Job Title: Agroforestry Director
Location: Kigali, Rwanda (Please see below)*
Contract Duration: Indefinite contract
Travel: Travel will be required (approximately 25%)
DRS is looking for an Agroforestry Director for an INGO who will help address three key challenges facing smallholder farmers – extreme poverty, climate change, and biodiversity loss – through agroforestry and Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR). Specifically, you will strengthen and improve existing programs that serve more than 2 million farm families and produce over 70 million seedlings per year through a network of over 2,500 local nurseries. You will also have ample opportunity to improve new approaches to generate positive change for farm families and the environment, working on a variety of complex challenges, including strengthening our supply of quality tree seedlings, improving training for nursery managers, and diversifying our species offerings.
The Director of Agroforestry will directly supervise a dedicated international agroforestry team, will co-lead embedded agroforestry teams in each country program in collaboration with senior program leaders, and will report to the Impact Director.
Key Responsibilities
Build a vision and implement impactful FLR programs aimed at planting 1 billion trees by 2030 in a way that generates meaningful impact:
- Work with leaders and teams across 10 markets to develop and refine the strategy in each country to strengthen existing programs and maximize the impact (outcomes for landholders and the environment) from the tree planting programs.
- Assess the main levers for reaching primary goals, including scale (1 billion trees by 2030), cost-effective impact (SROI), climate resilience, and ecological restoration.
Lead engagement and build relationships to accelerate scale and impact:
- Lead external engagement related to our client’s agroforestry work. You will help build their network in the agroforestry and the climate sector. You will work with senior leaders to expand the network of funding partners and secure funding to grow operations.
- Explore new programmatic and technical partnerships to expand the network of farmers, improve the quality of programs, and identify new opportunities.
Develop and Oversee New Initiatives to Broaden and Deepen Impact for Farmers and the Environment:
- Identify, pilot, and scale new investments to improve program impact and reach. You could bolster growing Payments for Ecosystem Service programs, explore additional economic opportunities associated with non-timber forest products, or launch entirely new programs.
Career Growth and Development
Our client has a strong culture of constant learning, and they invest in developing their people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. They hold career reviews every six months and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding, long-term career.
Qualifications
Experience in Agroforestry and Landscape Restoration
- 5+ years of leadership experience in a regional context as a country or regional director or similar, and demonstrated results in agroforestry, restoration, or related domains in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- University or advanced degree in agroforestry, ecology, restoration, or related fields.
- Familiarity with nature-based carbon projects, including implementation and certification, is an added advantage.
External Relationships
- Engage a range of audiences, including rural farmers, internal staff, external partners, and organizational leadership.
- History of collaboration with primary actors in the forestry and landscape restoration sectors, including implementers, technical resources, and policy-makers.
- Experience launching new programs or building successful partnerships.
Management Skills
- Experience managing high-level team members and coordinating complex and scalable programs.
- Penchant for data-driven decision-making with structured analysis and fact-based recommendations.
- Experience with multi-year, multi-project budgeting and planning.
Other
- Willingness to travel within the region up to 25% of the time.
- English Fluency. Other preferred languages include Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Chichewa, or Amhar.
*Location:
The location for this position is Kigali, Rwanda (a Rwandan work permit will be provided). However, candidates based in other countries of operation (Kenya, Burundi, Uganda, Zambia, Nigeria, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Tanzania) can work from their respective countries.
How to apply
Applications and updated CVs should be submitted on the following link: https://drs-jobs.developmentaid.org/jobs/7772/agroforestry-director-rwanda. Due to the high number of applications received via the DevelopmentAid website, we can only reply to shortlisted candidates. Please note that the above requirements can be modified during the recruitment process according to the client’s procedures.