Background

African Parks (AP) is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on responsibility for the long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities. Founded in 2000, African Parks manages 24 protected areas in 13 countries, covering more than 20 million hectares across Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Through its partnership model, African Parks works to achieve ecological, social, and financial sustainability while ensuring that protected areas deliver lasting benefits for both people and wildlife.

The AP vision is to achieve ecological, financial, and socio-political sustainability of protected areas for the benefit of people and wildlife. A key determinant of socio-political sustainability is the recognition of local people as rights-holders, and a commitment to enabling their active participation in the management of natural resources. The communities should be involved in strategic issues such as proclamation of the park or changes to its status or boundaries, regulations on use, broader land-use planning, resource utilisation, customary practices, health related issues and other material decisions that impact on their livelihoods. The role of Community Extension Officer is essential to all this by offering support to the Senior Community Extension Officer, the Safeguards Officer and the Reproductive Health Officer, where applicable.

Role Profile

The Community Extension Officer may be assigned to work under any designation within the African Parks Zambia (APZ) mandate in the Upper West Zambezi GMA and Liuwa Plain Landscape, depending on operational requirements. The primary focus of this position, however, will be supporting community engagement, stakeholder coordination, and conservation-development initiatives within and around communities in the Upper West Zambezi GMA under the APZ mandate.

As APZ's operations in this area are at an establishment phase, the officer will play a critical role in facilitating community entry processes, building relationships with local stakeholders, supporting baseline assessments, establishing communication channels, strengthening local governance structures, and laying the foundation for long-term partnerships between APZ, government institutions, traditional authorities, and community members. The officer shall provide day-to-day support and serve as a key liaison between APZ field operations and communities.

The Community Extension Officer shall:

1. Establishment of Operations and Stakeholder Mapping

• Support APZ's entry and establishment of operations within the Upper West Zambezi GMA.
• Identify, map, and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including communities, traditional authorities, government institutions, CRBs, NGOs, civil society organisations, and private sector partners.
• Facilitate community entry processes, stakeholder consultations, and introductory engagements to establish APZ's presence and partnerships in the landscape.
• Develop and maintain stakeholder databases, engagement records, and communication channels to support effective stakeholder coordination.
• Support the collection of baseline socio-economic, environmental, governance, and community data to inform planning and programme implementation.
• Assess community priorities, opportunities, risks, concerns, and expectations regarding APZ interventions and conservation activities.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of community governance structures, communication mechanisms, and stakeholder feedback systems.
• Promote awareness of APZ's mandate, objectives, policies, and conservation partnership approach among stakeholders and communities.
• Support land-use planning, natural resource governance initiatives, and community consultation processes during the operational establishment phase.
• Prepare regular reports and analyses on stakeholder engagement, community dynamics, emerging issues, opportunities, and risks.

2. Community Mobilisation and Engagement

• Lead community entry processes in accordance with local customs, traditional protocols, and APZ stakeholder engagement standards.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with traditional leaders, community representatives, local authorities, and key influencers.
• Ensure regular two-way communication between APZ and communities regarding planned activities, expectations, opportunities, and concerns.
• Support community consultations related to conservation planning, protected area management, livelihoods, infrastructure development, and human-wildlife coexistence initiatives.
• Mobilise and engage communities to promote active participation in conservation and community development programmes.
• Facilitate community meetings, consultations, awareness campaigns, and sensitisation activities.
• Strengthen relationships with traditional leaders, Village Action Groups (VAGs), Ward Development Committees (WDCs), Community Resource Boards (CRBs), government institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

3. Community Development Programme Implementation

• Support the implementation of community development programmes, including environmental education, livelihoods, education support, vocational training, community enterprises, reproductive health, and other approved interventions.
• Assist in implementing activities under the Community Development annual work plan.
• Promote conservation-compatible livelihoods and sustainable natural resource management.

4. Safeguards and Community Governance Support

• Support the implementation of the Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Standards, Land Use Plan (LUP), Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Policy, and other community safeguard initiatives.
• Assist with grievance registration, stakeholder consultations, FPIC processes, community awareness, and conflict resolution.
• Support governance strengthening for CRBs, VAGs, and other community structures.

5. Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Collect, verify, and maintain accurate community development data using approved digital platforms.
• Monitor programme implementation and community participation.
• Prepare timely weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, and activity reports.
• Maintain accurate programme records and beneficiary databases.

6. Stakeholder and Community Support

• Work closely with the Senior Community Extension Officer, Community Projects Development Facilitator, Environmental Education Officer, Safeguards Officer, Reproductive Health Officer, and other departments to deliver integrated community programmes.
• Support implementation of community events, outreach activities, and stakeholder engagements.

7. Financial and Asset Management

• Ensure responsible use of project funds and timely retirement of advances.
• Maintain and safeguard project vehicles, equipment, furniture, and other assets.
• Report loss, damage, or maintenance needs promptly.

8. General Responsibilities

• Provide regular updates to the Senior Community Extension Officer on field activities and emerging issues.
• Perform any other lawful duties assigned by the Senior Community Extension Officer or Community Development Manager.

