Position Title: 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: $16,139-$27,000 USD
Job Summary: The Land Tenure Specialist position includes informing public discourse on the nexus between land, agriculture, environmental conservation and gender equality in land rights, inclusive and responsive dissemination and implementation of policy reforms and programmatic implementation of interventions. This position includes building capacity to gather, analyze, use and validate data collected to inform and track progress on land rights commitments for smallholder farmers and local communities; develop strategy to leverage opportunities to advance change in land tenure security, land dispute resolution, land administration, and participate in advocacy and communications efforts in support of Landesa country strategy infirmed by the cooperation agreement with the government of Rwanda and its priorities. She/he manages relevant assignments, projects, and tasks, and helps pursue project funding through preparation of background information and situational analysis, writing of proposals, preparing budgets and projecting timelines.
Reporting and relationships: The Land Tenure Specialist reports to the Rwanda Program Director.
Availability: The 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 Responsibilities:
- Identify and develop collaborative relationships with key stakeholders in government, civil society, development agencies, and at the community level who are working for, or supportive of, change in the area of land tenure, policy reforms and dissemination, land administration and management, agriculture for rural development and environmental conservation with a focus on smallholder farmers, gender equality in resource sharing, and land dispute resolution, in close collaboration and coordination with relevant Landesa partners, projects stakeholders, and program staff.
- Map existing networks and complementary or cross-sectorial initiatives relevant in areas of land tenure and land administration, agriculture and smallholder farmers, environment and rural development, and women’s rights organizations, experts and practitioners focused on shared goals.
- Plan, design and implement strategies for communications and outreach for public awareness concerning land policies and legislations on the rights to land, government commitments, mechanisms in the land, agriculture and rural development, and the progress made by the government of Rwanda towards such commitments, challenges, and opportunities.
- Work with government officials, the civil society actors, development agencies, and community members to strengthen their abilities to use data evidence to communicate (to various audiences using audience-appropriate media including through radio programmes) the importance secure land rights for women and men smallholder farmers, land tenure for social and environmental conservation, better access to land administration services for all, alternative and gender responsive dispute resolution mechanisms through trainings, workshops and other learning opportunities.
- Work with key government officials at the national, and district levels to advance land policy and legislation dissemination, support for smallholder farmers secure their land rights including land consolidation scheme, promote access to land administration services, soil conservation and use of alternative and gender responsive land dispute resolution mechanism.
- Engage in dialogue and help coordinate capacity development efforts with relevant Landesa Research Evaluation and Learning (REL) staff and Rwanda government officials to strengthen and enhance existing data collection processes and data analysis to support the rigorous monitoring of progress on key interventions and provide support to present this data in compelling ways.
- Convene national and district stakeholders’ meetings that brings together key stakeholders for learning and sharing of cross-sector experiences, disseminate research and other publications, as well as build synergies and leverage opportunities for partnership and collaboration.
- Develop and disseminate communications and outreach materials such as op-eds, policy briefs, newsletters, infographics, websites, and social media in close cooperation with Landesa communications and advocacy program staff.
- Support Landesa’ develop project budgets and produce project reporting documents.
- Establish an effective data collection system and reporting forms for capturing quantitative and qualitative information and implement the established M&E system.
- Perform other duties as assigned by Rwanda Program Director.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- A deep commitment to the mission of a better, safer future for the world’s poorest people through secure land rights. Commitment to Landesa’s core values.
- Research, analysis, synthesis, reasoning, and writing abilities that have been developed to a level that permits to work independently and lead Landesa projects.
- Strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
- Strong oral presentation skills and an ability to disseminate policy recommendations at the community level.
- Familiarity with land policy and legislative frameworks in Rwanda, economic, social, agricultural, environmental, institutional, and geographic concepts that can be applied to land and rural development sector.
- 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, 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 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 the Rwanda country team, regardless of role within the team, through consensus building, communication, and leadership.
- Exceptional ability to communicate in writing and orally in English and Kinyarwanda.
Education and Experience:
- Required: graduate or professional degree in a land discipline, geography, sociology, agricultural economics, economics, natural resources management, gender, law, rural development, or related field.
- Required: minimum of five years of professional work experience in land governance, land administration and management; land policy research and analysis, design and implementation of land, agriculture, environment and rural development interventions, and women economic empowerment projects.
- Preferred: knowledge, experience, and ability to work in Rwanda.
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.
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