COUNTRY LEAD

Country Lead Democratic Republic of Congo The World at Abt

Solving the world’s most pressing issues and improving the quality of life for people worldwide is what we do every day at Abt. Creating a more equitable world is no small task, but we are driven by big challenges.

We are a team of 3,000+ people in over 50 countries working in unison and focused on the bigger picture. Only by sharing our commitment, energy, and innovation do we affect change and push the boundaries of what’s possible. We welcome diverse ideas, backgrounds, and viewpoints – joining Abt means access to exceptional thinkers at the top of their game. 

To thrive at Abt is to embrace flexibility and collaboration. Our open culture allows you to balance your work and personal life as needed to optimize personal well-being. Creating a more equitable world starts from within – we look after people around the world, and we’ll do the same for you.

Ready to embrace rewarding and meaningful work? Now’s your chance.

The Opportunity 

The FCDO funded Congo Basin Forest Action (CBFA) Programme seeks to address deforestation and biodiversity loss in the Congo Basin while promoting sustainable development for forest-dependent communities. The programme focuses on co-developing community-led solutions to forest management and livelihoods. Country Leads play a critical role in ensuring that these goals are met by acting as primary liaisons between stakeholders, local communities, and programme management. The Country Lead will be based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, full time. 

Core Responsibilities 

Stakeholder Engagement and Representation

• Serve as the primary in-country representative for the CBFA Programme, ensuring alignment with the priorities of FCDO, consortium partners, and local stakeholders.
• Coordination of overall CBFA activities within the country to ensure alignment and coherence, while providing strategic recommendations to the broader CBFA team.
• Build and maintain relationships with government entities, civil society organizations, other bilateral donors, academia and private sector partners to support programme objectives.
• Act as the liaison for FCDO’s in-country representatives (Forests and Sustainable Development Advisers), ensuring regular communication and collaboration.
• Support capacity building of local stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), in building their capacity to manage forests and peatlands sustainably.
• Promote gender equality, disability inclusion, and social equity within programme activities.
• Support requirements for forest governance, conservation practices, and sustainable livelihoods

Programme Design and Implementation

• Support the co-design process for Intervention Packages in collaboration with local stakeholders, ensuring that solutions are tailored to specific landscapes, including N4 road corridor between Butembo and Kisangani , Kisangani and proximate forests – Tshopo Province, Monkoto Corridor and Salonga National Park peripheries Tshuapa Province, Bukavu and proximate forests, including Kahuzi-Biega National Park peripheries, South Kivu Province – Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Oversee the implementation of Intervention Packages, ensuring they align with the CBFA Theory of Change, deliver value for money, and meet agreed-upon Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Monitor programme activities and provide technical guidance to partners, including community organizations and local governments.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) supplier to gather, analyze, and share data on programme performance.
• Ensure continuous adaptation and improvement of Intervention Packages based on feedback and learning.
• Report on progress towards KPIs, including biodiversity protection, economic benefits to local communities, and deforestation reduction.

Management of In Country staff

• Oversee and manage the work of staff responsible for operational delivery in priority landscapes.
• Ensure staff have clear objectives, resources, and guidance to implement interventions effectively.
• Provide regular feedback, mentoring, and capacity building to staff to enhance their performance and align their work with CBFA priorities.
• Foster collaboration and communication between staff, local stakeholders, and other programme teams to ensure a cohesive approach across landscapes.
• Monitor and report on the performance of staff, identifying areas for improvement and celebrating successes.

Risk and Compliance Management

• Ensure adherence to FCDO policies on safeguarding, fiduciary responsibility, and environmental standards.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with programme delivery, particularly in red and amber zones as classified by FCDO.

Financial Oversight

• Collaborate with the finance team to ensure the effective and transparent use of funds, including Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) and other innovative financing mechanisms such as direct conditional and unconditional payments.
• Monitor budgets and provide input for financial planning and reporting.

Deliverables

• Co-designed Intervention Packages for each landscape by the end of the Inception Phase.
• Quarterly progress reports aligned with CBFA KPIs, including updates on stakeholder engagement, financial management, and MEL outputs.
• Documentation of capacity-building activities and their impact on local stakeholders.
• Risk mitigation and compliance frameworks for programme implementation.

Reporting and Accountability

The Country Lead will report directly to the Team Leader and will maintain close collaboration with FCDO’s in-country representatives, consortium partners, and MEL suppliers.

Expected Outcomes

• Enhanced forest governance and reduced deforestation in priority landscapes.
• Improved economic opportunities for forest-dependent communities.
• Strengthened stakeholder relationships and local ownership of conservation initiatives.

What We Value

• Advanced degree in international development, forestry, environmental management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in programme management within the climate, forestry, or sustainable development sectors in Africa, including experience working with developing country governments to achieve programmatic goals.
• Proven track record of providing strategic direction and leadership, managing complex, multi-stakeholder programmes, and fostering consensus in challenging environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in leading and managing teams effectively, with a focus on collaboration, innovation, staff wellbeing, professional development, and engagement.
• Extensive experience in designing and implementing systems to ensure effective programme delivery, with the ability to adapt approaches, assess risks, and manage them within international development programming.
• Expertise in governance, community-based natural resource management, and private sector engagement.
• Fluency in French and English is mandatory.

What We Offer

We foster an environment where you can Thrive Your Way. Our innovative total rewards programs are designed to help balance your work and personal life. The approach toward your wellbeing centers around comprehensive benefits and professional development.

Abt Global Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce. Abt provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits. Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer: Abt will never ask candidates for money in exchange for an offer of employment.

Abt is committed to creating a safe and inclusive work environment. All offers of employment will be subject to appropriate background checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Abt also participates in the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.