AFR100 Restoration Monitoring Associate

Job Summary

In this role, you will support forest landscape restoration (FLR) monitoring in Cameroon, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda, and other African countries participating in the AFR100 initiative. You will serve as the focal point for FLR monitoring activities, which includes coordinating data collection efforts and generating and analyzing data related to assessing progress on FLR implementation. You will also support WRI’s engagement with partners in government, civil society, local communities, and the private sector. You will work closely with WRI colleagues based in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Niger, Malawi, Washington DC, and local project partners.

This position is remote due to Covid-19, this position can be based out of Rwanda, Kenya or Ethiopia once restrictions have lifted.

Job Responsibilities

Monitoring Technical Assistance: 70% of the time

• Provide technical support for FLR monitoring activities in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Niger, Malawi, and the AFR100 platform
• Lead and guide the development of geospatial products including datasets, maps, and statistical insights using Collect Earth and GIS from the beginning to end often in collaboration with partners
• Build partnerships and strong relationships with country technical focal points and/or task forces to identify and co-create monitoring solutions that address gaps and are replicable across the region
• Manage a variety of technical support such as the development of nationally/sub-nationally owned FLR monitoring protocols and systems in coordination with local partners and stakeholders, produce custom reports to various audiences, and refine key FLR indicators (biophysical and non-biophysical) into monitoring systems at the national and sub-national scales
• Guide the design and development of a monitoring approach (tools, methods, data) for tracking FLR implementation progress and impact in AFR100

Knowledge Sharing and Awareness Raising : 20% of the time

• Design and facilitate capacity-building programs and materials to WRI staff and partners on FLR monitoring, including data collection and management and new tools/methods
• Share lessons to advance monitoring objectives across WRI teams in the region and adapt new data or methods to context in ways that raise awareness of norms, cultures, and histories and meet responsible data sharing practices
• Frame the conversation around FLR monitoring in countries and the region, in collaboration with WRI teams globally, through authoring WRI articles or representing at monitoring expert events and forums in the region

Administrative Responsibilities: 10%  of the time

• Input to WRI administrative processes (e.g. proposal development, project planning, budget reviews, donor reporting)
• Complete administrative paperwork related to contracts, sub-agreements, vendor payments, etc. in collaboration with WRI colleagues

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in environmental sciences, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, rural development, geography, or similar field (or a Bachelor’s degree with 2 years additional relevant work experience)
• Minimum 3 years’ full-time work experience in natural resource, agriculture or environmental monitoring or related fields
• Demonstrated abilities with geospatial monitoring tools and software and strong technical skills in GIS and remote sensing
• Strong communication skills and experience collaborating with a diversity of partners at various levels (government, donors, private sector, NGOs and local community-based organizations)
• Fluency in French and English languages
• Flexibility to travel to remote areas
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of a team, including actively contributing to team discussions 
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to travel 30% internationally

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of forest and landscape restoration principles
• Experience in forest and landscape restoration or forestry, with a focus on the realities and needs of local restoration groups
• Familiarity with social science research tools to document restoration enabling environment
• Prior experience working in an international institution

How to Apply:
Please submit a resume with cover letter. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. 

Program Overview

WRI and partners have identified more than 700 million hectares of cleared and degraded forest and agricultural lands suitable for restoration across Africa. Using this data as a foundation, we work to promote restoration of degraded lands back into natural forests, agroforestry systems, or productive agriculture. The Global Restoration Initiative works to mobilize action to restore economic and ecological vitality to degraded farms, forests, mangroves, and peatland around the globe. We are a team of nearly 80 across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Washington, DC working to accelerate this locally led, globally important movement in three ways: 1. Inform: Create new data and communicate insights at the global, national and landscape stakeholders 2. Enable: Shift policies and incentives by helping decisions makers solve each other’s challenges 3. Invest: Accelerate projects and businesses and match them with funders to start closing the funding gap. All of which are led through partners of the scaling platforms— the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, AFR100, and Initiative 20×20.

WRI Overview

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean.

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include: integrity, innovation, urgency, independence and respect.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges, and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.
 
We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa ,  Brazil , China ,  Europe ,  India ,  Indonesia ,  Mexico  and the United States  as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.  

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.