ABOUT THE ONE MARA CARBON PROJECT (OMCP)

One Mara Carbon Project (OMCP) is an ecosystem-level conservation initiative in the Maasai Mara that works to protect biodiversity, restore degraded lands, and deliver climate, economic, and social benefits to local communities through access to carbon markets.

Located north and northeast of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, OMCP operates in a savannah landscape that supports iconic African wildlife and the traditional Maasai herding culture. The project focuses on reducing emissions and restoring rangelands while improving livestock productivity through sustainable grazing management. It also aims to conserve biodiversity, expand alternative livelihoods, strengthen conservancy resilience, and support a thriving tourism sector.

OMCP is supported by Conservation International (CI), the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (MMWCA), and Ahueni.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Rangeland Officer will play a key role in advancing sustainable grazing management and rangeland restoration under the OMCP Mara Carbon CLG. This position is responsible for guiding community-driven grazing plans and monitoring rangeland health. They will also ensure the effective implementation of key activities that contribute to ecosystem regeneration and carbon sequestration in the Greater Mara Ecosystem.

Working closely with pastoral communities, conservancies, and technical teams, the Rangeland Officer will lead field-based assessments, support data collection for carbon methodologies, strengthen community capacity, and help integrate Indigenous knowledge into rangeland management. This role will also contribute to technical reporting, learning, and representation of the project in relevant rangeland and conservation forums.

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

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Full-time (40 hours/week), based in the Mara landscape in Aitong, Narok County, Kenya
• Frequent travel (up to 30%) within the project landscape is required

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Field-based role with regular interaction with communities and conservancies
• Opportunity to contribute to a pioneering carbon project with global visibility
• Supportive and collaborative work environment

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Assist in the preparation of technical reports, donor updates, and learning briefs.
• Ensure timely reporting of activity implementation, non-compliance, and field observations.
• Represent the project in local and regional rangeland forums and stakeholder meetings.

• 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

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