This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in a WRI Africa Office in either Nairobi, Kigali or Accra. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

WRI Africa has supported local partners and African governments for over 30 years, focusing on forest protection, landscape restoration, water-resilient development, and sustainable cities. As a regional office formalized in 2019, WRI Africa’s vision is an inclusive transformation where Africa’s people and landscapes thrive. We operate across four strategic pillars: food land and water, thriving and resilient cities, energy, and institutional and economic transformation, working with governments, civil society, indigenous communities, and the private sector to foster a people-centered, climate-responsive development pathway.

Aligned with this broader vision, the Restore Local initiative, part of The Audacious Project, supports locally-led restoration efforts, within Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin transboundary between Rwanda, DRC and Burundi and the Ghana Cocoa Belt as its flagship landscapes, through data based approaches for the purpose of enhancing livelihoods and climate change resilience, restoring ecosystem services, mitigating climate change and conserving nature. As part of its ambition to develop replicable financial mechanisms for durable and equitable land restoration, WRI’s seeks to expand its team to include a senior expert to co-develop, structure and coordinate implementation Restore Local’s approach to mobilizing buyers of restoration outcomes in the three priority landscapes.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Land Restoration Programs, you will play a critical role in engaging outcome buyers in three key restoration landscapes (Ghana Cocoa Belt, Lake Kivu Rusizi Basin, and Greater Rift Valley), and supporting funder mobilization efforts for the Global Restoration Initiative. You will coordinate Restore Local Monitoring and Learning for adaptive management and support funder mobilization and engagement efforts. You will engage with many teams within WRI as well as interface with key stakeholders and high-level contacts of the Institute.

What will you do:

Coordinate Outcome-Based Buyer Engagement in Three Restore Local Landscapes (65%):

• Lead Restore Local’s engagements with outcome buyers (government, private sector, investors, land owners, civil society, funders) in the Ghana Cocoa Belt, Lake Kivu Rusizi River Basin, and Kenya’s Great Rift Valley landscapes
• Develop and implement outcome buyer relationship management approach, based on WRI existing data and team coordination platforms (Asana, Airtable, Slack), working closely with WRI data teams and the Restore Local Invest team
• Map potential outcome-based payers in landscapes/with interest in landscapes, in close collaboration with the teams based in these landscapes (government, private sector, investors, land owners, civil society, funders)
• Work in close collaboration with WRI Invest, Monitor, Motivate and Enable teams to develop inspiring, data rich, context specific communication and engagement materials and strategies for the landscapes per investor category
• Build and maintain relationships with potential outcome payers, and scope viability of convening outcome buyer alliances in each landscape
• Facilitate negotiations and agreements between restoration champions and outcome buyers, ensuring transparency, compliance, and shared value for all parties involved
• Coordinate monitoring and verification activities and communications for outcome-based projects, leveraging TerraMatch and other tools to track progress and demonstrate impact to investors

Coordinate Restore Local monitoring for adaptive management and Support Funder Mobilization and Engagements (35%):

• Support completion of WRI’s monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks, ensuring the project theory of change in each landscape is clear, with realistic indicators set that can drive adaptive management of the Restore Local work
• Support convening of annual learning and planning team meetings
• Develop proposals and business cases for new restoration projects and financial mechanisms that align with funder priorities and the Global Restoration Initiative’s goals
• Support engagement with donors and investors to communicate project impacts, lessons learned, and future funding needs, maintaining WRI’s reputation as a reliable partner in restoration finance.

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a bachelor’s degree in finance, public policy, economics, environmental management, or a similar field. Relevant work experience in lieu of degree is accepted.
• Experience: You have 7+ years of full-time relevant work experience in the field of sustainable private sector development, conservation finance, nature-based solutions or climate change resilience
• Demonstrated success in developing financing partnerships and strategies or brokering deals for environmental projects in Africa
• Experience with fundraising
• Demonstrated success in convening stakeholders from multiple backgrounds with diverse interests around a shared vision
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary and intercultural team
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, with experience communicating technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Willing and able to travel frequently regionally and internationally
• Languages: Written and spoken proficiency in English, with French skills desirable
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.

Potential Salary:

Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by 18 October 2024. We may close the application portal sooner if we receive a high volume of qualified applications.

You must apply 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
• 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, as well 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 and 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.