Land Use Expert

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in Republic of Congo Office. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

The Program for Sustainable Land Utilization (PUDT – Programme d’Utilisation Durable des Terres) is the largest program funded by the Central African Forest Initiative in the Republic of Congo, and one of the largest since the creation of the initiative in 2015. It is led by the Ministry of Land-Use, Infrastructures and Road Maintenance, under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Congo. The program’s six objectives relate to sustainable agricultural practices, alternatives to current practices in terms of wood-energy, stronger forest institutions and stakeholders, low-impact infrastructure and mining projects, well-informed land-use planning processes, and improved inter-ministerial coordination

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the WRI Country Manager in the Republic of Congo, you will co-lead WRI’s component of the program. You will ensure swift and quality delivery of all key outputs commissioned to WRI, and specifically, provide standards for compiling, curating and uploading relevant geospatial and contextual data to the land-use portal of Congo. You will also provide on-demand expertise for modelling and land-use scenarios, strategic recommendations for Congo’s National Land Use Plan and Master Plan, and any relevant land-use analysis. You will be WRI’s first respondent concerning the portal which they will help design based on specifications provided by the Congolese government along other key stakeholders. You will also support other WRI Africa activities related to land-use planning, including through engagement with the Data Lab Product and Engineering teams to ensure user needs are reflected in product strategies. You will work with teams in Congo and globally.

What will you do:

Technical oversight of WRI’s portfolio in the PUDT (70%):

• Lead the development of land use portal for the Republic of Congo. Help manage the Congo land use planning portal
• Lead the inter-ministerial and multi-stakeholder GIS group
• Collate, analyze and present data relevant to several aspects of land use planning • Ensure the quality of geospatial products (data, maps, etc.) under the responsibility of WRI
• Provide national technical leadership for all cartographic aspects of the PUDT, with a focus on the Plan National d’Affectation des Terres
• Design, monitor and evaluate training courses on the cartographic aspects of the program
• Provide on-demand expertise for modelling and land-use scenarios, recommendations for Congo’s National Land Use Plan and Master Plan, and any relevant land-use analysis
• Provide technical and non-technical information to public partners on land use planning, land use laws, land use planning and other related land use regulations
• Advise MATIER and other sectors involved in the PUDT, at national and departmental levels, on cartographic data management issues

Fundraising, Project Implementation, and Reporting (15%):

• Support fundraising and proposal writing related to geospatial solutions in Congo and across Central Africa
• Support project implementation, donor reporting, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes of Forest Atlases and other technical components of WRI Congo and across Central Africa

Outreach and Network Development (15%):

• Raise the visibility and profile of WRI land-use planning work in the Republic of Congo. This will include presenting at external—and selected internal—meetings, delivering communications products (e.g., posters or infographics, blog posts), and providing expert commentary to strategic news outlets
• Support efforts to communicate about WRI data and GIS offerings (including GFW tools and Land use Atlas data) to non-technical audiences and partners
• Lead information-sharing and coordination with WRI Congo and other WRI country offices on data/GIS aspects. This includes systematic posting on internal channels, conducting meetings, and sending informational emails

What will you need:

• Education: You have completed a bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g. land-use planning, geospatial solutions, forest and land governance) 
• Experience: You have a minimum of 5 years of full-time relevant work experience in spatial mapping
• Experience in projects or programs associated with land use change analysis, community land rights, ecosystem services analysis, HCV, HCS, Essential Ecosystems, or Landscape Management
• Experience working with government, civil society, indigenous people and local communities, academia, and the private sector
• Geospatial modelling experience with a strong emphasis on developing and refining scenarios for low deforestation land allocations is desirable
• Experience training adults, preferably in designing, testing and monitoring modules for training of trainers and practitioners
• Experience providing technical backstopping
• Proficient with the usage of a variety of GIS software and remote sensing tools
• Experience coordinating multiple processes at the same time with different teams
• Languages: You are proficient in spoken and written French. You are comfortable working in English.
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization

Potential Salary: Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply: Please submit a resume with a required cover letter by the date of 30 September 2024. We are unable to consider your application without a cover letter.

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 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 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.