This position is remote based in Ghana, WRI Africa. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission. WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.
About the Program:
WRIโs Restoration Initiative informs, enables, and invests in people that restore degraded land, converting them to socially, economically, and environmentally productive lands. WRIโs restoration work in Africa supports the goals of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, AFR100, where with other partners, we have identified more than 700 million hectares of cleared and degraded forest and agricultural lands suitable for restoration across Africa. 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 continentโs rich natural heritage while generating evidence for scaling within and across landscapes. In WRI Africa, restoration is anchored within the Vital Landscapes Pillar, that aims at revitalizing and protecting landscapes for people and planet. The Vital Landscapes Pillar aims to build the resilience of our natural ecosystems to sustainably provide vital ecosystems services such as food, water, carbon sequestration and climate regulation.
Job Highlight:
Reporting to the Forest Landscape Restoration Senior Associate and the Senior AFR100 Manager, you will manage and lead all the restoration activities in the Ghanaโs Cocoa Belt and coordinate the landscape restoration delivery team. You will be the focal point for the planning, implementation, learning, and political engagement, effectively coordinating and managing an ambitious and rapidly growing team comprising of experts in finance for restoration, capacity building, monitoring, communication, policy, and other disciplines relevant to landscape restoration in the Ghanaโs Coaoa Belt context. You will help realize the goals of AFR100 โ Africaโs ambitious commitment to restore 100 million hectares of land by 2030 โ as well as to WRIโs overarching goals on people, nature, and climate. You will work with WRIโs Africa Restoration Executive Team and the larger landscape delivery team. This position is for candidates based in Ghana with preference to those willing to be fully based within Ghanaโs Cocoa Belt Landscape. This is a remote position, but could become hybrid depending on available office space within partner organizations.
We are looking for a visionary landscape leader, who can build and manage team dynamics and inspire the team to deliver on a shared landscape goal. This requires a technically competent landscape restoration expert with a broad understanding of solving land use issues, but also an adept learner who can steer diverse experts (policy, finance, capacity development, monitoring, communications, etc.) to achieve a shared goal of landscape restoration.
What will you do:
Program Leadership (40%):
You will support building Ghanaโs Cocoa Belt Landscape delivery team, working closely with WRIโs Africa Restoration Executive Team to identify and recruit key roles while leveraging expertise from WRI Africa Restoration staff You will lead Ghanaโs Cocoa Belt Landscape delivery team to co-design and deliver on the Restoration Initiativeโs vision and goals in the landscape. This includes preparation of the landscape theory of change with clear outcomes and activities, annual workplans and budgets, coordinating implementation throughout the year with all partners and holding annual joint learning and planning events that helps the delivery team learn from the past year of implementation and have an adaptative management and planning for subsequent years of activities You will provide internal coordination of WRIโs teams including those working on monitoring, capacity building, finance, communications and policy as well as WRI partners such as One Tree Planted, Realize Impact and The Barka Foundation to deliver on the goal of restored landscapes You will help supervise key staff operating in the landscape including portfolio specialists, monitoring analysts, etc. to ensure effective delivery of programs and projects You will guide, support and supervise consultants to provide technical assistance in the development and implementation of the FLR activities in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape as neededSupport Program Implementation (30%):
You will help develop and implement an integrated landscape approach in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape combining expertise and contributions from food, forests, water in alignment with WRIโs Food-Land and Water programs You will support customization of WRIโs Restoration programs and tools, e.g., the Land Accelerator Africa, TerraFund for AFR100, Restoration Policy Accelerator, Landscape Monitoring Accelerator and other Capacity building programs, to fit the Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape You will support the adoption of relevant tools, methodologies and datasets during the research, planning, implementation and tracking of restoration activities in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape You will support the implementation of โRestoration Registriesโ a system for cataloguing technical assistance and financing requests for restoration activities in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape; support building sub-national government and stakeholders buy-in into the concept, validating the Registries governance structure and identifying sustainable sources of data You will support documentation of lessons learned and best practices from implementing integrated landscape approaches in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape to foster learning and knowledge sharing across WRIโs priority landscapes and beyond You will be part of a team dedicated to excellence in research, evidence generation and learning, and contribute to different research activities and outputs including WRI peer reviewed reports and articles, external peer reviewed journal articles and policy briefs You will guide and review communication strategy for the landscapes and help produce of high quality and effective communication products and tools Engagement andPartnerships Development (20%):
You will mobilize, strengthen, and lead relevant national and local restoration partnerships, including local champions (CBOs, SMEs, registered women and youth groups), governments agencies including the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency, development partners, technical partners, etc. in the effective partners for WRI in the restoration agendaWork closely with program leads, you will coordinate key stakeholder engagements at the landscape and national level around WRIโs 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 You will 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 managementYou will organize and support the planning and coordination of key events related to land restoration in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape. You will represent WRI in meetings with the sub-national Government, project consortia, and other partners in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape Program Planning,Administration and Fundraising support (10%):
You will serve on the WRI Africa Restoration Executive Team, a middle level management team for WRIโs restoration work in Africa You will co-lead WRI administrative processes in Ghanaโs Cocoa Region Landscape (e.g. project planning, landscape budget reviews, donor reporting, among others) You will co-lead or support fundraising efforts, including contributing to proposals and participating in meetings with development partnersWhat will you need:
Potential Salary: Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.
How to Apply: Please submit a resume with cover letter by the date of 11 February 2024. 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 tenureAbout 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 worldโs greatest environment and international development challenges and improve peopleโs 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:
WRIโs mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earthโs 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.