Climate Resilience Lead, Africa

Job Summary:

The Climate Resilience Lead, Africa will work closely with Regional Director, pillar directors, and other senior staff in WRI Africa to help articulate WRI Africa’s offers on climate adaptation as well as engagement with our governmental and non-governmental partners to advance solutions based on evidence. In this position, you will be the focal point for WRI Africa’s governmental and non-governmental partners on adaptation and resilience, as well as initiatives within WRI’s global and country programs relevant to Africa on these topics.  Additionally, in keeping with WRI’s commitment to gender equity across our programs, as the Africa Climate Resilience Lead, you will also be required to identify relevant gender issues, as determined through a gender analysis, and ensure adequate and effective attention to these issues in project and partner development, budgeting and management.

This position can be based in either our office in Ethiopia or Kenya. 

Job Responsibilities:

• Represent WRI Africa’s climate work in local and international forums
• Liaise with and develop collaborations with external partners on advancing climate adaptation and resilience, increased adaptation finance, and locally-led adaptation
• Develop and implement effective strategies for WRI Africa’s engagement in COP and related processes on climate adaptation that is grounded in value on WRI’s comparative expertise and value addition  
• Develop effective strategies for engaging with policymakers and other key stakeholders, including those at the sub-national level such as local community leaders, city managers, civil society organizations, etc.
• Proactively identify and leverage opportunities to focus attention on adaptation and adaptation finance
• Design and implement roundtables, workshops, or other convening events with stakeholders both local and international
• Work with WRI’s communication and engagement teams to advance climate adaptation agenda among decision-makers and the broader public

Research, knowledge and thought leadership:

• Plan, design, and conduct policy-relevant research and analysis and contribute to relevant publications on climate adaptation and resilience, mainstreaming of adaptation to policy, adaptation finance, locally-led adaptation, etc.
• Author blog posts and other communications materials
• Represent WRI at meetings and workshops, and communicate research with external audiences
• Review knowledge products written by other WRI researchers

Program Development and implementation:

• Design and co-create climate adaptation projects with pillar leads
• Actively engage and advise pillar/program leads and other staff to integrate climate adaptation into WRI Africa’s flagship programmatic offers
• Develop, co-lead, and coordinate WRI Africa’s initiatives on mainstreaming climate adaptation, financing, locally-led adaptation, etc.
• Lead and support fundraising efforts for the growing portfolio of climate adaptation and resilience work in Africa and ensure a thriving area of work
• Recruit and develop staff to support effective implementation of work under this portfolio
• Manage and build strong relationships with partners and donors
  

Job Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in relevant field, such as environmental science, climate economics, etc.; relevant work experience in lieu of degree is accepted
  
• Minimum of 7 years full-time relevant work experience; minimum of 3 years in a leadership position
• Significant knowledge of climate policy, including international processes and national climate policy
• Ability to liaise effectively and build partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders and policymakers
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrable research record (e.g., involvement in published papers and reports)
• Demonstrated ability to build and grow a program
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
• Detail-oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities
• Ability to travel when needed
• Strong command of English and French languages

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with cover letter. Resume and cover letter must be submitted in English to be considered. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. 

Program Overview:

WRI’s strategy for Africa is to catalyze a green, inclusive and resilient transformation of Africa’s economies for the benefit of people and landscapes. Our work at sub-national, national and regional level is being streamlined in three inter-connected pillars: Vital Landscapes, Thriving Resilient Cities, and Institutional and Economic Transformation. Climate mitigation and adaptation are key cross-cutting focus areas.

WRI Africa is now seeking to revamp its work on climate resilience – more particularly climate adaptation, losses, and damage (limits to adaptation) but also financial implications and resilience, both to ensure that that these dimensions are mainstreamed in our programmatic offers across the three pillars of our work, as well as revamp our convening and stakeholder engagements on the issues. Our engagements in Africa on climate adaptation are closely coordinated with WRI’s global climate work such as the International Climate Action program, Climate Resilience Practice and the New Climate Economy as well as WRI’s engagements on climate governance under the Center for Equitable Development.

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.