Gender & Social Equity Associate. Restore Local Program

This position is remote based in Nairobi, Kenya where WRI is registered. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission. WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

About the Program:

WRI’s Restoration Initiative informs, enables, and invests in people that restore degraded land, converting them to socially, economically, and environmentally productive lands. WRI’s restoration work in Africa supports the goals of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative, African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), where with other partners; we have identified more than 700 million hectares of cleared and degraded forest and agricultural lands suitable for restoration across Africa. Done well, landscape-scale restoration can revitalize African landscapes, while enhancing human well-being through food, energy and water systems, which conserve, restore and sustain the continent’s rich natural heritage while generating evidence for scaling within and across landscapes. In WRI Africa, restoration is anchored within the Vital Landscapes Pillar that aims at revitalizing and protecting landscapes for people and the planet. The Vital Landscapes Pillar aims to build the resilience of our natural ecosystems to sustainably provide vital ecosystems services such as food, water, carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Through Restore Local Program, WRI is accelerating locally led land restoration across three priority landscapes – the Greater Rift Valley Landscape in Kenya; the Ghana Cocoa Belt; the Lake Kivu and Rusizi River Basin in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

Job Highlight:

Reporting to the Gender and Social Equity Specialist of Restoration programs in Africa. Working under his guidance, you will support integration of gender and social equity considerations into all aspects of WRI’s Greater Rift Valley landscape work with potential expansion of scope to include the Ghana Cocoa Belt landscape in Ghana. You will work with a diverse team of restoration, food, water and policy experts to mainstream Gender and Social Equity considerations across the restore local projects in the Greater Rift Valley (GRV) Landscape in Kenya.

What you will do:

Support Gender and Social Equity Integration in Restore Local Project (25%):

• Support various projects within Restore Local in mainstreaming Gender and Equity inclusion. This includes training WRI’s staff and partners to mainstream gender and social equity in their projects, from project planning to implementation
• Work with the local actors to co-create and develop a Gender and Social Equity roadmap for the Greater Rift Valley landscape that lists key challenges, solutions and pathways to guide implementation of the restoration outcomes in the landscape
• Work closely with WRI staff during planning and design of restoration projects such as the Land Accelerator, TerraFund, Monitoring Accelerator and Policy Accelerator, to ensure gender and social equity integration
• Provide technical backstopping and support to restore local project staff and partners throughout the project cycles

Gender and Social Equity Research, Knowledge Development and Dissemination (40%):

• Conduct gender and social equity assessments and analyses to identify gender and social equity specific constraints and opportunities within restoration value chains and market systems in the GRV landscape
• Support development of research instruments to collect data on equity and generate evidence through scoping studies, research articles and publications
• Collect and dissemination of gender disaggregated data and identification of gender and social equity gaps in the restore local project
• Research on the gendered impacts of forest and land degradation in different contexts, such as different agro-ecological zones, different ethnic groups/restoration actors and support development of contextualized gender responsive restoration opportunities⁠
• Work with WRI’s restore local pillar leads to identify gender and social equity policy gaps in GRV landscape and provide recommendations for gender and social equity policy mainstreaming through the policy accelerator program

Capacity Building on Gender and Social Equity for staff and project Partners (25%):

• Support WRI’s Gender and Social Equity Specialist in developing a training guideline/manual for capacity building among restore local project’s stakeholders
• Build capacity of restoration champions in gender and equity through relevant tailor-made training sessions and peer exchange forums
• Work with other restore local project leads and partners in GRV landscape to co-create and support formation and operationalization of women's networks in restoration to foster sustained peer-to-peer exchange and learning
• Promote women’s groups, indigenous communities, youth and other marginalized groups’ participation in forestry, tenure and climate change decisions-making processes in GRV landscape
• Work with WRI’s local partners in the GRV landscape to amplify the voices of women, youth and marginalized communities

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (10%):

• Provide technical support in the development and implementation of a Gender and Social Equity-responsive monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress, collect gender and social-disaggregated data, and measure the impact of implemented interventions
• Work closely with WRI’s Monitoring Evaluation and Learning team and Restore Local partners to track and report gender and equity indicators
• Work with WRI’s Monitoring Evaluation and Learning team, support learning and reflection forums with project staff and partners on Gender and Social Equity outcomes
• Help produce knowledge and communication products and disseminate best practices and evidence-based research on gender and social equity through workshops, seminars, and publications

What you will need:

• Education: You have completed a bachelor’s degree in forestry, ecology, conservation, gender studies, human rights or similar field
• Experience: You have a minimum of 6 years’ experience in integrating gender and human rights principles into programs and projects in development practice
• Knowledge of natural resource management, especially with respect to forestry, agriculture
• Experience working on Gender and Social Equity aspects in restoration efforts
• Excellent communication skills
• A passion for improving gender equality, social inclusion and human rights in forestry, land and natural resource sectors’ programs and policies
• Swahili Women and members from ethnic minorities are strongly encouraged to apply
• Languages: You will be proficient in written and spoken English
• Requirements: Existing work authorization in the Kenya is required at the time of application. 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 cover letter by the date of 24 January 2024. 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
• 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.