POSITION SUMMARY:

Thriving Landscapes are one of the two main offerings in the Rainforest Alliance 2030 strategy. They comprise initially five tropical ecosystems with the greatest ecological, market, and social value where we will integrate our offerings and work in alliance with landscape stakeholders towards a time-bound, comprehensive, and shared vision that achieves positive, measurable impacts for people and nature.

Through strategic alliances, and the integrated delivery of Rainforest Alliance’s products and services, Thriving Landscapes will construct a systems pathway to regenerative production, economic diversification, inclusive social development and ecosystem conservation and restoration. The offering will strengthen market commitments to responsible and/or certified sourcing, advocate for policies driving sustainable land use, and enable stakeholders to work collaboratively to define and implement context-specific actions for climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and improved livelihoods. In the 2030 strategy, five Thriving Landscapes have been identified initially, one in each Region of Rainforest Alliance's work. A clear results framework will capture the impact.

The MEL Manager, Thriving Landscapes will be the connector between the organizational impact targets from the Rainforest Alliance’s Impacts Frameworks, and the Thriving Landscapes strategizing and programming to reach those targets in each of the Thriving Landscapes. The position will support the Thriving Landscapes Global Lead, the regional teams, and Rainforest Alliance functional departments in ensuring, on the one hand, vertical integration between the Rainforest Alliance impact targets and (helping to define) local impact targets for each of the Thriving Landscapes. The manager will also support horizontal integration and strategic planning across the different Thriving Landscapes, in terms of “how” to set those local targets and monitor them.

The Manager will collaborate closely with a multi-disciplinary, local and international team of specialists and report into Rainforest Alliance’s global Impact team.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support teams working on Thriving Landscapes with programming, strategizing, learning, and evaluating through data-driven and transparent processes.
• Support regional staff in setting targets based on data analysis for each Flourishing Landscape.
• Manage adaptively the Thriving Landscapes Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework and processes in alignment with the Rainforest Alliance’s Impact Framework. Ensure the Impact Framework indicators are piloted and coordinated into the M&E frameworks of all Thriving Landscapes.
• Coordinate M&E data collection across the Thriving Landscape portfolio.
• Coordinate M&E data analyses across the Thriving Landscape portfolio.
• Standardize data storage and reporting of all Thriving Landscapes, ensuring data availability.
• Lead and coordinate the production of Flourishing Landscape M&E reports and impact dashboards.
• Produce Evolving Landscape-related components of Impact Framework reporting.
• Collaborate with colleagues from the Impact Department to ensure consistency and coordination within the organization’s standards and frameworks and landscape approaches.
• Coordinate with local staff to generate data enabling Rainforest Alliance to fundraise for and report progress in the Thriving Landscapes.
• Ensure fundraising proposals related to Thriving Landscapes align with the Thriving Landscapes Theory of Change, M&E framework, and M&E processes.
• Coordinate data gathering from relevant RA teams to support analysis for crafting a baseline, setting targets, and monitoring progress over time.
• Foster learning and knowledge-sharing across different Thriving Landscapes to readjust targets and working processes where necessary.
• Support the Flourishing Landscapes Global Lead and Innovation team in applying the Portfolio Management Process.
• Communicate key insights internally and propose recommendations for improvement to project teams and decision-makers.
• Propose related claims wording and external communication messages.
• Foster a culture of collaboration by engaging with all members of the organization, seeking diverse perspectives, and promoting continuous learning and simplification in programmatic work.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Degree in a relevant field; master’s degree preferred.
• At least 7+ years of relevant work experience in the agriculture sector.
• At least 5 years of demonstrable experience in data collection, research, monitoring, and reporting, strategy setting, and translating business objectives into data products for prioritization and decision making.
• Outstanding dedication, energy, and a positive approach.
• Understanding of balanced development issues and dedication to Rainforest Alliance’s goals.
• Proven project management experience.
• Proficiencies required: System thinking, agile working, analytical skills, adaptability, persuasion, critical and reflective thinking, resourcefulness, ability to build relationships based on trust, empathy, and openness, and strong organizational skills to prioritize tasks efficiently.
• High-quality spoken and written English; additional languages are a plus.
• Ability to travel a minimum of 20% per year, nationally and internationally.