Vacancies at Natural State

Job Description:

The consultant will be instrumental in advancing NATURAL STATE’s (NS) goal to scale our impact monitoring systems to the marine realm, focusing on social impacts of blue nature-based solution (NbS) projects. This role will focus on five Kenyan marine projects funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), conducting a gap analysis for socio-economic, governance, and gender monitoring for the three projects and researching best practice for social indicators and monitoring globally. Working together with the NS Social Impact Monitoring team and Head of Marine Strategy, the successful candidate will support the delivery of a standardized social indicator framework to be used across NS marine projects.

Key Deliverables:

• Conduct a monitoring needs assessment (gap analysis) for five blue economy projects in Kenya.
• Provide technical support and recommendations on how to fill gaps and improve social impact monitoring across the five projects.
• Research and provide advice on state-of-the-art social impact monitoring and best practices for marine Nature Based Solutions (NbS) projects.
• Produce key documents (gap analysis report, standardised social impact monitoring framework), supported by the Head of Marine Strategy, for the five projects.
• Provide technical recommendations on how to integrate the marine social indicator framework with the overarching NS Social Impact Monitoring system.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in social and/or environmental science (or similar).
• Experience working on social and gender-based marine projects.
• Preference for marine projects coupled with nature restoration.
• More than 5 years' work experience with social development projects, including skills training, economic empowerment of women-run enterprises, and governance.
• Excellent understanding of global trends in social impact monitoring for donor reporting and nature-based markets.
• Excellent research and writing skills.

Compensation:

A competitive salary will be offered, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

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Job description:

The Contractor will be instrumental in advancing NATURAL STATE’s (NS) goal to scale our impact monitoring systems to the marine realm. By researching and advising on state-of-the-art impact monitoring and best practices for the regenerative Blue Economy, the consultant will provide expertise and recommendations on current carbon and biodiversity methodological gaps that limit the scalability and growth of blue nature-based solutions (NbS).

Working with the Head of Marine Strategy, this role will focus on supporting the delivery of an impact monitoring framework for two Blue Economy projects (mangrove, seagrass plus algae focus) in Kenya, as well as the Natural State’s strategy to fill current impact monitoring gaps and create methodologies that are cost-effective, robust, and scalable for the Blue Economy markets.

Key Deliverables:

Blue Economy Pilot Projects:

• Support the Head of Marine Strategy in conducting a monitoring needs assessment (gap analysis) for two Blue Economy projects on the Kenyan coast.
• Provide technical support and recommendations on how to fill gaps and improve impact monitoring for the two Kenyan pilot projects.
• Support the Head of Marine Strategy in producing key documentations (gap analysis report, standardized impact monitoring framework, final report).

NS Marine Strategy:

• Research and provide advice on state-of-the-art impact monitoring and best practices in interventions for blue Nature Based Solutions (NbS) projects globally (focus on mangroves, seagrass and seaweed).
• Identify, and participate in meetings with, marine impact monitoring experts with the aim of broadening the NS knowledge base of existing methodologies, key global players, and potential partners.
• Provide technical recommendations for NS Marine Strategy on how to adapt our impact monitoring solutions to the marine biome by improving on existing methodologies, filling global gaps, and integrating new technologies into the NS Impact Monitoring Portal.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum master's degree in marine ecology, environmental science/ conservation (or similar).
• Technical expertise in mangroves and/or seagrass restoration and impact monitoring methodologies.
• More than 5 years' work experience in the field of marine conservation/marine habitat restoration.
• Understanding of cutting-edge impact monitoring technologies.
• Excellent research skills.