Congo: Land-Use Planning Specialist

Aug 30, 2016 | World Resources Institute
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WRI seeks a senior Land Use Planning Specialist to support its efforts to lead multi-sectoral, data-driven, and inclusive land use planning processes across Central Africa. WRI’s approach focuses on developing information and decision-support tools as a basis for informing land use planning and allocation of rights to natural resources, as well as supporting multi-stakeholder processes to put in place the necessary legal and institutional framework for land use planning and allocation of natural resources. Among the overall objectives is to support achieving national and sub-national development priorities while also prioritizing forest protection, biodiversity conservation and respect of customary land tenure, by shifting incompatible development priorities away from these areas. Primary partners in this work include government institutions in charge of land-use planning, sectoral (e.g. forest, mining, agriculture, transport) ministries, local civil society and private sector actors involved in major land-based investments.

The Land Use Planning Specialist will be based in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo and will play a leadership role in setting strategy, managing collaborative partnerships with government and local civil society, and overseeing implementation of WRI’s support to land use planning actions. The Land Use Planning Specialist will be primarily focused on supporting initiatives underway in the Republic of Congo (ROC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but will also contribute as needed to orienting strategy on land use planning in WRI’s other priority countries in the region (e.g., Cameroon, Gabon).  The Land Use Planning Specialist will report to the Congo Basin Regional Coordinator, and also work in very close collaboration with the broader Central Africa and Global Forest Teams.

Responsibilities

The Land Use Planning Specialist's main areas of responsibility will include the following:

  • Lead development and implementation of WRI’s land use planning engagement in ROC and DRC, including development of information, decision-support, and monitoring tools as well as policy engagement to influence land use decisions
  • Build and manage relationships with local implementing partners including government agencies with roles in land use planning and resource management, international NGOs, domestic civil society, and the private sector
  • Oversee day-to-day coordination and management of land use planning activities in ROC and DRC, including support to the multi-sectoral processes underway
  • Ensure coordination of strategies, methods, and information-sharing between country teams working on land use planning in ROC and DRC, and in the rest of the Congo Basin as needed
  • Ensure integration with ongoing REDD+ processes
  • Produce policy briefs, communications materials, and other written products consistent with WRI's high standard of quality
  • Ensure quality control of communications, reports, presentations and other deliverables for WRI’s land use planning work in ROC and DRC
  • Lead monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on land use planning activities in ROC and DRC to USAID and other donors
  • Coordinate closely in strategy development, work planning and activity implementation with the rest of the Congo Basin Forest Team

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • Minimum Masters degree in geography, environmental science, natural resource management, natural resource/agriculture economics, sociology, or relevant interdisciplinary field
  • Minimum 7-10 years of hands-on experience managing or supporting land use planning processes or management of agriculture, forests or natural resources. Specific experience in Africa preferred
  • Significant understanding of how remote sensing, GIS, remote-sensing and other relevant technologies can be used in conjunction with field-based methods to support improved land use planning processes
  • Proven ability to cultivate and manage relationships with donors and external partners, across private, public and NGO sectors. Experience working directly with government is an asset
  • Professional competency in English and French
  • Understanding of the agricultural/forest/natural resource sector in Africa (e.g., land evaluation, forest policies and laws, forest management and law enforcement practices, governance and institutional context, forest and land tenure regimes, biodiversity conservation)
  • Strong written and oral communication skills, particularly when it comes to communicating technical concepts to non-technical audiences
  • Ability to think holistically and contribute to building high-impact strategies in a complex environment, while maintaining attention to details
  • Ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines while setting and delivering on clear priorities
  • Enjoys working within a large, diverse, dynamic, and collaborative team environment
    • Willingness to travel up to 20% of time.

Final candidates will be required to take a writing/analytical test.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should apply online at careers.wri.org. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered.