Project Associate-AFR 100 at Palladium International

Project Overview and Role:

• The African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) is a country-led effort to bring 100 million hectares of land in Africa into restoration by 2030. It aims to accelerate restoration to enhance food security, increase climate change resilience and mitigation, and combat rural poverty.
• During Phase I (2016-2021), AFR100 mobilized widespread political leadership across 33 African countries, developed national plans and strategies, and catalysed implementation across 5 million hectares. Phase II of AFR100 (2022-2026), which launched at UN COP27 in November 2022, aims to bring an additional 20 million hectares under restoration.
• Regeneration is leading the AFR100 markets readiness program to connect the communities and entrepreneurs who make up the local restoration economy, with private sector supply chains and global markets. Initially the markets readiness program will focus on three of the six target landscapes: Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, the Rusizi Basin and the Ghana Cocoa Belt.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

Position Description

• The Project Associate will be responsible for managing Restoration Champions (RCs) within the Markets Readiness Technical Assistance (MRTA) programme. This will involve building a pipeline of Restoration Champions and identifying the TA needs of each RC that will be part of MRTA. They will be responsible for managing the successful delivery of TA support that RCs will receive and monitor their progress against projected impact indicators. The Associate will work with the broader team in designing and implementing a strategy that will equip RCs reach their commercial scale up goals through the provision of TA and other financing needs.

Scope of Work

Pipeline Development

• Conduct pipeline screening of potential partners that will enter the MRTA;
• Conduct rapid assessment to determine level of market readiness for each RC; 
• Develop a market readiness pitch deck for each RC in the MRTA pipeline;
• Support presentation of RCs to relevant approval committees towards entry into the MRTA;

Portfolio Management

• For selected RCs entering the MRTA pipeline, develop commercial scale-up plans outlining expected results and required inputs with the aim of facilitating access to market and successful offtake transactions
• Organize and lead kick-off meetings, introducing restoration champions to programme polices and project management policies, procedures, and practices
• Lead and actively participate in team problem solving sessions and provide insight and trends  
• Work alongside the commercial partnerships team to support facilitation of offtaker contracts with RCs
• Actively participate in relevant stakeholder meetings to build knowledge and engage with key stakeholders in the region 
• Manage the relationship with stakeholders in the project through regular check-ins and communications
• Deliver and manage implementation of targeted technical assistance to RCs including business plan development, investment pitching, go-to-market strategies, etc.
• Monitoring and Reporting
• Ensure timely reporting and monitoring to achieve expected outcomes and impacts
• Ensure RCs under implementation achieve MRTA milestone targets as planned 
• Share lessons and impact stories around projects under implementation   
• Conduct regular monitoring visits to RCs for successful implementation of activities  
• Review technical reports and track milestones based on each RC’s contract

Required Qualifications:

• Entrepreneurial, self-starter who enjoys working in a fast-paced, results-driven business environment.
• Strong background in finance/commercial sector with knowledge on designing financial models, business plans and investment pitch decks.
• Ability to deliver complex programmes in developing countries with multiple stakeholders, components, and objectives.
• Experience in leading projects that provide technical assistance towards projects and businesses working on restoration and sustainable land use.
• Track record of being part of a team that delivers results and contributes to economic, social and environmental outcomes.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in positions as well as expertise working in a commodity company focusing on value chains like coffee, bamboo, etc.