Program Overview

Human society and the global economy are inextricably linked to forests. More than 1 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods. And forest ecosystems play a critical role in stabilizing the climate; providing food, water, wood products, and vital medicines; and supporting much of the world’s biodiversity. WRI Indonesia plans to enhance support to Indigenous People and Local Community (IPLC) in securing their community forests and adopting forest-friendly livelihoods to reduce and reverse deforestation using Social Forestry schemes in 5 forest rich provinces, namely Aceh, West Sumatera, Jambi, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan. WRI Indonesia is collaborating with 2 local partners that have been working directly with IPLC in those regions. As stated in the project theory of change, we will implement 4 workstreams: 1) supporting community forest mapping, registration, and recognition, 2) improving IPLC capacity in managing and protecting their forest and adopting forest-friendly livelihoods opportunities, 3) supporting women and youth groups of IPLC to strengthen their influence and access to natural resource management, and 4) facilitating key stakeholders to provide meaningful support to IPLC in securing and managing their forests.

In Aceh, this program supports several Social Forestry Communities in (at least) 3 Forest Management Units (FMU), namely FMU I Aceh, FMU II Aceh, and FMU III Aceh. The program will be focusing its support for the post-recognition process especially to improve IPLC capacity (including women and youth) in managing and protecting their forest and adopting forest-friendly livelihood opportunities as well as gaining meaningful support from various stakeholders. Prior to this program, WRI Indonesia has implemented similar initiatives in South Sumatra and another location to establish a role model, consisting of a recognition process of IPLCs/ community forests, as well as post-recognition e.g developing forest management plans and livelihood initiatives managed by IPLC group. WRI aims to enhance the model in the next phase while also scaling up the impact on other communities and locations.

To Implementing program, WRI Indonesia works in collaboration with multi-stakeholders to accelerate social forestry implementation, including recognition of the Indigenous and Local Communities and their lands and forest resources. Once their land is tenure-secure, communities are more likely to be able to invest in their forest resources to sustainably manage their land. The shift towards commercializing forest products is a major transition, with local/Adat communities moving from subsistence harvesting to producing a product for the market, to managing the post-harvest processing and marketing of the product while also keeping the sustainability of their forest resources. The extent to which communities wish to move down the value chain of harvesting and processing products from their forests will vary depending on several factors, including their forest management plans and business plans as well as their interest in and capacity for managing different types of local enterprises. Therefore, WRI Indonesia is currently facilitating the development of small-medium scale community businesses through sustainable livelihood approaches.

Job Highlight

The Community Business Development Specialist will strengthen the implementation of social forestry and customary forest schemes at the province, district, and community level by conducting economic studies, livelihood and business feasibility analysis in technical and operational aspects to provide recommendations for the development of sustainable economic alternatives for IPLC groups in priority locations in the Aceh region. He/she will also support on project management and stakeholder engagement under The Enhancing Community Forest Tenure & Sustainable Livelihoods in Indonesia (NICFI – IPLC), particularly on issues of social forestry and customary forest.

The Community Business Development Specialist will be based in the WRI Indonesia’s Aceh Regional Office in Banda Aceh with frequent field travel and other priority provinces/districts, as well as other places as may be assigned. Reporting to the South Sumatra and Aceh Senior Program Lead of WRI Indonesia. He/she will liaise closely with the regional team and other key personnel of the projects, as well as key stakeholders such as the Provincial Forestry Office, Forest Management Unit, and community partners implementing similar programs, as well as relevant government agencies, local authorities, and civil societies that will contribute in achieving intended targeted impact of WRI portfolios.

What You Will Do

Research and Technical Works (30%)

• Conduct social economic analysis as well as livelihood assessment in technical and operational aspects to strengthen the implementation of social forestry in priority provinces and districts.
• Conduct livelihood assessment to produce sustainable livelihood options for communities by considering the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the communities.
• Design communities’ livelihood development strategy synergized with government strategic plan on community empowerment and natural resources management.
• Develop business plans for communities to strengthen the implementation of social forestry and customary forest schemes in priority districts and site levels.
• Design and conduct capacity-strengthening programs for communities, civil society organizations, and relevant government agencies to support the implementation of forest management and livelihood development strategy in priority provinces and its districts.
• Work with the other research team in authoring or co-authoring knowledge products and other communication documents (e.g., reports, briefs, data products, tools, and blog).
• Conduct studies on market value chain products of social forestry groups (KPS), social forestry business-based groups (KUPS), and evaluation of social forestry in the priority provinces and its districts.
• In collaboration with the Land Use Governance Specialist and Analyst, IT/IMS Specialist and Assistant, and Community Development and Livelihood team, to identify research/ analysis needs to support the program implementation.

