CONSULTANT - FAITH AND NATURAL RESOURCE GOVERNANCE IN MÉXICO

This position is a fixed-term consultancy to begin on November 1, 2022 with an ending date of April 30, 2024.

**About the Program:

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Since the turn of the millennium, there has been an increasing interest in the role of faith communities in development processes. With more than 80 per cent of the world’s population estimated to be affiliated to a religion, international development organizations have been increasingly acknowledging the importance of religion, and faith-based organizations, in development policy and practice. Through framing environmental protection in a way that reflects humanity’s communion with nature and its spiritual or religious beliefs, faith communities potentially offer a platform for cooperation with indigenous communities and other local communities  to advance their rights, often leveraging the place they occupy in power and economic relations in social and natural governance structures. Despite these efforts, little is known about the role faith communities play in natural resource governance disputes, and the mechanisms through which they influence natural resource governance, whether through their organizations or individual members.

The aim of the project is to seek a greater understanding of faith communities as civil society actors in natural resources governance disputes in Brasil, Colombia, and México. We will select in each country, one to two dispute(s) in relation to forests and in which faith communities are involved. Particular attention will be paid to their role in shaping civic space, and to the resources they mobilize, whether at the discourse or organizational level, to resolve disputes. The research findings will be published in the form of a report and include recommendations for future capacity building and local interventions.

This project is a collaboration between the Faith and Sustainability Initiative, WRI Brasil, WRI Colombia, WRI México, and the Laudato Si’ Research Institute (Campion Hall, University of Oxford).

**Job Highlight:
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You will support the team in examining the role of faith communities in shaping civic space for, and motivating the actions of, environmental defenders in protecting natural resources and negotiating disputes related to local land and resource rights, with a particular focus on the Mexican context. You will be responsible for developing one case study of how faith communities in México engage in natural resource governance, including landscape assessment, key informant interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, research synthesis, and report drafting. Based on the strategy of WRI México, we expect to focus on disputes and communities in the states of the south and southeast regions of the country, namely, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Campeche, Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Tabasco.

You will be supported by teams from the Faith and Sustainability Initiative and WRI México, in addition to experts from WRI Brasil, WRI Colombia, and the Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Campion Hall, at the University of Oxford.

You will report to the WRI Faith and Sustainability Project Manager and WRI México Forest Program Director.

This position is currently fully remote, with a hybrid option that is dependent on the country office where you will be based for this role.

What you will do:

Desk Research and Data Collection (20% time)

• Review key documents from relevant institutions to contribute to collective understanding of the concepts of faith communities and faith-based actors, civic space, and natural resource governance disputes.
• Research faith-based organizations and communities in México which are involved, whether positively or negatively, in natural resource governance disputes in relation to forests.
• Articulate research questions, specify a research design, design and employ data collection tools per the analytical framework, in consultation with the WRI and LSRI teams.

Case Study (50% time)

• Support in the identification and lead in the development of one case study in México , including by conducting literature review and stakeholder mapping, and consultations with local communities and organisations.
• Engage and build trust with community members involved in the case study identified.
• Travel to the case study site to undertake fieldwork and collect qualitative and/or quantitative data (for case study and general report). Data collection methods that can be employed include semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and observational approaches.
• Synthesize and analyze findings and undertake additional targeted research as needed, with the guidance of the WRI-LSRI team.

Synthesis and Report Development (30% time)

• Brainstorm with team members the recommended policies, programs, methodological improvements, or other interventions to support faith-based actors in promoting just resolution in natural resource disputes and in securing local land and resource rights.
• Write up analysis and findings in a landscape report (max. 15 pages) to present the main findings of the desk research and data collection for the case study identification stage.
• Write up analysis and findings of the case study in a case study report (max. 15 pages) to present the main findings of the fieldwork data collection and ethnographic research.
• Support the development of the final research report in coordination with project manager and relevant team members.

What you will need:

• Education: You have at least completed a Masters degree in the related fields of political ecology, anthropology, sociology, geography, development studies, or other fields which use social science research methods.
• Experience: You have a minimum of 7 years full-time relevant work experience in social science and research, and some experience of engaging with faith communities and ecological questions. Existing relationships with faith communities and relevant stakeholders in the geographies of focus is considered an asset.
• Languages: Spanish (knowledge of English and/or Portuguese is considered an asset)
• Requirements: Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.

**Potential Salary:
**Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors. WRI offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package.

**How to Apply:
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You must submit a resume with a cover letter AND submit a brief technical proposal describing your approach to the work as part of the application by 12 October 2022. You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered.

As part of the brief technical proposal, please include some examples of potential case studies and why you are well suited to work on these cases (personal and professional networks, knowledge of local resource conflicts and/or faith communities, etc.).

Our culture: WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.