Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS)

Organization: Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS)
Position: Natural Resource Management (NRM) Facilitator
Job Location: Any location of Sundarbans ECA (Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat district) and Hakaluki ECA (Sylhet and Moulvibazar District).
Reporting to: Field Manager
No. of Vacancies: 3 (three)
Contract Type: Full-time
Expected Joining date: October 2025
Contract period: Up to March 31, 2026

Introduction:

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has selected a CARE Bangladesh led consortium to implement the project titled ‘Nature Based Adaptation towards Prosperous and Adept Lives & Livelihoods in Bangladesh (NABAPALLAB/ নবপল্লব)’ in two Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA) – Sundarbans and Hakaluki Haor. The other consortium members are CNRS, CordAid, C3ER-BRAC University, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK), Friendship, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), iDE, and Practical Action.  It is a key component of the Bangladesh-UK Accord on Climate Change and will deliver the adaptation outcome of the FCDO’s flagship Bangladesh Climate and Environment Programme (BCEP). The programme will make a significant contribution in Bangladesh to progress against GoB’s policies and priorities e.g., National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), commitments to biodiversity conservation, ongoing 8th Five Year Plan, etc. And it will also contribute to UK’s commitment to International Climate Finance (ICF).

The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, and Hakaluki Haor, a complex wetland system of the Meghna-Surma River basin, play a crucial role in protecting lives and livelihoods in the southwest coast and northeast Bangladesh respectively.  With a population of over 4 million and a rich habitat with rare species, including tigers, the Sundarbans' inhabitants are threatened by climate changes due to rising sea levels and frequent cyclones. Over-extraction of forest resources by locals and industrial development in the nearby areas is currently threatening this World Heritage Site. Hakaluki Haor is one of the most extensive marsh wetlands in the country, inhabited by over 200,000 people and 558 animal and bird species and is a breeding ground for fisheries. Due to environmental sensitivity and high anthropogenic pressures such as overharvesting, overfishing, pollution and illegal logging, the Sundarbans mangrove and the Hakaluki Hoar wetland are at a vulnerable stage with climate change exacerbating the current situation.

FCDO’s NABAPALLAB aims to engage biodiversity and natural resource-dependent communities to strengthen the climate resilience of the ECAs, conserve biodiversity, and at the same time, diversify and improve people's livelihood through innovative nature-based (NBS) and locally led adaptation solutions. It will primarily target communities within the 10 km buffer zone of the ECAs, which are critically exposed and vulnerable to climate change impacts and have a lesser capacity to adapt to such changes. It will increase climate resilience of more than 250,000 vulnerable households and ecosystem-based protection and restoration of 5,000km2 area in, especially in the districts of Bagerhat, Satkhira and Khulna in the Sundarbans ECA, and Moulvibazar and Sylhet in Hakaluki Haor.  The project will consider the most marginalized communities, involving stakeholders from multiple strata and ensuring ownership of provided interventions. It will also enhance the capacity of the local government bodies to manage and conserve the ECAs effectively and create an enabling environment to implement relevant government plans and policies related to Eco-System based Adaptation (EBA).

Part I: Job Statement

The Natural Resource Management (NRM) Facilitator will be the key person to implement the project and provide technical guidance to Field Organizers in implementing the planned project activities at the sites to be assigned.

