Program Manager – Restoration Economy

Overview

Program Manager for the Restoration Economy within WRI India's Food, Land and Water programme, managing a portfolio of restoration projects and contributing to strengthening the land-based restoration economy in India.

What you'll do

• Lead or contribute to applied research and analysis on public and private finance, green economy approaches, place-based restoration and restoration-focused value chains.
• Assess policy, institutional and financing contexts, including public schemes, incentives, finance mechanisms and private capital flows, to identify structural barriers, gaps and opportunities.
• Undertake or oversee landscape, stakeholder, market and value chain assessments.
• Translate research findings and stakeholder insights into practical recommendations for policy, financing and implementation.
• Apply monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) approaches and support the development of results frameworks and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems for projects.
• Use monitoring evidence, research and stakeholder insights to support learning, adaptive management and wider uptake of successful approaches.
• Develop and contribute to knowledge products and strategic communications.
• Plan, co-develop and manage projects from design through delivery and close-out, tracking milestones, deliverables, risks and follow-up.
• Support ecosystem orchestration by connecting policymakers, public actors, private capital providers, technical partners, value chain players, local businesses, institutions and communities.
• Contribute to fundraising and pipeline development, including inputs to concept notes and proposals, and support donor engagement and reporting.
• Convene stakeholders and represent WRI India in consultations, workshops and other forums.
• Manage and mentor junior team members, supporting their performance, development and well-being.
• Collaborate across the FLW programme, WRI India and the global network on institutional initiatives.

What you'll need

• Master's degree or equivalent in economics, business, development finance, public policy, agriculture, landscape restoration, environmental studies, development studies, forestry, ecology or a related field.
• 5-8 years of progressively responsible experience in one or more areas such as landscape restoration or nature-based solutions, green economy, green finance, public policy, sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, natural resource management, rural livelihoods, enterprise development, value chains, climate adaptation and resilience.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research and analysis and managing projects, partnerships or multi-stakeholder workstreams, with significant responsibility for project planning, delivery, stakeholder engagement and risk management.
• Commitment to advancing landscape restoration as a solution for climate resilience and sustainable development, aligned with WRI India's mission and values.
• Strong research, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesize evidence and translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Strategic and systems thinking, with the ability to connect policy, finance, markets, institutions and community outcomes, and to adapt emerging global restoration approaches to the Indian context.
• Strong project management skills, including planning, coordination, risk tracking, monitoring, reporting and accountability for results.
• Strong stakeholder management and collaboration skills, with the ability to build relationships and align diverse interests across government, finance, businesses, communities and civil society.
• Sound judgement, ownership and a solutions-oriented mindset, with the ability to work independently, navigate ambiguity, learn quickly and deliver high-quality outputs.
• A team player with the ability to lead with empathy and contribute to an inclusive and respectful team environment.

Nice to have

• Experience in areas such as green economy and finance, sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, resource-efficient agriculture, and restoration-focused value chains.

Details

• Location: Delhi (New Delhi, India).
• Employment: 1-year term hire, extendable based on performance and project requirements.
• Start date: As soon as possible.
• Salary: INR 18,00,000 to 24,00,000 per annum, commensurate with experience, skills and internal parity.
• Application documents: cover letter and resume; applications must be submitted online through the WRI India career portal.