DESERT FOOD Projekt Manager

To further the DESERT FOOD cause in Germany, Kenya and the rest of the world, the DESERT FOOD Foundation is looking for a new project manager, who enjoys working independently in different places and cultures and to think creatively about innovative, entrepreneurial solution approaches to complex development challenges.

Background:
The DESERT FOOD Foundation’s objective is to mitigate the severe consequences of desertification, through the smart, entrepreneurial and culturally appropriate implementation of cutting-edge solar, desalination and agricultural drip irrigation technologies in the world’s deserts. Solar capitalises the enormous energy potential of the sun, desalination technologies make the vast salt water resources accessible to human consumption, while agricultural drip irrigation technologies prevent water loss and evaporation. Equipped with these technologies, DESERT FOOD establishes decentralised, community led farms and fresh water fountains in the world’s arid and semi-arid regions and thereby fosters sustainable livelihood systems in areas where traditional ways of life are significantly threatened by increasing resource scarcity, famine and poverty.

Innovative technologies alone, however, are not in themselves sufficient to assure sustainable development in arid desert regions. DESERT FOOD is firmly convinced that its farms need to achieve financial autonomy to become truly sustainable. To assure such financial autonomy the thus far high maintenance and repair costs of desalination technologies must be compensated for with highly efficient and profitable agricultural production systems. The establishment of such systems is often complicated by high poverty levels and bad infrastructure, as well as distinct cultural patterns that require close consideration.

Therefore, DESERT FOOD upholds a multidisciplinary agenda in order to truly advance sustainable, climate resilient development in desert regions: The foundation mobilises the high potential of new innovations, integrates these technologies in optimised agribusiness models, which in turn are strongly oriented according to the socio-cultural and economic context.

So far, DFF is still at the very beginning. A little more than a year ago a first pilot project has been set up in Turkana Kenya. The pilot includes a communal fresh water fountain and a one-hectare large farm, which currently employs ten families. In the last year, most efforts have been dedicated to assuring the technological functioning of the pilot and to conduct thorough market studies of the region. A lot has been learned. The next steps will now be to assure the pilot’s financial sustainability, in order to then capitalise the many lessons learned in the establishment of further DESERT FOOD projects.

This Is Where You Come In:
As a DESERT FOOD project manager you will carry on the Foundation’s current developments and further expand upon the Foundation’s impact. Amongst others, your tasks will include:

1. Guiding the DESERT FOOD’s pilot farm in Turkana to financial sustainability through water, crop and fodder sales;
2. Creating your own team ranging from support staff, to local farm managers and volunteers;
3. Assuring funding sources for DESERT FOOD;
4. Establishing and managing new DESERT FOOD farms in different regions and contexts;
5. Managing the foundation’s operational marketing;
6. Exploring possible angles of whether- and how to transform the foundation into-, or merge it with a social enterprise.

Your Profile:
- You have prior experience in international development and are passionate about the subject matter;
- You are a good networker with a talent to motivate prospective donors to invest in the project. (Prior fundraising experience is an asset);
- You are culturally versatile and have gain prior experience of what it means to work in a developing country;
- You enjoy working independently, are driven by high-self initiative and have good personal time management. (Prior management experience is an asset);
- You love to travel and to explore different cultures;
- You have a problem-solving attitude and love to devise creative, entrepreneurial solution approaches across a variety of different fields.

We offer:
Competitive pay depending on your experience.

If We Have Raised Your Interest...
... we look forward to your application. Please send your CV and cover letter to info@desertfood.org.

Requirements:
- Computer knowledge
- Professional experience
- Fund raising
- Text writing
- Project management
- General computer knowledge
- General knowledge on environment issues

Spoken Languages:
German, English

Job duration:
Prior consultation

Gültigkeit der Stelle:
Unlimited

Contact persons:
Theresa Reisch
theresa.reisch@schoeller.org

Address:
Zugspitzstrasse 15
82049 Pullach
Bayern
Germany