Background Information

Landesa is an international NGO, working to secure land rights for the world’s poor, rural women, and men. Since its founding in the 1960s at the University of Washington School of Law, Landesa has partnered with governments and stakeholders to benefit people who are experiencing poverty; whose identity and livelihoods depend on rural land, forests, or coastal areas; who lack formalized land and resource rights, are not able to fully benefit from those rights, or who are vulnerable to losing those rights. In 1981, Landesa became an independent nonprofit organization and has grown over the past five decades in its reach and impact. Recognizing the impact that secure land tenure rights for individuals and communities has on increasing women’s empowerment, Landesa employs innovative approaches to increase their access to and control of land, and natural resources in an equitable and inclusive way.

We are committed to a future in which all women and men who depend on land have secure, legal land rights – one of the most powerful tools for lifting oneself, one’s family, and one’s community out of poverty. To achieve our vision, we partner with governments, civil society, and companies to develop pro-poor and gender-sensitive laws, policies and programs that have helped strengthen land rights for more than 720 million people in the last 5 years. Since our founding, we have worked in more than 65 countries throughout the world, and currently have offices in the U.S. (Seattle, Washington and Washington, DC), China, India, Liberia, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and setting up in Malawi.

Scope of Services

The overarching goal for this position is to provide technical leadership, partnership engagement, and overall support in the implementation of the “Securing Women’s Land Rights Project” in Malawi. This project is implemented in close collaboration with other implementing partners: Women’s Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC), the Women Lawyers Association (WLA), and the Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE).

More broadly, the role will support the Africa Regional Director in designing, implementing, and monitoring Landesa’s Country Program Strategy anchored in the MoU with the Ministry Lands of Malawi. The position also contributes to informing public discourse on the issue of land tenure rights; influencing policy reforms and programmatic interventions; building capacity to gather, analyze, use, and validate data collected to track progress on women’s land rights commitments; build the nexus between land and other sectors including Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resource Governance, Climate Change, Economic Development, and convening policy makers, private sector and other stakeholders to advance land reforms for social, economic and environmental development. The role will support policy advocacy and communications efforts targeting regional and sub-regional bodies, as well as initiatives aligned with women’s land rights, land-based investments and rural development, youth rights, customary land administration, land use plans and climate justice.

Reporting and Relationships

The consultant reports to the Africa Region Director and expected to work closely with the Land Tenure Specialist, and other Landesa staff.

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 within Malawi and limited regional and international travel. Due to time-zone differences between Malawi and Landesa offices in other geographies including Nairobi, Seattle and Washington DC, flexibility in working hours will be required from time to time.

Key Responsibilities

Technical leadership, program design and implementation

• Provide technical leadership in the implementation of Landesa project under the Securing Women’s Land Rights Project in Malawi” funded by Irene M. Staehelin Foundation in collaboration with other implementing partners; WOLREC, WLA and CYECE.
• Provide technical support to all existing land rights projects in Malawi at all stages including the design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.

Strategic support and country program development

• Support the Africa Region Director in strategic planning and positioning, aligned with Landesa’s mission in Malawi and at regional level.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of Landesa’s country strategy, including the contribute development or review of the new strategy.
• Provide technical advice and recommendations to the Africa Region Director on Malawi program matters and, when required, assume delegated responsibilities as assigned.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

• Oversee the integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) approaches in all projects including development and or technical reviews of training manuals, curriculums, and legislative documents.
• Oversee the planning, designing, and implementation of GESI assessments, monitoring, and evaluation of project, and use of disaggregated data to advance women’s land rights, and inclusive policy and regulatory reforms.

Partnerships and stakeholder engagement

• Build and strengthen strategic partnership with key stakeholders in government, civil society, private sector, academia, and at the community level, working on land, environment, natural resources, and other adjacent sectors issues.
• Identify and foster collaboration with partners advancing work in land-based investment, women’s land rights, climate change and natural resource governance, customary land administration and land use planning, agriculture and rural development more broadly with other Landesa staff.
• Map existing national, sub-regional and regional networks, complementary and cross-sectoral initiatives to strengthen national and regional networking, learning and knowledge exchange among project partners and stakeholders at national and international level.
• among Landesa partners with other land, natural resources, and women’s rights organizations, experts and practitioners focused on common goals.

Team support and capacity strengthening

• In collaboration with and support from the Africa Region Director, provide technical supervision to Landesa Project staff.
• Work with project partners to facilitate cross-learning and exchanges on key thematic areas of interest in advancing women’s land rights for the project staff.
• Leverage the technical knowledge, experience and lessons learnt by Landesa staff in country, regional and internationally for foster experience sharing around land and natural resources governance, responsible investment, climate resilient livelihoods and communities, gender equitable and socially inclusive rural development among others.

Communications and advocacy

• Plan, design and implement strategies for communications and outreach for public awareness concerning women’s and men’s land rights. Share government commitments and the progress made over time towards them.
• Work with civil society actors and community members to strengthen their abilities to communicate (to various audiences using audience-appropriate media) the importance of women’s and men’s land rights, climate resilient livelihoods and ecosystems, responsive investment, and unique opportunities for rural development.
• Develop and disseminate communications and outreach materials such as op-eds, briefs, policy documents, newsletters, infographics, websites, and social media in close cooperation with Landesa communications and advocacy program staff.
• Work with key government officials at the national, regional, and local levels to support efforts to design and implement a strategy to achieve and track progress towards national and international commitments.

