Senior Analyst, Forests

Location

This position may be remote or hybrid, based in the U.S., Mexico, Brussels, or London with a preference for candidates in Washington, D.C.; San Francisco, CA; New York, NY; La Paz, MX; Brussels, BE; or London, ENG.

Duration

This is a two-year fixed-term contract position with full benefits and the possibility of extension.

Forests Overview

EDF’s Forests Focus Area is one of EDF’s 8 global impact areas, whose goals rise to the level of the enormity of the climate and nature crisis. Through demonstrating proof of concept for large-scale forest conservation, engaging key Indigenous peoples and local communities forest policies and programs, and scaling access to finance for these solutions, EDF seeks to contribute global-scale contributions in support of meeting global targets to halt and reverse global forest loss by 2030 while boosting local livelihoods and forest restoration. To achieve this, EDF will harness its unique capabilities in science, economics, policy, partnerships and incentive design. The scope of this work is global in nature, with near term priorities on tropical forest conservation and wildfire resilience in the US and globally.

Overall Function

The Senior Analyst, Forests will work closely with the EDF Forests team and external partners to advance EDF’s Forests Focus Area analytical and influencing work, and overall workplan priorities. In close collaboration with additional EDF departments including Marketing and Communications; Economics; Global Engagement; Development and Government Partnerships and with key external partners, the Senior Analyst will deliver against the following core objectives:

• Inform and advocate for forests priorities through producing technical analyses, policy briefs and other analytical products for internal and external audiences;
• Coordinate EDF’s presence and positioning in key international forums and events; and
• Contribute to project coordination and work planning processes for a limited set of more EDF initiatives and prioritized stakeholder coalitions.

The Senior Analyst will be an essential contributor to a growing Forests team and strategy and reports to the Senior Manager, IPLC and Conservation Partnerships. They may supervise consultants or subgrantees. The top priority in year one will be increasing EDF’s capabilities for timely forests analytics and strategic events on the Road to COP30, with a particular focus on inclusive forest finance and forest policies to accelerate tropical forest conservation and wildfire resilience globally.

Key Responsibilities

Technical and Policy Analysis

• Perform literature reviews and find, analyze and synthesize scientific, economic, and policy information for EDF’s ​​work on inclusive forest finance and forest policies to accelerate tropical forest conservation and wildfire resilience.
• Coordinate with partners at other organizations outside EDF (e.g. universities, outside contractors, other NGOs, indigenous and local community organizations) to conduct and share analyses.
• Write and prepare papers, technical reports, policy briefs, and communications materials (including analyses, blogs, fact sheets, answers to specific queries, and other information as needed), in close coordination with relevant EDF staff.
• Support collaborative development of analytical work products, including through supporting collaborative drafting, consultations with expert stakeholders, incorporation of stakeholder feedback, and finalization.
• Present analysis and findings through clear and compelling oral presentations to both internal and external audiences.

Partnerships and External Engagement

• Respond to "rapid-response" forest-related queries from press/media, government, external partners, and internal sources and help develop and fact-check reports and other materials for general and specific audiences on a variety of topics in collaboration with EDF’s Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team.
• Serve as EDF’s Forest team focal point to ensure effective presence and engagement in key international events such as climate and biodiversity COP processes, including developing engagement plans with teams, working collaboratively with communications to produce messaging and related communications documents, and coordinating the logistics, agenda, run of show and other dimensions of events.
• For key multi-stakeholder partnerships and with guidance from senior colleagues, draft and review initial workplans, strategies, policy positions, and messaging briefs, collating and integrating stakeholder inputs and feedback to these documents, and participate in frequent (e.g. weekly, sometimes more) strategy and work-planning calls with key stakeholders.
• With EDF leadership, convene or co-convene multi-stakeholder meetings to assess challenges and opportunities, and devise joint plans to advance high quality forest finance.

Project Coordination and Collaboration

• Contribute to and support strategic planning and project workplan development and implementation, including facilitating progress tracking and reporting.
• Liaise closely with, review and advise on the work of consultants and subgrantees.
• Proactively engage in EDF Forests team and matrixed collaboration planning and strategy processes and foster effective internal collaboration in a matrixed working environment.
• Participate in advancing EDF DEI goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Ensure compliance with EDF’s policies, procedures and project management processes, and actively contribute to the strengthening of these.
• Additional relevant responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of relevant professional experience, with at least 2 years of professional experience working with governmental organizations and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) on the development and implementation of sustainable policies, programs, or projects.
• Bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, economics, environmental services or another related field with strong quantitative methods required. A Masters’ degree may substitute for up to 2 years of experience.
• Oral and written fluency in English and at least 1 of the following: Spanish, French or Portuguese required.
• Experience managing projects and workflows.
• Familiarity with global forest dynamics, tropical forest financing instruments and policy and sustainable development and demonstrated interest in forests and climate or other environmental issues.
• Ability to relate economic or technical research to real-world policy and leverage it towards supporting advocacy goals.
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and prioritize assignments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt technical documents and concepts into ideas that are easily understood by the general public.
• Proven ability to work both independently and as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Evidence of a collaborative mindset, demonstrated through prior experiences and results.
• Demonstrated initiative, embodied by the ability to deliver results in complex, unstructured environments with limited direction/supervision.
• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Flexibility: demonstrates ability and/or experiences delivering results and working effectively in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
• Willingness and ability to engage in travel domestically and internationally, up to roughly 10-15% of time.
• Alignment and commitment to EDF’s mission and core values.
• Experience working with government grants preferred.

How to apply

If interested, please submit a resume and cover letter indicating your interest in the role and EDF. A cover letter is required for consideration for this role.

International Compensation Ranges:

Mexico: MXN 625,000 - 670,000

Belgium: EUR 55,000 - 60,000

UK: GBP 43,000 - 45,000