Manager, Forest Transparency Initiative

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Overview 

The World Resources Institute (WRI) seeks a Manager to lead its Forest Transparency Initiative (FTI) activities in Central Africa, Europe and the United States. 

Led by the World Resources Institute, FTI aims to curb deforestation/forest degradation and incentivize the production of sustainable, legal timber by increasing access to comprehensive information about forest management and harvesting, and by improving the effectiveness of regulations targeting illegal logging.  FTI works closely with private, public and civil society actors in the forest sector toward the following targets:

1. Vastly increase the transparency of timber operations by providing detailed information about the legal obligations of operators, and by working with these operators to provide the relevant documents showing compliance with these obligations
2. Incentivize improved social and environmental stewardship within and around forest concessions by creating direct links between the legal, social and environmental practices of logging companies on the ground, and the market
3. Facilitate standardized monitoring and reporting on production forests by civil society, government and private sector

The focus of FTI is a dynamic repository of information on the logging and wood processing operators active in forest-rich tropical countries, beginning with Central Africa. The FTI website aims to ensure that key commercial and regulator actors have access to targeted, timely and credible information on logging, wood processing and timber trading operators in priority countries.

Key responsibilities of the FTI Manager will include overseeing the design, development and implementation of the FTI website, as well as managing the day-to-day collaboration with forest sector companies, NGOs (notably independent forest monitors), donors and other FTI stakeholders.  Specific attention will be placed on ensuring that FTI is consistently meeting the needs of its target audience.  The ideal candidate will have a mix of private sector and NGO forest sector experience, knowledge of the relevant legal context in targeted timber export/import markets, as well as having an understanding and passion for the role that technology can play in incentivizing legal and sustainable forest management and trade.  The ideal candidate will also be someone who is well-organized, detail oriented, takes initiative, and works well both independently and as part of a team. 

The FTI Manager will be based within WRI’s Forest Legality Initiative team – working closely with the WRI-led Global Forest Watch initiative.  The post will be based in either Washington D.C., Kinshasa, or Brazzaville, depending on unfolding demands of the position. The post will require travel within Central Africa, Europe, the United States and to other relevant timber export markets. 

Responsibilities

The Associate's main areas of responsibility will include the following:

Program/Project Management (70% of time required)

• Overall
  • Lead development of FTI vision and strategy
  • Represent FTI across WRI and to external partners
  • Support development and coordination of fund-raising activities
• FTI website development and operation
  • Provide day-to-day oversight of website development and operation, serving as point of contact for website developer
  • Serve as primary point of contact for website users, addressing their needs in a timely fashion
  • Provide primary quality control of website content, where relevant
  • Lead development of FTI monitoring and evaluation analytics
• Collaboration with FTI stakeholders and partners
  • Maintain relationships with key FTI collaborators and partners, including private sector (exporters, importers), governments (producer and importing countries) donors and NGOs
  • Lead work with independent forest monitoring organizations to define standard IM methods, data collection processes, language and indicators, and managing contracts with these organizations
  • Organize FTI stakeholder workshops, as necessary
• Outreach and communications
  • Lead development of FTI communications strategy
  • Lead FTI outreach and user engagement campaign, both during development of new website and once site is live – including in-person and online communications
  • Present FTI to relevant stakeholders at conferences and events
  • Author FTI website tutorials for relevant user groups
  • Author blogs or relevant articles, as identified by the FTI communications strategy

Program Development (30% of time required)

• Support development and coordination of fund-raising activities
• Monitoring and complying with sub agreement guidelines
• Contribute to presentations and donor proposals
  
  

Additionally, in keeping with WRI’s commitment to gender equity across our programs, the Associate will also be required to identify relevant gender issues, as determined through a gender analysis, and ensure adequate and effective attention to these issues in project and partner development, budgeting and management.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• At least 5-7 years of experience working with management, trade or monitoring of harvesting and commerce of tropical forests and timber
• Graduate degree (Masters or PhD) in forestry, geography, environmental science, natural resource management, natural resource law or significant demonstrated experience in these or related fields
• Professional competency in English and in French
• Excellent attention to detail, dedication and diplomacy
• Proposal-writing experience
• Ability to think holistically and contribute to building high-impact strategies in a complex environment, while maintaining attention to details
• Strong written and oral communication skills, particularly when it comes to communicating technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Understanding of the forest/natural resource/land-use sector in Central Africa (e.g., forest policies and laws, forest management and law enforcement practices, governance and institutional context, forest and land tenure regimes, timber harvest and trade)
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines while setting and delivering on clear priorities
• Enjoys working within a large, diverse, dynamic and collaborative team environment
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of time.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated private sector experience in timber management, harvest or trade
• Experience with/knowledge of 3rd party forest monitoring methodologies and actors

Final candidates will be required to take a writing/analytical test.

Finalists will need to submit 2 writing samples.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package

Application deadline: July 31, 2016

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should apply online at careers.wri.org. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered.

The World Resources Institute (http://www.wri.org) is an environmental and development research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. 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 orientation, gender identity, parental status, protected veteran 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.

About WRI

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