1. Background to SDF
The Somaliland Development Fund – Phase 3 (SDF3) covers the period 2025–2028, with the
possibility of a two-year extension. SDF3 aims to strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable
communities, enhance livelihoods and employment opportunities, and promote private-sector
engagement in climate-smart solutions. The programme is aligned with NDP3 and Somaliland Vision
2030 and is currently funded by Denmark and Norway.
Under SDF3, the Ministry of Livestock and Rural Development (MoLRD) is implementing the
“Increasing Climate Resilience through the Qool Caday Livestock Centre of Excellence Project”. The
project aims to rehabilitate and protect 8,000 hectares of communal rangeland in Salaxley District,
including a 6,000-hectare drought reserve, while establishing the Qool Caday Livestock Centre of
Excellence as a national hub for climate-smart livestock production, training, research, innovation and
extension services.
To ensure the long-term sustainability, effective management and replication of these investments,
MoLRD intends to develop nationally applicable legal, regulatory, governance and operational
frameworks for Livestock Holding Grounds, Drought Reserves and Livestock Centres of Excellence
in Somaliland, using the Qool Caday Livestock Centre of Excellence as the pilot model. The developed
frameworks assignment will establish clear legal mandates, governance arrangements, management
and financing mechanisms, operational procedures and oversight systems, supported by priority legal
instruments, institutional and operational frameworks, a financial sustainability model, implementation
tools, and a costed roadmap for roll-out.
2. Summary of the role
SDF3 seeks a Team Leader / Livestock, Rangeland and Institutional Management Specialist to lead
a multi-disciplinary team that will be developing the national legal, regulatory, governance and
operational frameworks for Livestock Holding Grounds, Drought Reserves and Livestock Centres of
Excellence in Somaliland. The role requires a highly experienced specialist capable of leading
multidisciplinary technical inputs and delivering practical, sustainable and nationally applicable
institutional and management frameworks.
3. Key tasks
• Provide overall technical leadership, coordination and quality assurance, and serve as the
Consultant’s primary point of contact with the Client.
• Lead the assessment of the Qool Caday Livestock Centre of Excellence (QLCE) and review
the legal, institutional, governance, operational and financial arrangements relevant to
Livestock Holding Grounds, Drought Reserves and Livestock Centres of Excellence.
• Lead stakeholder consultations and ensure effective engagement of government institutions,
customary authorities, communities, private-sector actors and development partners.
• Guide the development of nationally applicable legal, regulatory, governance, management,
operational and financial frameworks for Livestock Holding Grounds (LHGs), Drought
Reserves (DRs) and Livestock Centres of Excellence (LCEs).
• Oversee the preparation of governance structures, management models, operational systems,
financial sustainability mechanisms, implementation tools and scale-up arrangements.
• Ensure the effective integration of all technical workstreams into a coherent, practical and
scalable national framework.
• Lead validation, stakeholder review and finalisation of all assignment outputs and
recommendations.
• Master's degree in Veterinary Sciences, Livestock Production, Rangeland Management,
Natural Resource Management, Agricultural Economics or a related field from a recognised
university.
General Professional Experience
• At least twelve (12) years of professional experience in at least three (3) of the following areas:
livestock development, rangeland management, natural resource management, grazing
reserve management, institutional development, governance or rural development, preferably
in the Horn of Africa or similar pastoral and agro-pastoral contexts.
Specific Professional Experience
• Served as Team Leader, Project Manager or Lead Specialist on at least two (2) completed
assignments involving grazing reserves, livestock holding grounds, livestock infrastructure,
livestock resource centres or similar facilities.
• Demonstrated experience in at least two (2) assignments involving institutional strengthening,
governance reform or management framework development for livestock, rangeland or natural
resource management institutions.
• Demonstrated experience in at least two (2) assignments involving stakeholder engagement,
community participation or co-management arrangements in pastoral, rangeland or natural
resource management settings.
• Demonstrated experience in at least one (1) assignment involving the preparation of
operational frameworks, management plans, strategic plans or implementation roadmaps.
Interested candidates should send their application (cover letter and CV) to the Somaliland
Development Fund Secretariat through e-mail jobs@sdf-secretariat.org. Candidates should indicate
in their cover letter how they fit the criteria outlined in the advert. All applications must be received by
Sunday 1 November 2026 at 1600hrs East African Standard Time. Applicants should clearly
indicate the position they are applying for in the email subject line.
Any attempt by a candidate to influence the outcome of the recruitment process in any way which can
be interpreted as canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification from being considered for this
position.
This position is open to both International and Somaliland candidates.
The Somaliland Development Fund was established in 2012 as a pooled fund to provide a single vehicle through which Development Partners could support Somaliland’s development goals. The SDF supports the Government of Somaliland in delivering strategi... Read More
