DRC Project Officer/Policy Advisor

Full-time positions (part-time considered), on a remote- or hybrid-working basis.

Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) is a human rights organisation working in solidarity with forest peoples to secure their rights to own, manage and control their customary forests and lands and determine their own futures. FPP works with forest peoples in South America, Africa, and Asia to help them secure their rights, build up their own organisations and negotiate with governments and companies to ensure that any economic and conservation activities on their lands respect their rights to self-determination. Gender equality is also a cross-cutting principle of our work. For more information see our website www.forestpeoples.org

Our work in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has a particular focus on conservation and human rights (working with the Batwa dispossessed of their lands by the Kahuzi-Biega National Park) as well as business and human rights, particularly mining (working with indigenous communities in both South Kivu and Tshopo provinces). FPP also engages with national and provincial policy processes connected to these themes, in collaboration with both communities and local civil society partners, while also linking to relevant global policy spaces (e.g. relating to climate, biodiversity, corporate accountability etc.). Supporting communities to strengthen their autonomy and governance systems, and to participate in policy processes, as well as integrating gender equality, are cross-cutting elements of our DRC work.

DRC Project Officer/Policy Advisor

FPP is looking for a highly motivated person, with experience working on the rights of – and working directly with – indigenous peoples and/or local communities, to support communities in building capacity, reaching decisions, strengthening their governance systems and their ability to care for their lands, and pursuing dialogue, advocacy, and legal strategies (at local, provincial, national, and international levels). Additionally, the role will contribute to the work of the DRC team focused on supporting civil society partners to shape national level policy environment that better respects and protects the rights of forest peoples.

The two alternative job titles (Project Officer or Policy Advisor) are both specified in order to ensure flexibility to tailor the role to the person, in order to accommodate a variety of professional experiences and backgrounds. The role is a challenging one, and will require highly developed people and communication skills, and previous experience in and enthusiasm for community engagement, and the ability to embrace the complexity and dynamism of the context. While prioritising the community-level engagement, the post will also require strategic nouse and associated skills necessary to engage robustly but also constructively with a wide variety of third parties, including government, conservation NGOs, international donors, and the private sector.

The post would benefit from someone currently resident in (or willing to relocate to) DRC, and ideally (but not necessarily) in Bukavu given its proximity to the Batwa communities living in the vicinity of Kahuzi-Biega National Park (PNKB) who are a likely to be a key focus of the role. However, candidates living elsewhere in the world who are willing to travel regularly to and from the region are also encouraged to apply. At a minimum, the post will require travel for sustained work with communities (at least four times per year), as well as travel to occasional policy and advocacy events at the national, regional, or international level, and in-person staff meetings at FPP’s office in Moreton-in-Marsh, England.

FPP organises its work across three thematic programme teams: Legal and Human Rights Programme, Environmental Governance Programme, and Responsible Finance Programme. While the role will be located within FPP’s Environmental Governance Programme, it will be a strongly cross-cutting role involving work and collaboration across all three FPP programme areas.

Tasks and responsibilities

In collaboration with other members of FPP’s DRC team and wider FPP staff, the role will include:

• Organising weekly online meetings with community and civil society partners.
• Visiting and working directly with partner indigenous and other communities with whom FPP directly works, to consult with and take guidance from them and (as appropriate) engage in collaborative action-research, facilitate community discussions and strategizing, provide information and training to communities, support communities to develop their community bylaws, and provide other advice, guidance, capacity-building, or support as requested by communities.
• Supporting partner and FPP mappers to work with the partner communities to map and monitor their lands (no mapping experience or skill is necessary for this role)
• Supporting the communities to negotiate with government and other parties.
• Liaising with civil society partners as well as with FPP lawyers or locally instructed lawyers representing communities in court proceedings or non-judicial complaints.
• Meeting with – or enabling partner community members to meet with – political authorities and other key players locally, provincially, in Kinshasa and possibly internationally.
• Keeping track of (and, where necessary, supporting communities to engage with) national and international discussions and policy on conservation and human rights.
• Providing capacity building support to communities and local partners in relation to the development of community protocols/life plans, bylaws, or any other relevant community governance tools.
• Liaising and collaborating with the broader DRC, Congo Basin, and Africa teams, as well as wider FPP staff in relation to organisational strategy
• Preparing reports, publications, training materials, and other documents as required.
• Adopting a mainstreamed and cross-cutting approach to gender equality in work at community and policy level.
• Project management as required (including preparing and managing project budgets, work planning, contracting with partners, reporting to donors, and associated project administration, as well as supporting partners with their project management obligations if required)
• Fundraising, including preparing and contributing to funding proposals for our work in DRC.

Please note FPP is unable to sponsor a visa for this post, and candidates must have or be able to obtain the right to work in their proposed location.

Skills and Experience

Essential criteria:

• Professional working proficiency in French and English.
• Spoken Swahili or a willingness to learn.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and people skills.
• Commitment to, and experience of, working with community-led processes.
• Demonstrable understanding of human rights and commitment to indigenous and other forest peoples’ human rights.
• A collaborative approach, patience, and flexibility.
• Willingness to travel to communities in remote areas of Eastern DRC on a regular basis.
• Understanding of, and commitment to the mission and vision of FPP.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of advocacy and policy work, particularly in the Congo Basin.
• Experience of working to advance community-led/rights-based conservation.
• Experience of working with communities in the Congo Basin or East Africa.
• Project management experience.
• Relevant experience on the ground and/or qualifications relevant to the work of FPP.

Terms

• Full-time position (proposals for part-time will be considered)
• Place of work: Remote-or hybrid-working. For hybrid-working arrangements, FPP’s office is in Moreton-in-Marsh in the UK, and while FPP does not have regional offices, it may be possible to secure a place of work at a partner office). Candidates must have the right to work in their proposed location of work. (Candidates whose place of work is outside of the DRC will not need to have the right to work in the DRC, as that will be subject to obtaining appropriate visas for travel which FPP will support.)
• Contract: Since FPP is legally constituted in the UK, candidates based in non-UK locations will be recruited on a consultancy contract basis, while candidates in the UK will be on a permanent employment contract. FPP endeavours to ensure long-term and equitable terms and conditions for both non-UK and UK based consultants and employees.
• Travel: This role is likely to require travel of at least 8-10 weeks per year, and possibly more. This will include travel to/within DRC, to the UK office for planning and other meetings, and other regional or international travel if required. A commitment to prioritising and working with communities is essential for this role.
• Start date: As soon as possible after the 1st of February 2024 (but we will wait for the right candidate).
• Holiday: 25 days holiday allowance, plus public holidays, plus an additional 2-5 days holiday during the annual office closure between Christmas and New Year.
• Salary: The salary offered will be commensurate with experience and may vary depending on location due to variations in tax arrangements and cost of living considerations.

To apply

Please visit our website via the 'Apply' button. Please note we are also advertising for the role of DRC Programme Coordinator. Candidates are welcome to apply for both vacancies, and if so only one covering letter and CV would be needed.

Deadline for applications: 31st January 2024

Expected interview dates: Week beginning 12th February 2024 (held by Zoom or Teams)

We regret that we are unable to contact or give feedback to those candidates who are not short-listed for interview.

Apply Here