Title: Sr Program Officer, Nature-Based Solutions

Job Family/Level: Program / Senior Specialist

Reports to: Sr Director, Forest Climate Place-Based Solutions

FLSA status: Exempt

Revised Date: June 2022

Major Function

The Senior Program Officer, Nature-Based Solutions will support key WWF country teams and their partners in forest geographies in the ideation, design, planning and implementation of forest and land use policies, programs and incentive systems that collectively address drivers of deforestation and degradation at scale. In collaboration with forest and climate team members, this role will help WWF country offices and partners to build support for land policy reforms, including establishing linkages with subnational/national REDD+ programs and Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs), and develop external support through elaboration of funding proposals and/or place-based corporate partnerships.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with WWF country teams and their counterparts (e.g., in government, civil society, academia) to develop options to improve local to national policies and programs to address the drivers of deforestation and degradation and to support increased ambition and performance against NDCs in the forest and land sector.
• Co-develop portfolios of conservation and sustainable management interventions (e.g., projects and programs to improve land security, uptake of best management practices for forests and agriculture, and market-based incentives for responsible production) that appeal to diverse stakeholders and align with landscape and jurisdictional sustainability goals.
• Provide oversight to country-based teams regarding project planning, implementation and reporting to donors, including against agreed metrics for social, climate and nature benefits.
• Provide technical support to WWF country teams regarding strategic policies and goals as they relate to forest governance, sustainable (deforestation free) supply chains and nature-based solutions.
• Team with WWF country offices and multilateral finance teams to conceptualize and draft bilateral and multilateral funding proposals with a focus on improved natural resource governance.
• Liaise with WWF teams leading on corporate sustainability and business/procurement to help catalyze place-based partnerships (e.g., through funding, sourcing agreements, extension services, data sharing and mapping) to reduce deforestation.
• Develop white papers, case studies and related materials regarding both failed and successful policy interventions to tackle deforestation to support the team’s efforts related to communications, knowledge sharing and capacity building.
• Contribute with programmatic Monitoring and Evaluation for the team’s projects and programs.
• Support the Senior Director for Forest and Climate in strategic planning to advance the team’s goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree preferred in Political Sciences, Environmental Economics, Public Administration, Rural Development or any other relevant field.
• Must have a minimum of 6 years of relevant working experience specifically related to national/subnational public policy design, implementation and/or management as it pertains to the forest and/or land sector. An advanced degree may substitute for 2 years of work experience.
• Excellent written and spoken communications skills in English are required.
• Excellent knowledge of policies relevant to tackle deforestation and forest degradation as they pertain to the developing world.
• Experience working in and with developing country governments on forest and land sector and/or climate policies.
• Excellent critical thinking skills and drive for tackling complex problems.
• High capacity for knowledge acquisition and synthesis, particularly incorporating technical inputs into policy design.
• Familiarity with international forest and climate policy space (e.g., UNFCCC, SDGs, etc.).
• Basic capacity for understanding of geospatial data.
• Basic relevant knowledge of forest ecology, physiology, forest management, conservation or relevant policy.
• Must be able to travel internationally (20% of the time likely).
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary/multicultural environment.
• Fluent in at least one additional language is preferred, ideally in Spanish or French for interaction with our country field programs.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:
  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

• Work closely with WWF country teams and their counterparts (e.g., in government, civil society, academia) to develop options to improve local to national policies and programs to address the drivers of deforestation and degradation and to support increased ambition and performance against NDCs in the forest and land sector.
• Co-develop portfolios of conservation and sustainable management interventions (e.g., projects and programs to improve land security, uptake of best management practices for forests and agriculture, and market-based incentives for responsible production) that appeal to diverse stakeholders and align with landscape and jurisdictional sustainability goals.
• Provide oversight to country-based teams regarding project planning, implementation and reporting to donors, including against agreed metrics for social, climate and nature benefits.
• Provide technical support to WWF country teams regarding strategic policies and goals as they relate to forest governance, sustainable (deforestation free) supply chains and nature-based solutions.
• Team with WWF country offices and multilateral finance teams to conceptualize and draft bilateral and multilateral funding proposals with a focus on improved natural resource governance.
• Liaise with WWF teams leading on corporate sustainability and business/procurement to help catalyze place-based partnerships (e.g., through funding, sourcing agreements, extension services, data sharing and mapping) to reduce deforestation.
• Develop white papers, case studies and related materials regarding both failed and successful policy interventions to tackle deforestation to support the team’s efforts related to communications, knowledge sharing and capacity building.
• Contribute with programmatic Monitoring and Evaluation for the team’s projects and programs.
• Support the Senior Director for Forest and Climate in strategic planning to advance the team’s goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree preferred in Political Sciences, Environmental Economics, Public Administration, Rural Development or any other relevant field.
• Must have a minimum of 6 years of relevant working experience specifically related to national/subnational public policy design, implementation and/or management as it pertains to the forest and/or land sector. An advanced degree may substitute for 2 years of work experience.
• Excellent written and spoken communications skills in English are required.
• Excellent knowledge of policies relevant to tackle deforestation and forest degradation as they pertain to the developing world.
• Experience working in and with developing country governments on forest and land sector and/or climate policies.
• Excellent critical thinking skills and drive for tackling complex problems.
• High capacity for knowledge acquisition and synthesis, particularly incorporating technical inputs into policy design.
• Familiarity with international forest and climate policy space (e.g., UNFCCC, SDGs, etc.).
• Basic capacity for understanding of geospatial data.
• Basic relevant knowledge of forest ecology, physiology, forest management, conservation or relevant policy.
• Must be able to travel internationally (20% of the time likely).
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary/multicultural environment.
• Fluent in at least one additional language is preferred, ideally in Spanish or French for interaction with our country field programs.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration:
  • Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
  • Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
  • Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
  • Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #23004
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.