Project Management and Communication (40%)

• Develop workplan, budget, and term of reference (TOR) to implement economic and livelihood research, and other relevant project activities in South Sumatra province and its priority districts.
• Assist the Senior Program Lead in organizing and facilitating periodic reviews, monitoring activities, and ensuring that the project delivers its outputs and outcomes.
• Support the Senior Program Lead and Program Managers to actively communicate and liaise closely with the partners implementing similar programs as well as relevant agencies of the Government, local authorities, and civil society.
• Facilitate workshops, meetings, and trainings for various stakeholders on WRI Indonesia’s research tools and knowledge products.

Stakeholders Engagement (20 %)

• Engage with communities, local government, private sector, and other stakeholders to gain meaningful support for community business development.
• Identify key stakeholders at the village, sub-district, and district level related to the community business branding and marketing, livelihood development and other initiatives.
• Engage key stakeholders to gain meaningful support and enabling environment in local level.
• Support and connect other team member and additional external expert to communities and local stakeholders.

General Support (10%)

• Provide technical support for pre-post and implementation of events in Aceh and South Sumatera.
• Contributing to cross-output implementation support in Aceh and South Sumatera.
• Provide other support as requested by WRI Indonesia.

What You Will Need

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economy, agribusiness, agronomy, environmental policy/law, natural resource study, sustainable development, development study, or similar is required, forestry, natural resource management, small and medium business management, or a related field required;
• A minimum of 5 (five) years of work experience in community facilitation/empowerment, small and medium business entrepreneurship, livelihood, and market analysis.
• Previous experience designing and facilitating field training and capacity-building training on financial management, marketing strategy, or other related topic for civil society groups, law enforcement, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to track and monitor project implementation progress
• Ability to apply research techniques to identify key decision makers, thought leaders, and influencers
• Experience in building networks of relationships and partnerships with governments, civil society, and other stakeholders engaged in forest management
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in both Bahasa Indonesia and English
• Strong team player with ability to work across institutional departments/programs.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented and organized thinker with an ability to juggle multiple priorities, handle assignments independently, and work under tight deadlines.
• Ability to travel when needed.
• Legally able to work in Indonesia.

Deliverables

1. Livelihood and business development program plan
2. Livelihood assessment report
3. Monthly timesheet and reports that include activity description
4. Capacity building implementation report
5. Minimum of 4 (four) business plans
6. Project management activities report (e.g. weekly report, monthly report, activities report, travel report, etc)
7. For technical work, the Consultant shall submit products/results of the works, such as reports, training material, data, procedures, forms, photos, and other documentation as indicated in the table of deliverables below.
8. Report and products/results shall be submitted electronically to the Senior Program Lead.

Duration

1 September 2024 – 31 December 2024 with the possibility of extension subject to individual performance review, program needs, and budget availability.

Terms of Payment

Daily rate-based consultant with a maximum of 72 (seventy-two) working days for the whole contract period or 18 working days per month in average.

Contract Arrangement

Individual consultancy contract (Part-time, limited term)

What we offer

• Consultant rate that is commensurate with experience and skills
• Travel insurance for both domestic and international for any travel duty as assigned by WRI Indonesia
• Access to the WRI global network
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work

Must have authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.

Final candidates might be required to take a writing test and to produce two writing samples when needed.

How to apply: In order to be formally considered, please submit an updated resume and cover letter through WRI career portal.

Application close: 17.00 (DKI Jakarta local time), 31 August 2024.We will close the advert earlier when the best candidates are identified at earlier dates.

This is a locally engaged position; Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.

About Us

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, gender diverse communities, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

WRI Indonesia is national entity (Yayasan) associated with the World Resources Institute (WRI), a global environmental research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. WRI work with various stakeholders in the natural resources sector to support policy and management that are both profitable and sustainable. WRI work with leaders in more than 50 countries for more than 30 years, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.

Launched in early 2014, WRI Indonesia builds on WRI’s 10-year history in the country, and strengthens our impact on the ground. In the short-to-medium term, WRI Indonesia aims to expand its presence and portfolio to include projects in the climate, energy, as well as city and transportation programs.