Position: Project Coordinator (Full-time)

Location: Sintang, West Kalimantan

Type: On site – Contract 12 months

Deadline Application: 10 May 2024

Forestwise, established in 2018, is dedicated to combating deforestation in Borneo by creating #RainforestValue. We develop markets for rainforest products while empowering local communities and preserve the rainforest rather than cutting it down. Based in Sintang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, as PT Forestwise Wild Keepers, our mission is to #StopDeforestation and create #RainforestValue to uplift local community livelihood and keep forest standing.

This year, we are in partnership with P4G (Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals) to take our business from startup to scale-up. Together with Yayasan Rimba Raya Abadi (YRRA), our project aims to preserve and protect 100,000 hectares of authentic rainforest land by 2026, while also improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and establishing a sustainable supply chain. By 2026, we aim to support 1800 local families.

To achieve our goals, one of our focuses is empowering local communities and improving their livelihood through land ownership, farmers’ education, and securing long-term contracts and conservation agreements to ensure the commitment of communities to forest preservation while enhancing their livelihoods.

Now, we are looking for an experienced and dedicated Project Coordinator to help us support communities and achieve the project goal in areas such as land title/ownership, community education, and community engagement. 

Job Description:

The Project Coordinator (PC) will lead the efforts to obtain land titles for smallholder farmers and oversee educational initiatives promoting sustainable farming practices and product diversification. PC also will be responsible for community engagement in order to farmers’ contracts and conservation agreements.

• Land Ownership

The objective of Land Ownership is to assess the status, requirements, and procedures for obtaining land certificates for farmers. The PC will lead assessments on land ownership, identify gaps, explore legal options for ownership and usage, and collaborate closely with legal consultants. PC will be responsible for researching and evaluating land ownership matters to facilitate the company’s support for farmers in obtaining land certification.

• Farmer’s Education

The aim of Farmer’s Education is to enhance farmers’ knowledge, particularly in sustainable farming practices, financial literacy, and product diversification, empowering them to support our environmental conservation mission. The PC will oversee all aspects of the activity, from planning and implementation to evaluation. They will collaborate closely with training consultants to develop a curriculum, modules, and content tailored to the farmers’ backgrounds and needs. The PC will ensure effective delivery of the training content and take charge of monitoring and evaluation to measure the impact and ensure the achievement of targets within these activities.

• Farmer’s Contract and Conservation Agreement

The goal of these initiatives is to secure long-term off-take contracts, ensuring a stable market for farmers’ wild-harvested natural forest products, while also establishing robust agreements with farmers and local communities to safeguard and responsibly manage forest resources. The PC will be tasked with fostering strong relationships and engagement with registered farmers and communities to obtain their commitment to forest preservation and avoid monoculture practices. This commitment ensures a secure supply of illipe nut and other rainforest products for us and enables us to provide secure contracts in return to secure their economic and livelihood.

Key Responsibilities:

Land Ownership

• Assess the status, requirements, and procedures for obtaining land certificates for smallholder farmers.
• Lead assessments on land ownership, identify gaps, and explore legal options for ownership and usage.
• Collaborate closely with legal consultants to ensure compliance and legality.
• Research and evaluate land ownership matters to facilitate the company’s support for farmers in obtaining land certification.
• Lead the land mapping activities related to the traceability Apps.
• Responsible for strategically planning, implementing, and managing the timeline for land ownership activities.

Farmer’s Education

• Develop and oversee educational initiatives focused on sustainable farming practices, financial literacy, and product diversification.
• Collaborate with training consultants to tailor curriculum, modules, and content to farmers’ backgrounds and needs.
• Ensure effective planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of educational initiatives to ensure the achievement of targets.
• Step in as a trainer if necessary.
• Responsible for strategically planning, implementing, and managing the timeline for Farmer’s Education activities.

Farmer’s Contract and Conservation Agreement

• Foster strong relationships and engagement with registered farmers and communities.
• Establish agreements with farmers and local communities to safeguard and responsibly manage forest resources.
• Obtain commitment from farmers and communities to forest preservation and sustainable practices.
• Responsible for strategically planning, implementing, and managing the timeline for Farmer’s contract and conservation agreement.

General Responsibilities:

• Report on project progress, ensuring accurate and timely documentation of activities and outcomes.
• Supervise the Project Officer, providing guidance and support to ensure effective implementation of project activities.
• Assist the Project Manager in reporting to donors, providing necessary information and insights to fulfill reporting requirements and maintain donor relationships. 
• Support other activities related to the farmers and local communities if needed.
• Support the project manager in various aspects within the P4G project if needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Agriculture, Rural Development, Environmental Studies, Social Studies, or related field.
• Proven experience in project coordination, particularly in land titling and community development
• Strong organisational and leadership skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Knowledge of land tenure systems and legal processes related to land ownership.
• Experience in designing and implementing educational programs for farmers is desirable.
• Experience in engaging with local communities and cultivating positive relationships with them.
• Strong in written and spoken English.

Please send us your application to [email protected] before May 10, 2024. Kindly note that only successful candidates will be contacted for the interview process.