Senior Land Tenure Specialist at Landesa: (Deadline 27 March 2023)

Position Title: Senior Land Tenure Specialist

Status: Regular, Full Time

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

Contract Duration:  Two years, renewable subject to availability of funds  

Classification: Exempt (Not Eligible for Overtime Pay)

Annual Salary: $25,288-$36,000 USD

Job Summary:  The Senior/Sr. Land Tenure Specialist provides policy, analytical and implementation expertise on land tenure security, access to land, land rights formalization, land markets, land administration, land management, resolution of land disputes and related fields such as food security, agricultural productivity, responsible land-based rural investment, corporate services and partnerships, and natural resource management. The Sr. Land Tenure Specialist conducts analyses (both desk and in the field), and prepares and presents analytical reviews, research and briefing papers, advisory memos on land tenure policy and law, training modules, presentations, and other products to a variety of audiences, including high level government officials, development agencies and funders.  The Sr. Land Tenure Specialist manages relevant assignments, projects, and tasks, and helps pursue project funding through designing projects, writing technical sections of proposals, preparing budgets and projecting timelines. 

Reporting and relationships: The Sr. Land Tenure Specialist reports to the Rwanda Program Director.

Availability: The Sr. Land Tenure Specialist is expected to work a standard workweek of 40 hours, plus additional hours as may be necessary to complete work. The position requires local travel and limited regional and international travel. Due to time-zone differences between Rwanda and Landesa offices in other geographies including Seattle and Washington DC, flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time. 

Essential Job Functions:

• Performs research, analysis, and synthesis of topics and issues related to Landesa’ s work in Rwanda.
• Undertakes and, supervises fieldwork (rapid rural appraisal, key informant interviews, community meetings, workshops, surveys, training, field monitoring and learning opportunities) to gather information about land tenure, land administration and management issues affecting smallholder farmers and local communities, land tenure for social and environmental conservation and the prospects for policy reform in Rwanda.
• Makes policy, program and project recommendations that are useful and realistic, given Rwanda’s land realities, priorities, and resources.
• Develops plans for implementing recommendations, including ensuring that gender considerations are addressed in all program interventions at policy and practice.
• Assesses progress and results, identifies problem areas, and takes corrective steps to achieve Landesa’s program and project objectives.
• Organize and facilitate inclusive national and local stakeholders’ meetings and learning events as may be required to facilitate achievement of project objectives, influence learning and capacity strengthening.
• Support the Country Program Director in the development and implementation of the Landesa country strategy as informed by cooperation agreement and government priorities.
• Manages projects in conformity with Landesa procedures on budgeting, human resource allocation and work planning, cost monitoring and control, monitoring travel schedules, and product preparation and delivery.
• Foster collaboration with government officials at all levels, Civil Society Organizations, international aid agencies, and corporations in the work.
• Contributes to internal learning objectives by sharing research methods and findings with staff, including through presentations and reports.
• Prepares and delivers public education, advocacy and awareness presentations, policy briefs and other products consistent with Landesa’s educational and communication strategic objectives.
• Performs other management and administrative tasks as assigned by the Rwanda Program Director.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• A deep commitment to Landesa’s mission of a better, safer future for the world’s poorest people through secure access to land. Commitment to Landesa’s core values.

• Dedication and persistence working in a mission-driven environment as a constructive, solution-oriented problem solver.

• Research, analysis, synthesis, reasoning, and writing abilities that have been developed to a level that permits the Sr. Land Tenure Specialist to work independently and offer leadership in project design and implementation, including supervision of project team performance and quality of work products.

• Familiarity with the Rwanda land sector, legal frameworks, economic and social trends, agricultural and environmental issues to inform projects interventions and stakeholders engagement.
• Ability to develop concrete work plans and manage tasks, teams, people, funds, products, and other elements so that work is performed according to agreed budgets, schedules, delivery requirements, Research Evaluation and Learning (REL) standards and staffing plans.
• Ability to manage documents and correspondence, track, and report on project labor, and carry out other administrative tasks efficiently, routinely, and in conformance to Landesa standards and procedures.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of people at all levels, including those from the country’s governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other counterparts, clients and funders. Ability to demonstrate cross-cultural sensitivity, tact, and poise.
• Ability to lead and work collaboratively as a member of teams, regardless of role within the team, through consensus building, communication, and leadership.
• Ability to apply effective and positive conflict management skills and act as a mentor to junior staff.
• Ability to engage and lead in high-level land, legal and policy advocacy with legislators, government officials, multilateral representatives, and private sector leaders.
• Exceptional ability to communicate in writing and orally in English and Kinyarwanda.

Education and Experience:

• Required: graduate or professional degree in a land related discipline, geography, agricultural economics, economics, sociology, environment, natural resources, law or related fields.
• Required: minimum of seven years of relevant land tenure work experience, engaging in broad variety of land policy analysis, related research, project design and project implementation.
• Required: minimum of five years of relevant work experience focused on design and implementation of projects related to land policy, agriculture, rural development, land administration, environment, and natural resource management.
• Required: demonstrated advocacy skills in capacity development, sensitization, and support for policy reform in the land, agriculture, environment, and related sectors.
• Preferred: experience in mainstreaming gender in the design and implementation of development projects and efforts towards securing women’s land rights.
• Preferred: Knowledge of and experience working in the land sector, environment and natural resource management and agriculture. 

Work Environment and Working Conditions:  

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to working conditions and hazards that are prevalent for the location and/or country of assignment.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  Work is primarily performed indoors with some potential for exposure to safety and health hazards related to electronics work.  

Other: The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.  Reasonable accommodations will be made in appropriate circumstances to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. Applicant must be legally eligible to work in Rwanda.

To Apply: Qualified candidates should complete an online application on Landesa’s career page. The deadline for application is 27 March 2023. Rwanda nationals and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.  No phone calls please.  Landesa is an Equal Opportunity Employer.