Education and Experience

Landesa is seeking a senior individual consultant with the following qualification:

• Graduate or professional degree in a land related discipline, geography, agricultural economics, economics, sociology, environment, natural resources, law, or related fields.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing and implement projects on land tenure and governance, natural resource management, or related fields, with a significant portion of that experience in Africa.
• Familiarity with GESI frameworks and gender-transformative approaches to land programming.
• Demonstrated experience working with or collaborating with governments, land administration institutions, or public sector bodies in advancing land reform agenda at the national, sub-regional and regional level.
• Strong understanding of land tenure systems, customary tenure regimes, land policies and legislations, and overall land reform processes in Malawi.
• Experience in policy advocacy, public engagement, and communications, with the ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to different audiences and contribute to policy briefs, op-eds, reports, presentations, and other communications products.
• Strong data, evidence, monitoring, and learning capabilities, including experience strengthening gender disaggregated data collection and analysis, monitoring policy or program commitments, and translating evidence into actionable insights for decision-makers and compelling communications.
• Track record of supporting fundraising efforts, including proposal development and donor engagement.
• Experience in development of training materials, tools and community-level approaches is an added advantage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce polished written products and represent an organization in high-level settings.
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in local languages an asset.
• Professionally exercise independent judgment, work with minimal supervision, and deliver high-quality, actionable outputs.

• Provide technical leadership in the implementation of Landesa project under the Securing Women’s Land Rights Project in Malawi” funded by Irene M. Staehelin Foundation in collaboration with other implementing partners; WOLREC, WLA and CYECE.
• Provide technical support to all existing land rights projects in Malawi at all stages including the design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
• Support the Africa Region Director in strategic planning and positioning, aligned with Landesa’s mission in Malawi and at regional level.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of Landesa’s country strategy, including the contribute development or review of the new strategy.
• Provide technical advice and recommendations to the Africa Region Director on Malawi program matters and, when required, assume delegated responsibilities as assigned.
• Oversee the integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) approaches in all projects including development and or technical reviews of training manuals, curriculums, and legislative documents.
• Oversee the planning, designing, and implementation of GESI assessments, monitoring, and evaluation of project, and use of disaggregated data to advance women’s land rights, and inclusive policy and regulatory reforms.
• Build and strengthen strategic partnership with key stakeholders in government, civil society, private sector, academia, and at the community level, working on land, environment, natural resources, and other adjacent sectors issues.
• Identify and foster collaboration with partners advancing work in land-based investment, women’s land rights, climate change and natural resource governance, customary land administration and land use planning, agriculture and rural development more broadly with other Landesa staff.
• Map existing national, sub-regional and regional networks, complementary and cross-sectoral initiatives to strengthen national and regional networking, learning and knowledge exchange among project partners and stakeholders at national and international level.
• among Landesa partners with other land, natural resources, and women’s rights organizations, experts and practitioners focused on common goals.
• In collaboration with and support from the Africa Region Director, provide technical supervision to Landesa Project staff.
• Work with project partners to facilitate cross-learning and exchanges on key thematic areas of interest in advancing women’s land rights for the project staff.
• Leverage the technical knowledge, experience and lessons learnt by Landesa staff in country, regional and internationally for foster experience sharing around land and natural resources governance, responsible investment, climate resilient livelihoods and communities, gender equitable and socially inclusive rural development among others.
• Plan, design and implement strategies for communications and outreach for public awareness concerning women’s and men’s land rights. Share government commitments and the progress made over time towards them.
• Work with civil society actors and community members to strengthen their abilities to communicate (to various audiences using audience-appropriate media) the importance of women’s and men’s land rights, climate resilient livelihoods and ecosystems, responsive investment, and unique opportunities for rural development.
• Develop and disseminate communications and outreach materials such as op-eds, briefs, policy documents, newsletters, infographics, websites, and social media in close cooperation with Landesa communications and advocacy program staff.
• Work with key government officials at the national, regional, and local levels to support efforts to design and implement a strategy to achieve and track progress towards national and international commitments.

• Familiarity with GESI frameworks and gender-transformative approaches to land programming.
• Demonstrated experience working with or collaborating with governments, land administration institutions, or public sector bodies in advancing land reform agenda at the national, sub-regional and regional level.
• Strong understanding of land tenure systems, customary tenure regimes, land policies and legislations, and overall land reform processes in Malawi.
• Experience in policy advocacy, public engagement, and communications, with the ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to different audiences and contribute to policy briefs, op-eds, reports, presentations, and other communications products.
• Strong data, evidence, monitoring, and learning capabilities, including experience strengthening gender disaggregated data collection and analysis, monitoring policy or program commitments, and translating evidence into actionable insights for decision-makers and compelling communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce polished written products and represent an organization in high-level settings.
• Professionally exercise independent judgment, work with minimal supervision, and deliver high-quality, actionable outputs.

• Graduate or professional degree in a land related discipline, geography, agricultural economics, economics, sociology, environment, natural resources, law, or related fields.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in managing and implement projects on land tenure and governance, natural resource management, or related fields, with a significant portion of that experience in Africa.
• Familiarity with GESI frameworks and gender-transformative approaches to land programming.
• Demonstrated experience working with or collaborating with governments, land administration institutions, or public sector bodies in advancing land reform agenda at the national, sub-regional and regional level.
• Strong understanding of land tenure systems, customary tenure regimes, land policies and legislations, and overall land reform processes in Malawi.
• Experience in policy advocacy, public engagement, and communications, with the ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to different audiences and contribute to policy briefs, op-eds, reports, presentations, and other communications products.
• Strong data, evidence, monitoring, and learning capabilities, including experience strengthening gender disaggregated data collection and analysis, monitoring policy or program commitments, and translating evidence into actionable insights for decision-makers and compelling communications.
• Track record of supporting fundraising efforts, including proposal development and donor engagement.
• Experience in development of training materials, tools and community-level approaches is an added advantage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce polished written products and represent an organization in high-level settings.
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in local languages an asset.
• Professionally exercise independent judgment, work with minimal supervision, and deliver high-quality, actionable outputs.