China Director, China Food and Nature Resources Program and China FOLU

The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) seeks to accelerate a transformation of the world’s food and land use systems to better protect our natural environment; provide nutritious and affordable food; strengthen resilience and enhance prosperity; and meet the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. FOLU aims to provide the practical connections, the evidence base for action and a vision for change to drive food and land use system transformation. We do this by:

Partnering with those best-placed to develop and deliver messages regarding food and land use systems transformation within a given political economy;
Working with national partners to develop compelling, evidence-based analyses, strategic land-use planning frameworks, pathways towards sustainable land-use and food systems, and policy recommendations; and
Creating platforms and partnership models to encourage multi-stakeholder collaboration, both nationally and globally.

Job Summary

In this role, you will play an essential part in the Food and Land Use (FOLU) Coalition’s ambition to make the case for the urgent transformation of food and land use systems in China. You will lead the FOLU country platform in China and serve as a bridge between this country platform, FOLU partners and the FOLU Secretariat. Your substantive policy and engagement experience, as well as a proven track record of working with the Chinese government, civil society and private sector partners to pursue policy objectives, will be critical.

Job Responsibilities

Thought Leadership and Strategy

Strategically develop and lead the work of FOLU China, including interventions that will operationalize and deliver on food systems transformation outlined in FOLU’s China Action Agenda.
Position the coalition strategically with key counterparts and represent the coalition in high level meetings in government, civil society and private sector, nationally and internationally.
Provide visible leadership and establish, cultivate, and facilitate relationships with key stakeholders to advance a FOLU approach in agriculture, food, and land use forums.
Work with FOLU partners to engage and build relationships with officials and policymakers to advocate for policies and practices that support the FOLU approach in China.

Management and Communication

Build trust and collaborative ways of working between coalition partners, identify and develop new partners to support the implementation of FOLU’s Action Agenda.
Management of FOLU China staff (hosted by WRI China), including supervision, coaching, and programmatic support to staff, including recruitment of new FOLU China staff.
Oversee analytical work that makes an economic case for prioritized land use options and identify new financing options.
Report and present coalition progress and program findings through publications and presentations at meetings and conferences and to donor agencies.
Document findings and progress of programs and activities in written reports to coalition members and other relevant partners, including delivering specific results that the FOLU country team want to accomplish in China.

Fundraising

Identify new and maintain existing relationships with foundations and donor agencies; develop and lead outreach for research and project proposals, with an ambition to seek medium to large multi-year funding opportunities for integrated sustainable programming
Work with FOLU China platform partners to ensure compliance with grant making policies and procedures.
Review grant documents and advise grantees on donor compliance, policies, and procedures as relevant and required.
Oversee partnership management of subgrant and contract agreements.

Job Qualifications

Chinese national based in China
Willingness to be based in Beijing
Clear thinker and communicator
Masters or equivalent degree in relevant discipline
10+ years’ relevant experience within NGOs, academia, research institutes, government and/or private sector dealing with food systems, strategy, multi-stakeholder and/or policy engagements
Detailed relevant policy experience, preferably in the food and land-use space
Strong track record of fundraising and significant experience in writing proposals and donor liaison
Expert in advanced problem-solving and analytical skills, with a focus on strategic challenges
Strong social and relationship management skills, highly self-motivated, entrepreneurial style with strong track record in developing new initiatives
Significant experience and aptitude in managing people
Full fluency in written and spoken Mandarin and English
Willingness to travel, including internationally

How to Apply

[Please indicate if a cover letter and/or additional application materials are required.]

Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. Final candidate will be required to take a writing test.

Reporting

Direct supervisor: China Food and Nature Resources Director and FOLU China and India Coordinator.

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous, comprehensive benefits package

Duration: Full-time

Location: Beijing, China

Application Deadline: Open till filled.

About WRI China

WRI China was established in 2008 as WRI’s first international office. Currently, WRI China has more than 30 full-time staff members working on Climate & Energy, Sustainable Cities, Green BRI, and Food & Land. We engage with businesses, policymakers and civil society at the local, national and international levels to advance transformative solutions for sustainable development and “ecological civilization”. WRI China recently registered as a foreign NGO under the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

About FOLU

The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) is a self-governed coalition of organisations and individuals working collaboratively to achieve a shared objective: the urgent transformation of food and land use systems to deliver a better future for people, nature and climate. FOLU supports science-based solutions and helps to build a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities to unlock collective, ambitious action.

FOLU’s Growing Better report recommends an integrated reform agenda along ten critical transitions to deliver positive outcomes for environment, health, inclusive development and food security, ensuring food and land use systems support delivery of globally agreed sustainable development, climate and biodiversity goals.

FOLU’s light-touch governance and adaptive management have enabled the FOLU community to grow and evolve since FOLU’s inception in 2017. The Coalition’s collective leadership is provided by a Core Partners Group comprised of: The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), EAT, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), SYSTEMIQ, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), World Farmers’ Organization (WFO), and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Through the Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Land Use, and Energy (FABLE) Consortium, FOLU has expert teams and networks in 18 countries, including the European Union. FABLE is a knowledge network that supports countries develop data and modelling infrastructure to promote ambitious, integrated strategies towards sustainable land use and food systems. FOLU country platforms are operating in: China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Colombia, with partner networks in Australia, the UK and the Nordic region.

FOLU is coordinated by its Global Secretariat housed at WRI’s London office. Other FOLU partners provide human resources that contribute to the Secretariat, including SYSTEMIQ and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

WRI Overview

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean.

We are passionate. We value our diversity of interests, skills and backgrounds. We have a flexible work environment. And we share a common goal to catalyze change that will improve the lives of people. Our shared ideals are at the core of our approach. They include integrity, innovation, urgency, independence and respect.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges, and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

We have been growing rapidly: our staff has doubled in size over the past 5 years and our operating budget is now $150 million. Founded in 1982, WRI has a global staff of 1,000+ people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.

The World Resources Institute (http://www.wri.org) is an environmental and development research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is WRI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, protected veteran status, or disability. WRI’s global agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender, cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and applicability of WRI's policy research and analysis. WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of all backgrounds.