland Officer will be crucial in developing, implementing, and monitoring community-based rotational grazing plans and rangeland restoration activities across participating conservancies, ensuring compliance and capacity building.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Grazing Management & Restoration Implementation

• Lead the development and implementation of community-based rotational grazing plans across participating conservancies.
• Track the level of implementation of project activities critical to rangeland restoration and carbon sequestration (e.g., adherence to grazing plans and stocking densities) and report non-compliance.
• Monitor livestock movement, Body Condition Scores (BCS), and herd structure to ensure compliance with agreed grazing schedules.
• Support the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into rangeland management plans.
• Contribute to the development of early warning systems for drought and pasture scarcity.

Rangeland Health Monitoring & Assessment

• Conduct rangeland health assessments, including vegetation cover, soil condition, and biodiversity indicators.
• Support the mapping and zoning of grazing areas using GIS and remote sensing tools.
• Oversee the collection of data on livestock movement, livestock numbers, and herd structures in accordance with appropriate carbon standard methodologies to show evidence of project activities and calculate project emissions and leakage.
• Collaborate with the technical team on soil organic carbon (SOC) sampling and monitoring.

Community Engagement & Capacity Building

• Facilitate community engagement forums to co-design and review grazing protocols and restoration strategies.
• Train community scouts and herders on rangeland monitoring techniques and sustainable grazing practices.

Data Management, Reporting & Learning

• Assist in the preparation of technical reports, donor updates, and learning briefs.
• Ensure timely reporting of activity implementation, non-compliance, and field observations.

Representation & Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent the project in local and regional rangeland forums and stakeholder meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Rangeland Management, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in rangeland or pastoralist systems.
• Strong understanding of carbon projects, grazing plan development, grazing systems review, and community-based conservation.
• Proficiency in GIS, GPS, and remote sensing tools for land monitoring.
• Excellent facilitation, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Experience working in Kenya’s pastoralist landscapes.
• Experience working with pastoral communities and conservancies.