Researcher – Sustainable Landscape Management Officer for the GCF Knuckles project
Reference number: 2464
Job status: In-progress
Job category: Local Position
Duty station: Colombo, Sri Lanka but transferable to Matale on need basis
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CIFOR-ICRAF
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) envision a more equitable world where trees in all landscapes, from drylands to the humid tropics, enhance the environment and well-being for all. CIFOR and ICRAF are non-profit science institutions that build and apply evidence to today’s most pressing challenges, including energy insecurity and the climate and biodiversity crises. Over a combined total of 65 years, we have built vast knowledge on forests and trees outside of forests in agricultural landscapes (agroforestry). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we seek to improve lives and to protect and restore ecosystems. Our work focuses on innovative research, partnering for impact, and engaging with stakeholders on policies and practices to benefit people and the planet. Founded in 1993 and 1978, CIFOR and ICRAF are members of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.
CIFOR-ICRAF is looking for a
Researcher – Sustainable Landscape Management Officer for the GCF Knuckles project
Overview
ICRAF along with the Ministry of Irrigation Sri Lanka is implementing a project titled “Strengthening Climate Resilience for Subsistence Farmers and Agricultural Plantation Communities Residing in the Vulnerable River Basins, Watershed Areas and Downstream of the Knuckles Mountain Range Catchment of Sri Lanka” in the Knuckles region of Sri Lanka with the funds received principally from the Green Climate Fund (GCF Knuckles project). The project aims to build sustainable land management with improved ecosystem services in uplands and enhanced economic and livelihood options to the affected communities that will ultimately improve the adaptive capacity to the expected climate change.
The proposed position will support building a sustainable land management framework for the implementation of GCF Knuckles project that will further assist Sri Lanka in developing policies on land management at country level. In particular, this position is to assist the project management with the field and secondary data collection and management, data quality checking, pre-processing and spatial analysis, facilitation of FGDs and interviews to identify best bet options and associated necessities across contexts and landscape restoration as part of SLM framework and contribute to land use planning processes. He/she will collaborate closely with other CIFOR-ICRAF colleagues under SLM team, as well as government partner institutions.
Duties and responsibilities
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Science production
- Support the overall research and project implementation on SLM (Sustainable Landscape management) and the land use planning process.
- Support other project staff on stakeholder mapping of potential contributors/users in sustainable land management.
- Collect, compile, pre-process and manage spatial and non-spatial data in connection with SLM and land use planning process at institutional and watershed level through interviews, FGDs, workshops, and technical analysis.
- Be informed on primary (i.e. ecosystem functions and services: water, carbon and biodiversity) and secondary data collection (i.e. ecosystem functions and, services: water, carbon and biodiversity, High conservation value (HCV), degraded areas, fire risk areas and other environmental hazards climate; climate and hydrology; watershed characteristics.
- Lead and facilitate series of FGDs process at watershed and sub-basin level on issues of soil and water management, climate-resilience land use and forestry practices and restoration.
- Collaborate with the other staff to organize workshops, training, FGDs and other meeting forum related to SLM and land-use planning.
- Contribute to the development of governance structure for land development and other development processes at watershed and divisional/district level, if requested.
- Facilitate collaboration among the stakeholder institutions, local government, local stakeholders and experts appointed in developing, implementing and evaluation on SLM and land use planning process.
- Engage with government and non-government organizations at watershed and divisional/district level in many topics related to SLM and other local development initiatives associated with sustainable land uses.
- Support in developing context-appropriate innovation platforms at community level in the project area.
- Liaising with PMU staff and SIDT managers, supporting necessary program planning, development and implementation under sustainable land management in the project area.
- Support to develop and promote adoption of dashboard and information system of SLM.
- Provide support on training materials and guidelines on SLM.
Human capital
- Support in research activities for students and interns on SLM, including facilitating and evaluating their work.
- Contribute to strengthening the capacity of partners on SLM at national and sub-national levels, including facilitating and organizing training, workshops, and other events in collaboration with partners and country teams.
Game-changing solutions
- Represent the organization in engaging with public, private, and smallholder farmers in various events – as a resource person, participant, and other relevant capacities, particularly on SLM.
- Contribute to local and national discussions on SLM of expertise in close coordination with the supervisor and Sri Lanka senior researchers.
Structural capital
- Support the daily management and implementation of the project activities, especially on sustainable land management.
- Identify and inform ICRAF project manager and PI on the successes, challenges and lessons learned from the planned activities.
- Monitor the activities regularly and contribute to project reporting, monitoring, and evaluation in collaboration with other team members and project partners.
- Support the project team leaders to ensure accountability processes to donor(s) by contributing to timely submissions of reports and activities on the ground.
- Participate in periodical adaptive management reviews of implementation.
- Maintain records on stakeholder engagements (e.g. prior notice, list of attendances and contacts, gallery of photos, agenda & minutes preparation).
- Track the follow-up actions of the decisions taken in the meetings.
- Provide monthly summary reports comprising type of engagement/meeting, decisions taken, progress of follow up actions and remarks, and contribute to the annual donor reporting as required.
Education, knowledge and experience
• Master level degree in Land-use Planning/Sustainable land management/Geography or a degree in any other relevant field.
• Minimum of 3-years’ experience in sustainable land management, land-use planning, remote sensing, GIS and technology transfer to planners and technical partners along with teamwork (priority will be given for those who had worked on time bound projects successfully).
• Knowledge and experience in communication/agriculture/forestry/agroforestry systems/geography/hydrology/watershed & landscape management and participatory nature-based solutions will be an added qualification.
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple implementation activities and budgets will be an added bonus.
Terms and conditions
• This is a Locally Recruited Staff (LRS) position. CIFOR-ICRAF offers competitive remuneration in local currency, commensurate with skills and experience.
• The appointment will be for 1 (one) year with the possibility of extension contingent upon performance, continued relevance of the position and available resources.
• The duty station will be in Colombo, Sri Lanka but transferable to Matale on need basis.
To apply, please visit our career site at: https://www.cifor-icraf.org/about/work-with-us/
To learn more about CIFOR-ICRAF, please visit our websites at: https://www.cifor-icraf.org
CIFOR-ICRAF promotes Gender Diversity – Applications from women professionals are encouraged.
CIFOR-ICRAF is an equal opportunity employer. It fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equality, teamwork, and respect for diversity.
Application process
The application deadline is 07 Feb 2025
We will acknowledge all applications, but will contact only short-listed candidates.
