Senior Land Policy Advisor (Part-time Consultant)

Contractor Terms of Reference (TOR)

Location: Indonesia

October 2025

About Landesa

Grounded in the knowledge that having legal rights to land is a foundation for prosperity and opportunity, Landesa partners with governments and local organizations to ensure that those experiencing the most extreme forms of poverty have secure rights over the land they steward.

Founded as the Rural Development Institute in 1967, Landesa has helped more than 100 million families living in poverty gain legal control over their land. Landesa works closely with Landesa Indonesia, an Indonesia-based foundation, headquartered in Jakarta and established in 2023, that promotes social and humanitarian efforts related rural development and poverty alleviation focused on land rights and other natural resources, in addition to promoting the participation and social standing of women and marginalized communities. With secure land rights, especially for women, these families can eat better, earn more, educate their children, practice conservation, and achieve dignity for generations. For additional information, visit the Landesa

website at www.landesa.org and www.landesaindonesia.org.

Landesa Indonesia, as part of the Landesa Global, through the Mangroves and Coastal Project, supports sustainable coastal and mangrove management, tenure security, and improved livelihoods for coastal communities in Indonesia. The project’s primary goals are to: (1) protect coastal mangroves, (2) strengthen tenure, livelihoods, and participation of local and adat communities, and (3) contribute to climate action through inclusive governance reforms.

To achieve these objectives, Landesa Indonesia seeks a qualified and experienced Land Tenure Specialist to provide technical assistance focusing on customary (adat) communities and mangrove protection, with fieldwork primarily in East Nusa Tenggara, Papua, and East Kalimantan.

Objective of the Assignment

The consultant will provide policy advisory and technical assistance to advance Landesa’s Indonesia tenure and mangrove initiatives, focusing on policy and governance issues related to land tenure, community land and resource rights, and adat (customary) systems, in inland as well as coastal (mangrove) contexts). The consultant will work closely with Landesa Indonesia and collaborate with the U.S. and Southeast Asia regional teams, to strengthen policy advocacy, contribute to national dialogues, and support field-level implementation aligned with goals.

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Indonesia Programme Director and in coordination with the Landesa Indonesia team, the Senior Land Policy Advisor will perform the following tasks:

1. Policy and Technical Advisory

• Author Landesa policy analysis reports and recommendations related to coastal mangrove governance and tenure.
• Review and provide high-level inputs and written feedback on draft reports, policy papers, and legal analyses.
• Conduct research and policy analysis on issues related to land tenure, adat rights, and marine/coastal/mangrove governance.
• Support the Landesa Indonesia team in developing evidence-based recommendations from field experiences to inform policy processes, including participating in field missions to enhance understanding of local tenure dynamics and inform policy advocacy.
• Offer practical and strategic recommendations that align with Indonesia’s evolving policy landscape and local realities.

2. Government Engagement and Advocacy

• Support Landesa’s engagement with national and sub-national ministries, including the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP)
• Participate in national-level policy dialogues and inter-ministerial coordination processes related to tenure reform and coastal (mangrove) management by communities.
• Advocate for policy changes that strengthen coastal tenure and community rights within and around mangrove ecosystems.
• Represent Landesa in meetings, workshops, and consultations with government partners and other stakeholders.

3. Capacity Strengthening

• Provide regular consultation to Landesa’s national policy and field teams, and mentorship where needed.
• Assist in identifying and mentoring emerging policy leaders who can champion tenure security and mangrove conservation in Indonesia, including in close collaboration with Landesa’s national and site-level initiatives.

Additionally, the Contractor will:

• Provide written advice and inputs to Landesa and participate in Landesa Indonesia team meetings, when requested;
• Ensure compliance with Landesa policies, practices, procedures, and regulations, including the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA); and
• Perform other related duties as required or needed.

Deliverables

• Written technical reports, memos, and other inputs addressing legal or policy issues related to tenure, especially for coastal as well as adat communities.
• Reviewed and updated policy analysis report(s) with integrated feedback and recommendations.
• Documentation of strategic meetings, policy discussions, and engagement outcomes.
• Bi-monthly progress summaries highlighting activities, key developments, and next steps.

Duration and Work Schedule

1. Contract Period : 01 December 2025 – 31 March 2027
2. Extension : May be extended annually based on performance and program needs, within the five-year project framework.
3. Workload : Approximately 3–4 days per month (maximum 48 days per year).
4. Work Arrangement : Remote consultancy with travel to field sites or government meetings as required.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Law, Public Policy, Land Administration, Natural Resource Governance, or related fields.
• At least 15 years of professional experience in land policy or natural resource governance in Indonesia.
• Demonstrated expertise in in land policy, governance, and regulatory frameworks in Indonesia.
• Impeccable policy analysis, recommendation formulation, and report-writing skills in both Bahasa Indonesia and English.
• Proven ability to liaise effectively with government ministries, development partners, and CSOs and to represent organizations in high-level policy discussions and maintain relationships of trust with government counterpart.
• Commitment to Landesa’s principles of gender equality, inclusion, and integrity.

Application Procedure

Interested applicants should submit the following documents to recruitment.idn@landesa.org by November 10, 2025, with the email subject line:

Subject: Application – Senior Land Policy Advisor  – [Your Full Name]

Please attach:

• A cover letter describing your motivation and relevant experience.
• A detailed CV (maximum 3 pages).
• Contact information for at least two professional references.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection processes.

Management and Reporting

The Land Tenure Specialist will report directly to the Indonesia Programme Director and work closely with the Senior Site Manager, site-based teams, and the broader Landesa Indonesia and Landesa program staff.