USA: Global Forests Associate
Mar 15, 2015
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World Resources Institute
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WRI seeks a full-time Africa Forests Associate to support Global Forest Watch (GFW) activities in East and West Africa. The position will lead development of strategies and support on-the-ground implementation to apply GFW tools and information to improve land-use decision-making and forest resource monitoring in priority countries. The Africa Forests Associate will be required to have a diverse skillset from which to draw from, ranging from conducting spatial research and analysis on forests to managing relationships with partners from the private, public and NGO sectors.
The WRI Africa Forests Associate will be based in Washington, D.C., working as part of the Africa Forests team and in close collaboration with the Global Forests team and partners. The position will largely focus on supporting WRI’s engagement in countries outside of the Congo Basin, notably Liberia and Madagascar. The Africa Forests Associate will report to the Africa Forests Manager. The post will require regular travel to Africa in support of project implementation.
GFW’s mission is to make high-quality information about forests universally accessible and useful for people worldwide, so as to empower them to manage forest landscapes sustainably and improve the livelihoods of local people. The GFW platform (www.globalforestwatch.org) unites satellite technology, open data, and human networks to provide free access to the most timely, reliable, and actionable information about forests around the world. The GFW initiative supports governments, civil society, and the private sector to apply this information to solve critical forest monitoring and management challenges (see also www.forest-atlas.org).
About WRI
WRI is a global research organization that spans more than 50 countries, with offices in the Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, and the United States. Our more than 450 experts and staff work closely with leaders to turn big ideas into action to sustain our natural resources—the foundation of economic opportunity and human well-being.
WRI was recently voted the #1 Environmental Think Tank in the world and is consistently recommended by staff as one of the "most desired organizations to work for." In 2014, WRI was ranked one of the Top Workplaces by the Washington Post.
Responsibilities
General
Lead the development of strategies and support implementation of WRI’s forest activities across Africa, with an initial focus on Liberia and Madagascar
Provide regular technical, analytical, communication and strategic support to WRI staff based in GFW priority countries in Africa
Manage relationships with WRI collaborators and partners in Africa, including key government institutions
Coordinate and oversee the development and implementation of technical applications in support of improved forest land-use allocation and monitoring
Ensure the quality of any data and data products related to WRI’s work
Support elaboration and implementation of MOUs with key partners in WRI’s priority countries
Work closely with WRI’s global forest team and partners to ensure functional integration of African partners, information and activities
Identify opportunities for WRI’s engagement with forests in Africa outside of current priority countries
Research and Analysis
Identify and pursue a set of research priorities through which WRI can support partners in priority countries to improve management of forests.
Lead the production of original, policy-relevant research and analytical outputs (e.g. reports, blogs, maps, data products) based on WRI/GFW/Forest Atlas datasets.
Collaborate with and support WRI colleagues and partners in priority countries to produce research and analysis using WRI/GFW data.
Project and Personnel Management
Lead management and oversight of key project components for WRI-GFW in Africa.
Oversee project budgets, including oversight of subgrants to in-country partners.
Ensure effective management, capacity building and career development support to ~5 WRI staff based in Africa and Washington, D.C.
Contribute significantly to proposal writing and lead relevant reporting both internally and externally.
Outreach and Communication
Lead efforts to communicate about WRI’s Africa forest work and analytical content to non-technical audiences, including existing and prospective partners and funders.
Support in-country capacity building efforts by leading the development of training materials on WRI/GFW data and related data generation and data validation methodologies.
Represent WRI’s Africa forests work through presentations at relevant conferences, workshops and through in-person meetings with key forest stakeholders.
Develop research-based communication materials for diverse audiences in Africa.
Qualifications
Master’s degree or greater in geography, environmental science, natural resource management or a related field.
Minimum 5-7 years full time relevant experience.
Significant hands-on experience managing or supporting management of forests/natural resources in Africa.
Strong understanding of the forest/natural resource sector in Africa (e.g., forest policies and laws, forest management and law enforcement practices, governance and institutional context, forest and land tenure regimes, biodiversity conservation).
Significant understanding of how remote sensing, GIS and field-based methods can be used in support of forest management.
Proficiency in using GIS and remote sensing methods and technology to conduct analysis desired.
Proven ability to think holistically and innovatively to build high-impact strategies in a complex environment.
Project management experience.
Proven ability to lead and manage a small team.
Strong written and oral communication skills, particularly when it comes to communicating technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
Fluency in French.
Ability to cultivate and manage relationships with external partners, including government officials.
Ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines while setting and delivering on clear priorities.
Enjoys working within a large, diverse, and collaborative team environment.
Willingness to travel up to 20% of time.
Final candidates will be required to take a writing test.
Salary and Benefits
Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package.
Location
Washington, DC
Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is WRI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability. WRI’s global agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender, cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and applicability of WRI's policy research and analysis. WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of all backgrounds.