The Rainforest Alliance is a growing network of people who are inspired and committed to working together to achieve our mission of conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. Through creative, pragmatic collaboration, we aim to rebalance the planet by building strong forests and healthy communities around the world.

Project Manager, LANDRISE
Job Category: Program & Project Management
Requisition Number: PROJE001443

Posting Details
Posted: May 26, 2025
Full-Time
LocationsShowing 1 location
Kenya
Nairobi, KE 11111, KEN
Job Details
Description
POSITION SUMMARY:

The Project Manager will lead the successful implementation of the LANDRISE (Landscape-Driven Resilience and Income Strategies for Community Empowerment) project, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation. The program will be delivered across five countries—Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, and Peru—and focuses on accelerating economic empowerment through inclusive green business development, improved access to capital, financial literacy, and circular economy innovations such as AI-powered waste management infrastructure.

Working closely with Rainforest Alliance teams and partners in each country, the Project Manager will supervise day-to-day implementation, coordinate cross-country collaboration, and ensure alignment with RA’s Thriving Landscapes strategy. Based in Kenya, the role will directly lead the project in Kenya while providing remote oversight and technical coordination to partner teams in the other four countries.

The Project Manager will be responsible for leading a multi-country team, strategic partners, sub-grants, and service providers. They will lead the delivery of five project objectives, including activities that promote women’s and youth participation in green jobs, enhance access to revolving funds, and support community-led ecosystem conservation. The role requires strong leadership, high-level stakeholder engagement, and excellent program management skills to deliver results within a high-visibility, time-bound donor framework.

This position will also contribute to external representation of Rainforest Alliance’s work, engaging with donors, financial institutions, government agencies, and civil society partners to elevate the impact and sustainability of the LANDRISE program regionally and globally.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Rainforest Alliance’s Core Values are Impact, Change, Collaboration, Openness and Trust and as such they form the basis of the behaviours we demonstrate:
Program management

Lead the successful implementation of the LANDRISE project across Kenya and four additional landscapes—Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, and Peru—ensuring delivery of all activities within the agreed scope, budget, and timeline.
Provide overall strategic direction for all project pathways and interventions, including green business incubation, financial inclusion through revolving funds, incentivized waste management innovations, and youth and women-led livelihood activities.
In collaboration with Rainforest Alliance technical specialists and theme leads, coordinate the deployment of AI-powered smart bins, development of digital tools, and integration of community training and incentive models aligned with economic empowerment outcomes.
Be responsible for the planning and execution of annual work plans, procurement plans, and detailed implementation schedules, in compliance with Rainforest Alliance and donor procedures.
Promote inclusive participation by women, youth, and forest-dependent communities in all program components to ensure equitable access to resources, decision-making, and economic opportunities.
With support from the MEL team, contribute to the development and updating of the project’s results framework, and ensure timely execution of internal and external evaluations.
Prepare and submit timely, high-quality technical reports, progress updates, and learning briefs to internal stakeholders and the Coca-Cola Foundation.
Partner Management & Stakeholder Engagement

Lead the operationalization of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key partners, ensuring clear roles, deliverables, and accountability.
Be responsible for the co-development of quarterly and annual work plans and budgets with partners and conduct regular technical reviews to assess performance and course-correct where needed.
Facilitate orientation and training sessions for implementing partners, subgrantees, and consultants on project design, deliverables, compliance standards, and reporting requirements.
Develop Terms of Reference (ToRs) for partner engagements and lead transparent, merit-based selection processes in collaboration with procurement and technical teams.
Monitor implementation progress, financial disbursements, and results delivery across all partner activities, ensuring timely reporting and alignment with LANDRISE’s strategic objectives.
Convene joint planning workshops, stakeholder dialogues, and landscape governance meetings to foster inclusive participation and coordinated implementation across the five geographies.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting

Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the project’s MEL system, aligned with the LANDRISE results framework and donor requirements.
Collaborate with the RA MEL team and external consultants to coordinate baseline, midline, and endline assessments, ensuring data quality, utility, and relevance to program learning.
Track and analyze key performance indicators—such as access to finance, green job creation, income growth, and environmental outcomes—and feed insights into adaptive management processes.
Prepare and submit timely, high-quality donor reports (technical and financial), case studies, knowledge products, and success stories.
Coordinate learning sessions, reflection workshops, and cross-country MEL integration with RA teams in Indonesia, Ghana, Mexico, and Peru.
Operational & Financial Oversight

Work closely with the finance manager to develop and monitor the project budget, ensuring efficient and transparent use of funds across workstreams and geographies.
Ensure full compliance with Rainforest Alliance’s financial policies and donor requirements, including procurement, subgrantee management, and audit readiness.
Be responsible for preparation of expenditure forecasts, documentation of financial transactions, and implementation of corrective actions in collaboration with operations and finance teams.
Team Supervision & Learning

Directly supervise Project Associates and related field staff, setting clear performance objectives, conducting regular appraisals, and facilitating continuous professional development.
Foster a high-performance culture that prioritizes teamwork, inclusivity, innovation, and accountability across the multi-country team.
Promote cross-learning and peer exchange by coordinating experience-sharing sessions between project teams across the five countries, enhancing overall program effectiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS:

A master’s degree (preferred) or Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Agriculture economics, Business studies, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resources Management, Development Studies, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
At least 8 years of progressive experience in leading multi-partner, donor-funded development projects, with a minimum of 3 years in a senior management or leadership role.
Proven track record in implementing and overseeing international programs focused on economic empowerment, financial inclusion, climate-smart agriculture, or green/circular economy models.
Demonstrable expertise in project planning and tracking, budget management, operational oversight, MEL systems, team leadership, and high-quality donor reporting.
Strong familiarity with the agriculture, finance, and environmental sectors, including experience working with smallholder farmers, microfinance institutions, and market actors.
Hands-on experience building and managing multi-stakeholder platforms involving civil society organizations, producer groups, private sector players, and local and national governments.
Outstanding interpersonal, negotiation, facilitation, and communication skills, with fluency in English and working proficiency in Kiswahili; Spanish or Bahasa Indonesia is an added advantage.
Strong commitment to sustainability, climate resilience, and gender and youth inclusion.

Level: 3

Deadline: 06 June 2025

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Notes: Only candidates legally authorized to work in Kenya will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department: recruitment@ra.org

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ages, disability and any other protected group.