Leader, Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa Initiative

Overview

WWF-Tanzania Country Office (WWF-TCO) is seeking to hire a competent and highly motivated ‘Leader, Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa Initiative’ to be based at WWF TCO – Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

Position Title: Leader, Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa Initiative

Duration: 100% FTE for 2 years, with the possibility of extension

Reports to: Reports directly to the WWF Tanzania office line manager with a dotted line to the Forest Practice Leader. In addition, the incumbent will work closely with members of the Forest Practice Core and Leadership teams, technical and regional leads plus Focal Points in relevant countries and the Global Lead/Coordinator of the Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) community, known within WWF as an Area of Collective Action and Innovation (ACAI).

Location: Dar es Salaam - Tanzania

Supervises: N/A

Background Information:

Under the guidance of Forest Practice leadership and WWF Tanzania, and in close collaboration with relevant WWF Offices, the WWF Regional Office for Africa (ROA) and the FLR ACAI, the Leader, Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Africa Initiative will be responsible for the design, delivery, resourcing, monitoring and evaluation of an exciting new regional initiative for WWF.

The proposed FLR Initiative in Africa builds on political momentum from governments that have committed to restore more than 100 million ha of degraded and deforested land by 2030. A total of 27 African governments have shown exemplary political leadership by pledging to restore 111m ha, beyond the continental target of 100m ha by 2030, as of September 2018. Out of the 27 countries that have pledged, 14 are within WWF’s geographical scope in Sub-Saharan Africa. These commitments are part of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) which contributes to the Bonn Challenge. AFR100 is a country-led effort to restore 100 million ha of degraded and deforested land in Africa by 2030. They also directly contribute to the WWF Forest Practice Outcome 3, to restore 350 million ha of forest landscapes by 2030 (which is aligned to contribute to both the Bonn Challenge and the New York Declaration on Forests).

In order to bring national commitments to reality, the proposed initiative will aim to address key barriers including: limited financing, lack of adequate social and biodiversity safeguards, limited implementation of land-use planning and governance, and insufficient regulatory incentives. In addressing these challenges, WWF will work through three main pillars: Pillar 1: Empowering national and regional governments to deliver on political commitments; Pillar 2: Developing mechanisms for enabling FLR implementation at scale; and Pillar 3: Delivering the “on the ground” implementation of government pledges/commitments.

The initiative is in the incubation stage, and its development will depend on a highly qualified Leader to lead co-design and development, working together with WWF offices in Africa and globally, and to eventually, to oversee initiative implementation. The initiative is estimated to run for five years (2020-2025).

Major Responsibilities:

The incumbent will:

• Lead timely and effective design, launch and implementation of the FLR in Africa initiative. This includes work to define “lean solutions” related to piloting and/or scaling up landscape restoration projects in selected countries in the region and ensuring alignment between Country Strategic Plans (Africa and Europe), the Forest Practice Strategy and potentially other Practice strategies (e.g. Food and Finance Practices).
• Partner with multi-disciplinary teams consisting of WWF staff, national partners, consultants and/or contractors to analyze and adopt innovative approaches to landscape restoration opportunities.
• Strengthen WWF’s involvement in regional partnerships including specific task forces, engagement with donors and related regional bodies and frameworks on FLR in Africa.
• Provide intellectual and strategic leadership to multidisciplinary teams to assess FLR opportunities at the national and regional levels and develop a long-term FLR vision, strategy and work plans for the region.
nafasi za kazi
• Develop frameworks and partnerships for scaled-up FLR interventions, catalyzing contributions and implementation of Bonn Challenge, AFR100, climate targets (NDCs) and related finance, and the New York Declaration.
• Provide appropriate high-level representation for activities with governments, the private sector and NGOs to develop and implement FLR actions within the region.
• Provide oversight of initiative technical and financial management including annual work planning, budgeting and reporting, with a focus on FLR.
• Build the capacity of staff working on FLR in WWF’s country offices and institutionalize safeguards and social policies related to FLR work in Africa.
• Work closely with WWF communications staff on outreach activities that support initiative delivery.
• Contribute to information sharing and documentation of experiences through the FLR ACAI.
• Carry out other relevant tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Master’s degree or higher in forestry/agroforestry, agriculture, business administration, natural resources management, biodiversity conservation or other relevant discipline(s).
• Technical proficiency in the field of forestry, agriculture, natural resource management, international project management or international development.
• Conversant with Bonn Challenge and UN conventions that touch on forestry resources, climate targets (NDCs) and related finance.
• Excellent written and oral skills in English, and any other languages would be an asset.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience, including at least 5 years in Africa working in a senior management position on large, multi-country conservation programs.
• Demonstrated project management experience including experience successfully managing multi-million-dollar budgets with many variables, geographies and deadlines.
• Experience of working in a large, complex, global organizational network.
• Proven experience engaging with corporate and government actors at the highest levels.
• Experience working on blended finance and development of bankable projects.
• Excellent understanding of social and environmental risk-based approaches to managing FLR-related projects and programs.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to coordinate and manage processes and projects that require contributions from staff in situations where the post holder has no direct supervisory responsibility.
• Excellent skills in writing proposals, reports, presentations, budgeting and financial management.
• Excellent negotiation, diplomacy and lobbying skills.
• Demonstrated passion for conservation and social issues.
• Ability to work in multicultural settings.
• Fluent in English with strong proficiency in French.
• Ability to work effectively in a virtual team located in multiple locations.

Working Relationships:

Internal

Reports directly to the hosting WWF Tanzania Conservation Director with a dotted line to the Practice Leader (Forests). Works closely with other senior country-based staff; ROA Staff; staff implementing FLR programs in Africa, Forest Practice Core and Leadership Team members, members of other WWF Practices, technical and regional forest focal points, and the Global Lead/Coordinator of the FLR ACAI.

External

Works closely with key actors (government, private sector, national and regional forums, civil society organizations) mainly in the initiative countries, though potentially also globally, as well as donors (bilateral and multilateral).

Applications must include a cover letter and complete CV with full contact details of three referees and should be addressed to the People & Culture Manager, via email to: hresources@wwftz.org by Tuesday, 29^th July 2019 at 4:30 pm. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. WWF is an equal opportunity organization.