I. Position Summary

The IP - Partnership Supervisor leads and manages the IP - Community Partnership team across all 11 Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) clusters. Operating in a joint, integrated field structure alongside the Workstream 1 (Forest Protection) team, this role bridges traditional tribal governance with field enforcement and forest monitoring operations.

Reporting directly to the Forest Protection & IP - Partnership Manager, the Supervisor ensures community activities support forest protection goals. The role collaborates with the Stakeholder Engagement, CEPA, and Livelihood supervisors to align institutional agreements, outreach campaigns, and alternative income programs across all 11 CADTs.

II. Core Accountabilities

• Lead, guide, and hold the IP - Community Partnership Officers accountable to performance targets, field operational standards, and project milestones.

• Work together with the Forest Protection Supervisor and Cluster FP Associates to align IP community engagement with field patrol operations, threat responses, and IP-Forest Guard mobilization.

• Guide and strengthen Indigenous governance structures by facilitating leadership engagement, implementation of partnership commitments, and community participation in project decision-making.

• Maintain productive, transparent relationships with IPS leadership, Tribal Councils, and Indigenous institutions across all 11 CADTs to ensure sustained trust and collaboration.

• Oversee the resolution of community concerns and grievances, continuously monitor social risks and partnership health, and execute proactive management actions.

• Synchronize field operations with the Stakeholder Engagement Supervisor (for LGU/NCIP institutional linkages) and the CEPA Supervisor (for culturally adapted community campaigns) to ensure unified execution on the ground.

III. Duties and Responsibilities

1. Joint Operations with Forest Protection (Workstream 1 & 2 Integration)

   • Co-manage cluster-level operations alongside the Forest Protection Supervisor to ensure IP Community Partnership Officers and Forest Protection Officers/Associates operate as a unified unit on the ground.

   • Ensure IP leadership and IP - communities actively support daily forest
     patrols, threat verifications, and joint enforcement activities within their
     respective ancestral domains.

   • Leverage community relationships to gather frontline intelligence on
     emerging illegal forest activities, feeding real-time data to the Forest
     Protection team.

2. Cross-Workstream Collaboration (Stakeholder Engagement & CEPA)
   - Align community-level Tribal Council agreements with broader institutional frameworks, MOAs, and LGU/NCIP policies.
   - Share field intelligence regarding local political and stakeholder developments that may impact project execution.
   - Work jointly to translate, adapt, and roll out culturally appropriate awareness campaigns and educational tools tailored to specific CADT clusters.

3. Team Leadership & Operations Management (LMA)
   - Provide direct supervision, coaching, and field support to Cluster IP - Community Partnership Officers under the EOS framework.
   - Review and approve monthly field work plans, budget requirements, and liquidations for Indigenous Structure operational funds prior to finance
   submission.
   - Ensure complete and timely submission of field intelligence, partnership reports, and cluster progress updates directly to the Forest Protection & IP - Partnership Manager.

4. IPS & Tribal Council Engagement
   - Serve as the primary operational link for Municipal Tribal Councils, Council of Elders, and IP leadership across all 11 CADTs.
   - Facilitate regular policy alignment, project updates, and joint planning sessions with traditional governance bodies.
   - Ensure all field activities strictly adhere to agreed community protocols and partnership commitments.

5. Conflict Transformation & Grievance Handling
   - Operationalize the project’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) at the community level.
   - Intervene directly in sensitive community disputes or misunderstandings involving project activities, applying culturally respectful conflict-
   resolution strategies.

IV. Required Qualifications & Competencies

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry, Development Studies, Anthropology, Social Work, Environmental Science, or related field.

• Experience:

o Minimum of 3–5 years of progressive experience leading community engagement, social governance, or IP partnerships in large-scale forestry, conservation, or rural development projects.

o Proven experience working directly with Indigenous Peoples Structures (IPS), Tribal Councils, and ancestral domaingovernance (CADTs) in Mindanao.

o Strong familiarity with integrating community engagement directly into forest protection enforcement operations.

• Core Competencies:

o Strong team management abilities under the EOS frame (Lead, Manage, Accountable).

o Proven capacity to work jointly with technical forest protection teams to drive combined conservation outcomes.

o Ability to align seamlessly with specialized teams (Stakeholder Engagement, CEPA, Livelihood) for unified messaging and operations.

o Deep understanding of IP culture, customary laws, and conflict resolution in Davao Oriental.

o Highly articulate in English and Cebuano/Visayan (knowledge of local IP dialects like Mandaya is a strong advantage).

o Physically fit and prepared to conduct extensive field work across remote ancestral domains.