Supervisor: Lab Lead

Location: Open, ideally Africa region 

Duration:  One year renewable contract / Part- to full-time

Contract type: Consultant 

Date : 04 Feb 2022

Background:

There has never been more money and political will for conservation and sustainability than in this decade.  Yet investors and land managers are struggling to originate high-quality, de-risked, land use projects.  The Landscape Finance Lab seeks to bridge this gap. 

Founded in 2016 within conservation organisation WWF, the Lab mission is to incubate and finance sustainable landscapes that deliver impact on the global goals.  Three core objective are being pursued: 

• structure high quality landscape programs in global biodiversity priority places;
• test innovative financing mechanisms; and
• build sector learning, capacity and impact.

The Lab is focused exclusively on programs covering over a million hectares, million tonnes of traded goods, million tonnes greenhouse gases and $100 million investment size.  The Lab was established as an independent non-profit association based in Austria in June 2021.  

The Lab is now seeking a top level landscape professional for the role of Landscape Coordinator.  This position will lead the development and management of the Lab portfolio of landscape programs in Africa. 

I Main Function:

The Landscape Coordinator will lead the development and management of the Lab portfolio of landscape programs in Africa. A particular focus will be to support the structuring of landscape programs under the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) and to lead landscape program development for other new Lab portfolios

II Main Result Areas and Responsibilities:

Successful functioning of a portfolio of landscapes in Africa

• Refine and explain the Lab value proposition and service offering on landscape incubation and financing.
• Ensure effective and timely monitoring and management of the performance of the landscape portfolio with support from the Lab operations team though tools such as portfolio dashboard.
• Identify and support new landscapes and organisations to join the Lab platform and incubation process.
• Ensure landscape descriptions are uploaded and updated on the platform. 
• Support fundraising for the Lab landscape incubation work.
• Develop strategic partnerships with investors and donors interested in supporting financing of landscapes.
• Ensure quality and timely reporting on landscape and portfolio progress according to contractual obligations of donors, partners and investors including of the DFCD.
• Assist with the production of landscape knowledge products as time allows.
• Ensure effective coordination with all involved partners.

Quality and effective delivery of Lab support to specific landscapes 

• Ensure the quality and effective use of processes, templates and tools for landscapes incubation and, in coordination with the Community Lead, their use and presentation on the Lab platform.
• Supervise and coordinate the work on landscapes engaging members of the Lab core team and advisors as needed.
• Lead Lab support and relationship with targeted landscapes. 
• Assign and support Landscape leads and teams in all other landscapes.
• Ensure effective application of tools and processes, strategic orientation, as well as technical support and review through the stages of the 5 Elements, 4 Returns and 3 Zones.
• Build technical capacity of the team on sustainable landscapes, ensuring common understanding and standardized language, including through training.
• Ensure a regular dialogue with the local landscape leads to identifying needs and defining relevant support.
• Work with the Operations Lead and team to maintain an internal Manual to capture agreements on the Lab’s approaches to landscape incubation and service to clients.

Support to lab management and operations (within available hours)

• Participate in Lab team meetings as needed.
• Support the update of the Lab business model and annual action plan.
• Support the Lab strategic management.
• Assist in preparing communications on landscape programs. 
• Support the Community Lead with the upload of information on landscape  programs on the Lab Platform.
• Other activities as directed.

III. Required qualifications, skills and competencies:

• Min. 10 years experience in project and team management, and in coordinating the development and implementation of projects
• Experience in building partnerships and developing multi-stakeholder mechanisms
• Fundraising experience for international projects (liaising with donors, drafting concepts and proposals, developing budgets)
• Good understanding of landscape approaches to conservation and their success factors, climate finance, REDD+, integrated land use management, multi-stakeholder platforms, blended finance
• Involvement in drafting large donor concept notes and project proposals an advantage
• Experience in working with the private sector an advantage
• Fluency in a second language (French, Spanish, Bahasa Indonesia) is an advantage.

Application

Please send a cover letter and copy of your CV to jobs@landscapelab.org.