Job Opportunity: Country Research Consultants for French and Spanish Speaking Countries

This position has closed.  Further applications will not be considered. Thank you for your interest.

The Land Portal Foundation seeks two dynamic and highly motivated regional consultants to conduct desk-research about the land governance context in specific countries, as well as to develop partnerships and knowledge products - one consultant to focus on French-speaking countries and one consultant for Spanish-speaking countries.

These are part-time consultancy positions (5 days a month) for a 12-month period, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and depending on funding availability.
 

Organizational profile

The Land Portal exists to nurture a vibrant online platform to inform and engage with partners,  promoting open data and the sharing of best practices and stimulating debate and collaboration both on and offline. We provide a vital bridge for those grappling with complex land governance issues – from researchers and NGOs through to governments and grassroots communities – connecting people, facilitating dialogue and joining the dots between fragmented information.

The Land Portal was established in 2009 to create, curate and disseminate land governance information, helping to foster a more inclusive and accessible data landscape. Over the subsequent ten years, the Land Portal has grown to become an information gateway and resource base, a vibrant online community of users from around the world, and a trusted voice within the land governance sector globally.

We believe data and information are powerful tools for achieving our vision of a land governance system that benefits those with the most insecure land rights and the greatest vulnerability to landlessness. However, information sources remain highly fragmented, unstructured, poorly curated, represent a narrow range of perspectives, and continue to be published in ways that do not facilitate maximum discovery, engagement and reuse.

Raising awareness of “open data” – and the critical role it plays in realizing tenure security for individuals and communities around the world – continues to be our greatest challenge. To this end, we make use of every possible conference, meeting and speaking engagement to promote the concept of “going open”, while recognising that, given the highly sensitive nature of land data (particularly for vulnerable communities), not everything can or should be made entirely open.

As part of Land Portal’s role in creating information, since 2020 we have been publishing a series of knowledge products that seek to better document the land governance situation in various countries around the world, as well as to translate and synthesize complex land issues into accessible knowledge for non-land specialists. They include the Country Portfolios, What to Read digests and Data Stories.

In the period 2023-2024, Land Portal wants to continue this stream of work and produce more such knowledge products that refer to French- and Spanish-speaking countries. 

Job Description

Country Research Consultants have a dual responsibility of conducting desk research on land governance and of communicating & engaging with partners in a specific region. They will report directly to the Knowledge Engagement Network Coordinator.

Regarding research, they will be responsible for identifying land-related data and information in the region, to write country portfolios, while also building partnerships with local practitioners, researchers and organizations to share data and to co-create the knowledge products mentioned above. The consultants will also ensure local data is properly represented on the Land Portal website, and support the Land Portal in better understanding the local data ecosystem.

Regarding communication & engagement related tasks, they will be responsible for identifying relevant land issues in a particular region and/or countries and stimulating dialogue about these issues with relevant networks and partners. They will also update the Land Portal website with land-related news, events and blogs, organize webinars and online discussions on demand, and collect blogs that feature relevant local voices.

Principal Tasks & Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities relating to research:

• Undertake thorough desk research to develop country portfolios that follow Land Portal’s guidelines, identifying peer-reviewers, and consolidating drafts;
• Identifying land-related data and resources from government agencies and departments, universities, civil society organizations, private sector and other stakeholder groups to be aggregated and uploaded to the Land Portal with the support of Land Portal data analysts;
• Based on desk research and in cooperation with regional land experts, universities and research partners, explore analysis of new trends and perspectives on land issues to develop Data Stories and What to Read digests.

Specific responsibilities relating to communications & engagement:

• Identifying opportunities for data sharing collaborations and data sharing partnerships in the region of interest to the Land Portal Foundation;
• Create original interviews and/or blogs with local authors to produce compelling stories on land-related topics (on demand);
• Organize webinars, online discussions or interviews according to Land Portal’s guidelines (on demand). This involves identifying topics and panelists, developing a concept note and a script, assuming the moderation role or identifying a moderator, and writing a short summary report;
• Identify and inform the Land Portal of potential opportunities for partnership in the region on co-authoring webinars, discussions, data stories, participation in projects, media partnerships for land conferences, etc.

Qualifications and skills

The successful candidate will have:

• University degree (Masters or PhD level) in international development, law, rural & agricultural development, public policy management or any other field related to land governance 
• Minimum of 3 years of research experience with land governance and/or related issues, including a track record of journal articles, reports and other types of research publications
• Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis;
• Fluency (native level) in English and fluency in French for the position focused on French-speaking countries, or Spanish for the position focused on Spanish-speaking countries
• Minimum of 5 years of overall work experience;
• Some knowledge of open data and data sharing best practices; 
• Excellent computer skills; experience with Content Management Systems is a plus;
• Great attention to detail;
• Excellent communications skills, including good drafting, communicating and presentation abilities.

Personal and Professional Attributes

• Inclusive and effective communication skills and techniques with an ability to respectfully engage with, and to communicate concepts to others;
• High standard of ethics and integrity which inspires trust and confidence;
• Enthusiasm and commitment to sustained effort through diligence and pursuit of high standards; 
• Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development which drives best practice;
• Proactively utilizes initiative, innovation and a commitment to continuous improvement;
• Strong collaborative skills which enable effective engagement within a high functioning cohesive team; 
• Ability to employ sound judgment and decision making amongst competing demands;
• Problem-solving attitude;
• Diplomacy, team spirit and willingness to take initiatives;
• Ability to meet strict deadlines;
• Disciplined - good at managing his or her own time and committed to work from home in a remote environment.

Reporting

The Country Research Consultants will report to the Knowledge Network Coordinator. For some of the communications & engagement related tasks s/he might be asked to coordinate with the Communications Specialist.

Timeframe

This consultancy will be staffed on a part-time basis (5 days per month) for a 12 months period renewable according to funding availability and performance. The Consultant will be working from home. 

How to Apply

Please send your curriculum vitae (CV) and a cover letter explaining your interests, qualifications and regional experiences - please specify which region(s) -, addressed to Laura Meggiolaro, Land Portal Managing Director no later than 14 July, 2023 at midnight CET.

Email your cover letter and CV to jobs@landportal.info

Please indicate the language of focus (French or Spanish) in your application!

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.