Project Designer – Resilient Landscapes

Resilient Landscapes is a division of CIFOR-ICRAF that seeks to catalyze the synergies between science and business, in action. The team transforms scientific knowledge into operational decisions for impact investors, and into fully packaged investment opportunities backed by scientific evidence. This position serves to deliver the technical aspects of this mission. The position requires skills at the interface of scientific knowledge, project design and impact investment and translates into high-quality project designs supporting high-impact investments, in line with CIFOR-ICRAF’s mission.

Duties and responsibilities

1.       Design projects: 

• Based on business, scientific and technical inputs, formulate project designs with an optimized risk-impact ratio and with a duly documented financial and impact case.
  

2.       Support project implementation: 

• When mandated, support the successful implementation of invested projects, seeking to adapt design in a spirit of permanent data-driven improvement and seizing opportunities of bringing new science when available.
  

3.       Support RL’s contribution to CIFOR-ICRAF’s strategy: 

• In particular, but not limited to the positioning of CIFOR-ICRAF in Carbon Markets. Propose operational ways to implement and empower CIFOR-ICRAF’s mission while leveraging private finance.
  

4.       Knowledge asset watch: 

• Keep up-to-date with CIFOR-ICRAF’s work that is relevant to impact investment, translate CIFOR-ICRAF’s knowledge assets into actionable elements of project design and maintain a network of actionable contacts inside the organization and its scientific and operational partners.
  

5.       Other Responsibilities: 

• Proactively bring up relevant points of awareness in emerging science or emerging topics for the larger RL team
  
• Participate to key events as needed
  
• Support RL team.
  

Requirements

• Degree  in Agronomy, Forestry, ecology or an equivalent academic background,  oriented towards landscape operations
  
• At  least 5 years of hands-on experience designing and implementing rural  development projects
  
• At  least 10 years in direct exposure to development projects with a strong  nature component
  
• Track record  of direct interaction with businesses AND scientific organizations,  resulting in familiarity with concepts and jargons of both
  
• Autonomy,  self-motivation, capacity to work remotely with a global team
  
• Strong  human values and capacity to propose solutions in a complex environment  and under conflicting agendas.
  
  

Education, knowledge and experience

•Degree in Agronomy, Forestry, ecology or an equivalent academic background, oriented towards landscape operations
 •At least 5 years of hands-on experience designing and implementing rural development projects
 •At least 10 years in direct exposure to development projects with a strong nature component
 •Track record of direct interaction with businesses AND scientific organizations, resulting in familiarity with concepts and jargons of both
 •Autonomy, self-motivation, capacity to work remotely with a global team
 •Strong human values and capacity to propose solutions in a complex environment and under conflicting agendas.

Terms and conditions

•This is a Globally Recruited position. CIFOR-ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in USD currency commensurate with skills and experience.
 •Capacity to work from Nairobi, Kenya or Bonn, Germany are an differential. Remote work is possible, but within a range of UTC-3 and UTC+3 time zone.
 •The initial appointment will be for one year, inclusive of a 3 Month probationary period, with the possibility of extension contingent upon performance, continued relevance of the position and available resources.