This position will be based in Kigali, Rwanda and existing work authorization is required.
About the program:
WRI’s Global Restoration Initiative (GRI) works to inspire, enable and implement forest and landscape restoration (FLR) on degraded landscapes, 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 FLR 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. In Africa, GRI works to support the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, AFR100, an effort to bring 100 million hectares of degraded and deforested lands in Africa under restoration by 2030. GRI’s work in Africa is also a key component of the Vital Landscapes, one of the pillars of WRI Africa strategy. This position will lead the implementation of GRI’s activities in Rwanda. In 2011, the Government of Rwanda made an ambitious commitment of 2 million hectares to The Bonn Challenge, a global effort to bring 150 million hectares of deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2020. In 2016, the same commitment was also made to AFR100.
Following these pledges, The Government of Rwanda focused efforts on building enabling conditions for large scale restoration including i) the mapping and designation of priority areas for restoration, ii) development of national strategies for restoration, iii) earmarking and mobilizing funding for restoration, iv) implementing restoration, and v) developing national systems for tracking restoration progress. Since 2013, GRI has supported the restoration movement in Rwanda by providing restoration actors with urgently needed data and tools to plan restoration and track progress. In 2021, WRI signed an MoU with the Government of Rwanda to strengthen the cooperation between both parties on scaling up forest and landscape restoration and developing the monitoring technology in Rwanda.
Job Highlight:
WRI is seeking a Restoration Research Associate to provide leadership and technical support for the development, implementation, monitoring and scaling up of forest landscape restoration (FLR) activities in Rwanda. You will work under the AFR100 Initiative and in various projects led by GRI and Vital Landscapes. This is a highly collaborative role, working closely with Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment, WRI colleagues based in Rwanda, Kenya, and Washington DC and with other partners involved in restoration activities in Rwanda, including local NGOs and research institutions. This position will be based in Kigali, Rwanda and will involve about 30% of domestic travel and 5% international travel.
You will report to the AFR100 Manager and work closely with team members in the Global Restoration Initiative and the Vital Landscapes team.
What you will do:
Technical Assistance and Coordination (70%)
- Lead the development and implementation of FLR activities in Rwanda.
- Ensure timely delivery of GRI deliverables in Rwanda, through coordination with WRI Global’s leads on restoration monitoring, finance, and policy workstreams Engage key stakeholders in Rwanda around WRI’s current AFR100 programs, (e.g., the Land Accelerator Africa, TerraFund for AFR100, Restoration Policy Accelerator, and Monitoring Accelerators).
- Build partnerships with stakeholders in Rwanda that include Government Agencies, CSOs, local NGOs, Private sector and districts to foster landscape restoration and sustainable landscape management.
- Build government and stakeholder support for the development of national AFR100 registries, a system for cataloguing technical assistance and financing requests for restoration activities in Rwanda
- Facilitate the adoption of relevant tools, methodologies and datasets during the research, planning, implementation and tracking of restoration activities in Rwanda
- Guide, support and supervise consultants to provide technical assistance in the development and implementation of the FLR activities in Rwanda as necessary
- Coordinate WRI colleagues’ technical assistance in the development and implementation of the FLR activities in Rwanda as necessary Support the integration of Global Restoration Initiative activities with WRI Africa’s Vital Landscape program, particularly within the Rusizi landscape
- Liaise with WRI’s Food Program under the Vital Landscape Pillar to bring synergies between WRI’s Restoration and Food Programs in Rwanda
- Organize and support the planning of key national and international gatherings related to land restoration in Rwanda
- Represent WRI in meetings with the Government, project consortia, and other partners in Rwanda.
Knowledge sharing and awareness raising (20%)
- Support documentation of lessons learned and best practices from FLR implementation in Rwanda to foster learning and knowledge sharing across Rwanda and AFR100 countries
- Support the design and implementation of capacity building activities on Monitoring, Financing and Enabling FLR in Rwanda Frame the conversation around FLR in Rwanda in collaboration with WRI teams globally through authoring WRI articles or representing WRI at relevant national and international gatherings
- Lead or contribute to research and communication products
- Contribute to refining and expanding WRI’s research on restoration and social issues.
Administrative responsibilities (10%)
- Input into WRI administrative processes (e.g., proposal development, project planning, budget reviews, donor reporting)
- Complete administrative paperwork related to contracts, sub-agreements, vendor payment, etc., in collaboration with WRI operations staff.
What you will need:
- Education: A Master’s degree in environmental sciences, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, rural development, geography, or similar field
- Experience: 6+ years’ work experience in natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, environmental management or related fields.
- Past experience facilitating communication and collaboration with partners at all levels (government, donors, private sector, NGOs and local community-based organizations)
- Understanding of policies and regulations on restoration and natural resource management in Rwanda
- Flexibility to live, work and travel to remote areas in Rwanda
- Experience in environmental research with forest and landscape restoration topics preferred
- Experience in social sciences research preferred
- Languages: you will be comfortable working in English, French and Kinyarwanda.
Potential Salary:
Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors. WRI offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package.
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, 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, 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.
More Information
- Job City Kigali