Part II: Job Responsibilities and Tasks

A.1. Technical activities

  • Responsible to implement all the planned activities of the project at the site level.
  • S/he will be responsible for identifying challenges and threats to biodiversity and ecosystems and support the project team in designing interventions accordingly.
  • Support CMOs, local governments, and stakeholders at sites to improve co-management and facilitate and implantation of NbS and renewable energy interventions of the projects.
  • Involve in developing and implementing local level landscape management plans
  • In addition to providing technical support to Field Organizer, the position will maintain close liaison with different stakeholders at the project site to implement the project activities.
  • Help with different assessments and studies on NRM and Climate Change
  • Input various data on NRM and Climate Change into the MIS and report overall NRM and CC activities.
  • Organize different trainings and workshops for the communities and local stakeholders at site level.
  • Coordinate with FOs in ensuring CMO operations are transparent, functional and achieves towards project goals. Lead in ADP development and implementation by the CMOs.
  • Assist community participation and representation in local government level.
  • Implement ANR (Assisted Natural Regeneration) of mangrove and/or Plantation in Hakaluki and Sundarbans ECA.
  • Strengthen Village Tiger Response Team (VTRT) and Community Patrol Guard (CPG) at Sundarbans ECA. Assist in organizing different awareness events at the project site level
  • Support for strengthening the UP-standing committee and support UP’s to prepare environment plan and budget and ensure sharing a portion for restoration & protection at Sundarbans ECA
  • Disseminate entitlements under PA Rule 2017 and ECA rule 2016 among CMO members through orientation program (CMC, PF and VCF members).
  • Provide technical support in developing engineering design, BOQ, pre and post assessment etc. in re-excavation of canals.

A.2. General Tasks

  • Attending regular meetings/trainings/workshops as and when required by the project and management.
  • Presentation of technical achievements regularly in the project events.
  • Work closely with the other team members to achieve project results.
  • Prepare and submit the periodic reports.
  • Any other task as assigned by the management.

Part III: Required qualification and Experiences.

Academic Qualification: Post-graduate degree in science or social sciences. Preference will be given to candidates with undergraduate and/or postgraduate degree in Natural Resource Management; Disaster Management, Environment/Climate Change, Development Studies, Civil and/or Water Engineering, Agriculture, International Relations, Economics, Sociology, Statistics, Geography etc.

Working Experience:

  • Minimum 3 years of working experience in community led innovation in the context of natural resource management, co-management, climate justice & adaptation/ resilience.
  • Familiar with bio-physical and socio-economic conditions in the ecologically critical areas in Sundarbans and Hakaluki Haor.
  • Experience in developing and implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and renewable/green energy to address and mitigate climate change challenges.

Part IV: Key Competencies

  • Having excellent understanding local context and socio-political power dynamics that control the local resources including natural resources.
  • Good understanding on issues of climate change adaptation; gender equity, protection and multicultural intervention.
  • Good communication, negotiation and problem-solving capacity.
  • Ability to manage stress, multi-task and take decisions.
  • Proficient in MS Office tools (Word, Excel);
  • Good verbal and written communication skills in local language, English and Bengali;
  • Results oriented.
  • Flexibility and good understanding on human centric innovation, Adaptive thinking and a strong, critical mindset, Good interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills.

Safeguarding and Ethics- The position is expected to uphold the organization’s safeguarding policies, ensuring the protection of children and vulnerable groups from any form of abuse, exploitation, or harm.

Salary: BDT 49,511/- per month, all inclusive

Apply Instruction: Applicants should apply to HR Manager through the following link: https://forms.gle/ikLZArXC8X2EggP2A - by September 30, 2025. The resume and cover letter shall also be uploaded through this link. Applicants must enclose his/her Photograph and signature with the Resume. The resume shall obtain at least two referees amongst which one should be from the current/last organization. Women are highly encouraged to apply. We would like to graciously thank all applicants for their interest but only candidates who meet aforesaid requisite criteria, and are short listed will be contacted. CNRS reserves the right to modify or cancel this process at any point of time.

N.B. CNRS neither charges fee nor accepts payments from candidates at any stage of the recruitment or selection process

Special Note: CNRS places the highest priority on the safety and well-being of all individuals, especially children and vulnerable adults. We uphold strict safeguarding & child protection policies to ensure a secure working environment. Any form of abuse, exploitation, or harm is not tolerated. All candidates/staff members are expected to comply with safeguarding & Child Protection policy and report any concerns immediately.