This position can be based in any of WRI Kenya. The applicant will be expected to hold existing work authorization at the time application is submitted.

About the Program:

WRI’s Restoration Initiative informs, enables, and invests in people that restore degraded land, returning them to economic and environmental productivity. 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. WRI’s restoration work in Africa supports the goals of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, AFR100. Since 2023, WRI is supporting landscape-focused restoration in Africa. Done well, landscape-scale restoration can revitalize African landscapes, while enhancing human well-being through food, energy and water systems which conserve, restore and sustain the continent’s rich natural heritage. This work is anchored within World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Vital Landscapes Pillar that aims at revitalizing and protecting landscapes for people and planet. We do this through sustainable management of rural landscape, connecting them to cities, creating jobs, reducing poverty, and improving food security. The Vital Landscapes Pillar aims to build the resilience of our natural ecosystems so that they can provide vital ecosystems services such as food, water, carbon sequestration and climate regulation.

Job Highlight:

You will report to chair of landscape delivery team, and work closely with AFR100 manager. You join a growing team delivering work in priority landscapes, including experts on restoration, conservation, water, food, energy and water and will contribute to important work to turn the goal of AFR100 – Africa’s ambitious commitment to restore 100 million hectares of land by 2030 – into a reality. This position is fully remote for candidates based in the landscape but could become hybrid depending on available office space in WRI’s offices in Nairobi, Kenya.

What will you do:

Coordination of FLR activities in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley (85%):

• Ensure timely delivery of Restoration Initiative deliverables in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley as outlined in landscape workplans and through coordination with WRI’s regional restoration leads on monitoring, capacity building, finance, and policy as well as WRI partners such as One Tree Planted, Realize Impact and One Acre Fund
• Provide management support to key restoration staff operating in the landscape (portfolio specialist, monitoring analysts, capacity building specialists)
• Lead key stakeholder engagements in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley around WRI’s current Restoration programs in Africa, e.g., the Land Accelerator Africa, TerraFund for AFR100, Restoration Policy Accelerator, Landscape Monitoring Accelerator and other Capacity building programs
• Support customization of WRI’s Restoration programs in Africa, e.g., the Land Accelerator Africa, TerraFund for AFR100, Restoration Policy Accelerator, Landscape Monitoring Accelerator and other Capacity building programs, to fit the Kenya’s Great Rift Valley context prior to deployment
• Support the adoption of relevant tools, methodologies and datasets during the research, planning, implementation and tracking of restoration activities in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley
• Support convening and building synergies between sub-national stakeholders that include Government Agencies, CSOs, local NGOs, academic institutions, the private sector to foster landscape restoration and sustainable landscape management
• Serve as the focal point for development of “Restoration Registries” a system for cataloguing technical assistance and financing requests for restoration activities in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley; support building sub-national government and stakeholders buy-in into the concept, validating the Registries governance structure and identifying sustainable sources of data
• Guide, support and supervise consultants to provide technical assistance in the development and implementation of the FLR activities in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley as necessary
• Organize and support the planning and coordination of key events related to land restoration in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley
• Represent WRI in meetings with the sub-national Government, project consortia, and other partners in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley

Integrated landscape activities (10%):

• Participate in the development and implementation of workplans in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley
• Support the development and implementation of an integrated landscape approach in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley combining contextual contributions from the restoration, food, water, energy programs of the Vital Landscape pillar
• Support documentation of lessons learned and best practices from implementing integrated landscape approaches in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley to foster learning and knowledge sharing across WRI’s priority landscapes and beyond
• Lead or contribute to research and communication products

Administrative Responsibilities (5%):

• Input into WRI administrative processes (e.g., proposal development, project planning, landscape budget reviews, donor reporting, among others)
• Complete administrative paperwork related to contracts, sub-agreements, vendor payment, etc., in collaboration with WRI operations staff

What will you need:

• Education: A Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, rural development, geography, or similar field
• Experience: 5+ years’ work experience in natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, environmental management, or related fields
• Experience in facilitating collaboration with partners including at sub-national level across government, donors, private sector, NGOs and local community-based organizations, among other stakeholders
• Understanding of policies and regulations on restoration and natural resource management in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley or similar ecosystems
• Experience in environmental research with forest and landscape restoration topics preferred
• Flexibility to live, work and travel to remote areas
• Good analytical skills, e.g., GIS
• Languages: Proficiency in verbal and written English

Potential Salary:
Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors. WRI offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by the date of April 26, 2023. You mustapply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US.
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work.
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI.
• Long-term commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours.
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.

About Us:

Founded in 1982, 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 to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, aswell as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

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.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

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. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.