Role requirements

• Bachelor’s degree/Diploma in Wildlife Management/Environmental Conservation/ Education/ community-based natural resource management.
• At least three years of experience with community-based conservation.
• Good written and spoken English.
• Fluency in Silozi.
• A valid driving and riding licence.
• Willingness to work long hours in remote areas with minimal supervision and willingness to ride a motorbike.
• Experience working or living in remote areas.
• Two or more years of experience working in wildlife conservation sector.
• Experience working with NGOs and donor-funded projects.
• Experience on issues of sustainable conservation and ecotourism development.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation data collection.
• Computer skills: Proficiency in computer applications.
• Demonstrated discretion and ability to work with sensitive information.
• Knowledge of local and regional development potential and opportunities in Western Province.
• Understanding of relevant local legislation, policies and procedures.
• Ability to develop and analyse community development plans.
• Knowledge of the Wildlife Act and its implications on communities.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with ability to work across cultures and to foster collaboration.
• Experience of working in remote areas

• Support APZ's entry and establishment of operations within the Upper West Zambezi GMA.
• Identify, map, and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including communities, traditional authorities, government institutions, CRBs, NGOs, civil society organisations, and private sector partners.
• Facilitate community entry processes, stakeholder consultations, and introductory engagements to establish APZ's presence and partnerships in the landscape.
• Develop and maintain stakeholder databases, engagement records, and communication channels to support effective stakeholder coordination.
• Support the collection of baseline socio-economic, environmental, governance, and community data to inform planning and programme implementation.
• Assess community priorities, opportunities, risks, concerns, and expectations regarding APZ interventions and conservation activities.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of community governance structures, communication mechanisms, and stakeholder feedback systems.
• Promote awareness of APZ's mandate, objectives, policies, and conservation partnership approach among stakeholders and communities.
• Support land-use planning, natural resource governance initiatives, and community consultation processes during the operational establishment phase.
• Prepare regular reports and analyses on stakeholder engagement, community dynamics, emerging issues, opportunities, and risks.
• Lead community entry processes in accordance with local customs, traditional protocols, and APZ stakeholder engagement standards.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with traditional leaders, community representatives, local authorities, and key influencers.
• Ensure regular two-way communication between APZ and communities regarding planned activities, expectations, opportunities, and concerns.
• Support community consultations related to conservation planning, protected area management, livelihoods, infrastructure development, and human-wildlife coexistence initiatives.
• Mobilise and engage communities to promote active participation in conservation and community development programmes.
• Facilitate community meetings, consultations, awareness campaigns, and sensitisation activities.
• Strengthen relationships with traditional leaders, Village Action Groups (VAGs), Ward Development Committees (WDCs), Community Resource Boards (CRBs), government institutions, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
• Support the implementation of community development programmes, including environmental education, livelihoods, education support, vocational training, community enterprises, reproductive health, and other approved interventions.
• Assist in implementing activities under the Community Development annual work plan.
• Promote conservation-compatible livelihoods and sustainable natural resource management.
• Support the implementation of the Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Standards, Land Use Plan (LUP), Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Policy, and other community safeguard initiatives.
• Assist with grievance registration, stakeholder consultations, FPIC processes, community awareness, and conflict resolution.
• Support governance strengthening for CRBs, VAGs, and other community structures.
• Collect, verify, and maintain accurate community development data using approved digital platforms.
• Monitor programme implementation and community participation.
• Prepare timely weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, and activity reports.
• Maintain accurate programme records and beneficiary databases.
• Work closely with the Senior Community Extension Officer, Community Projects Development Facilitator, Environmental Education Officer, Safeguards Officer, Reproductive Health Officer, and other departments to deliver integrated community programmes.
• Support implementation of community events, outreach activities, and stakeholder engagements.
• Ensure responsible use of project funds and timely retirement of advances.
• Maintain and safeguard project vehicles, equipment, furniture, and other assets.
• Report loss, damage, or maintenance needs promptly.
• Provide regular updates to the Senior Community Extension Officer on field activities and emerging issues.
• Perform any other lawful duties assigned by the Senior Community Extension Officer or Community Development Manager.

• Good written and spoken English.
• Fluency in Silozi.
• A valid driving and riding licence.
• Willingness to work long hours in remote areas with minimal supervision and willingness to ride a motorbike.
• Experience working or living in remote areas.
• Experience working with NGOs and donor-funded projects.
• Experience on issues of sustainable conservation and ecotourism development.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation data collection.
• Computer skills: Proficiency in computer applications.
• Demonstrated discretion and ability to work with sensitive information.
• Knowledge of local and regional development potential and opportunities in Western Province.
• Understanding of relevant local legislation, policies and procedures.
• Ability to develop and analyse community development plans.
• Knowledge of the Wildlife Act and its implications on communities.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with ability to work across cultures and to foster collaboration.

• Bachelor’s degree/Diploma in Wildlife Management/Environmental Conservation/ Education/ community-based natural resource management.
• At least three years of experience with community-based conservation.
• Two or more years of experience working in wildlife conservation sector.