Director, Forestry and Natural Resource Management (FNRM)

Job Description
Title: Director, Forestry and Natural Resource Management Unit (FNRM)

Team: Environment & Energy (E2)

Reports to: Associate Vice President, E2

Winrock International is recruiting a technical leader for the Forestry and Natural Resource Management Unit (FNRM) within the Environment & Energy Group (E2). The Director is responsible for leading technical performance and management of the FNRM Unit. This role oversees and ensures high quality project management and technical implementation, impact reporting and robust technical leadership, proactive new business development and strategic growth, and supports a dynamic home office team.

S/he/they are responsible for setting, implementing, and meeting strategic, long-term goals and objectives. The Director will work closely with their team to ensure high technical impact and project management practices are applied across the portfolio, leverage and develop capabilities and resources within the broader E2 team for new business efforts, and promote mechanisms for shared learning and healthy habits among project teams. The Director will help to ensure that the FNRM unit's projects are environmentally compliant and implementing activities in line with best natural resource management practices. As a senior member of the E2 management team, the Director will be emotionally intelligent and lead by example, fostering an environment that is collaborative, conducive to growth, respect, equity, and thought leadership.

Forestry and Natural Resource Management Unit

FNRM features a dynamic and growing portfolio of Winrock's forestry and natural resource management projects including large, complex, United States for International Development (USAID) and other donor-funded projects conducting a wide range of activities, including climate change mitigation and adaptation programs at the national and community level, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)+ projects, sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, community-based land use management, market-driven resource-based enterprise development, and payment for environmental services.

Implementation is focused on partnership, as well as technical and data-driven innovations and learning, adapting, and scaling proven models.

Essential Duties

Leadership, strategy, and impact:

• Develop a vision and provide guidance to strategically grow the unit's portfolio, deepening impact, scale, and reach.

• Work with the FNRM team and the Analytics, Gender, Inclusion, Learning and Evaluation (AGILE) Unit to identify, document, and promote technical best practices and methodologies in project implementation for future new business design, internal learning, and external promotion. Foster and promote the capture, utilization, and growth of knowledge and learning within the unit.
• Lead the growth of the unit's technical visibility with key stakeholders, practitioners, and donors with an eye towards identifying and engaging promising partners for collaboration and innovation through thought leadership activities including, but not limited to, penning op-eds; serving as a technical panelist, and identifying topics and convening technical fora/ensuring Winrock participation in relevant fora.
  Work with FNRM team to develop core technical materials for FNRM unit.

• Provide perspective and expertise on emerging issues and trends in the environment/climate change sector.

Proactive new business development

• Support and grow FNRM new business by: surfacing and recommending opportunities, leading proposals, and/or serving as a technical lead, contributor, or reviewer; leading decisions on whether to pursue FNRM new business opportunities; mentoring staff; and working closely with the Sr. Director of E2, New Business Support Unit and E2 New Business Manager to ensure the delivery of quality proposals.
• Utilize professional network to build and maintain relationships with current and prospective donors in the portfolio through regular outreach.
• Represent Winrock at external events, nationally and internationally, and position Winrock for expanded work in relevant fields.

Quality project implementation oversight

• Provide consistent direction and advisory support to home office project staff to ensure accountability for project technical, financial, and operational excellence.
• Ensure program adherence to organizational policies, strategies and quality standards and continuously monitor program results to ensure projects are on time, on budget, and delivering high quality technical impact. Identify, elevate and address risks quickly.

• Identify, develop and uplift existing technical project tools and approaches that can be incorporated into the larger technical area;

• Work with relevant internal Winrock operating units to ensure that program staff have the tools and skills needed to maintain full compliance throughout program implementation, including financial forecasting and budgeting, M&E, subaward management, procurement, and staff management.

Nurture and build an effective FNRM Team

• Lead by example and inspire staff in the unit, promoting professional development and creating a positive working environment that encourages productive relationships, creative problem solving, and high performance.
• Lead team development, performance against strategic goals, personnel management issues, wellness and staff spotlights to promote recognition of individual and team efforts.
• Supervise and support home office team, in-country Project Directors and Chiefs of Party, traveling to country offices to visit programs and provide support, visibility, guidance, and reinforcement where safe and appropriate, post-COVID.

• Serve as a champion for Winrock's Core Values (accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation) in the approach to management of the FNRM team and encourage upward feedback and management.

Who You Are and Keys to Success:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in international development, environmental science, natural resource management, forestry, climate change, or other related field required; advanced degree strongly preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years' experience, including overseas work, in international development/natural resource management required. Additional years of experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading and building teams, demonstrated technical innovation and leadership in natural resource management programming, strategic planning, capacity development, project and financial management.
• Track record leading/designing winning proposals.
• Experience managing large, complex U.S. Government-funded projects required. Experience leading other donor-funded projects, in addition to U.S. Government-funded projects, an asset.
• Experience in USAID environmental regulations and policies is strongly preferred.
• Fluency in English and excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Fluency in a language in addition to English strongly preferred.
• Excellent leadership, problem solving, teamwork, interpersonal skills required.
• Willingness to travel to developing countries, ~10%, required once COVID-related health risks have abated.
• Experience working in developing countries required.
• Experience serving as Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party, Project Director or similar leadership role preferred.
• Environmental compliance experience strongly preferred.

Winrock offers competitive pay and an excellent benefits package.

Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to perceived or actual race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law.