Program Lead - Restoration Practice

About us
WRI India, an independent knowledge organisation registered as India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being. Know more: wri-india.org

Program overview

WRI India’s Food, Land and Water program aims to inform India’s transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like sustainable agriculture and landscape restoration to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyse systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and food waste and mitigate climate impacts.

With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate. For more details, refer to the webpage - Food, Land & Water | WRI India

Job Highlight:

WRI India is seeking an exceptional Program Lead – Restoration Practice to co-lead restoration projects that strengthen public finance convergence, inform policy, and demonstrate scalable landscape restoration models across India. As part of the Program Leadership team, this role is for a practitioner with deep scientific expertise, strong policy and institutional understanding, and the ability to translate evidence into action. In addition to planning and implementation of projects, the Lead will identify high-impact opportunities to embed restoration within government systems and public investments, positioning it as a key solution for climate adaptation, resilience, biodiversity conservation, and rural livelihoods. The role requires strategic and critical thinking, applied research, policy engagement, and the ability to co-lead multidisciplinary teams while building trusted relationships and representing WRI India with credibility and thought leadership at national and occasionally international levels.

What will you do:

1. Technical Leadership and Evidence-Based Restoration (35%)

• Lead the technical design and quality assurance of restoration programmes across the portfolio.
• Bring deep technical expertise in ecological restoration, translating scientific evidence and implementation experience into practical, scalable restoration approaches.
• Lead the team to strengthen the evidence base for restoration by synthesising research, documenting implementation lessons and developing technical guidance, tools and knowledge products.
• Ensure restoration approaches reflect current science, emerging global practices and lessons from implementation in India and internationally.
• Provide technical oversight for restoration planning, monitoring frameworks, geospatial analyses and decision-support tools.
• Support project teams to design technically robust, context-specific restoration interventions that are scalable and impactful.

2. Strategic Government Engagement (30%)

• Co-lead WRI India's engagement with government institutions at state and district levels to advance landscape restoration and sustainable land-use initiatives.
• Identify strategic opportunities where WRI India's technical expertise can inform government policies, programmes and investments to accelerate restoration at scale.
• Provide technical and strategic inputs to inform the design and implementation of restoration policies, guidelines and public investment programmes through knowledge products.
• Support the convergence of public finance mechanisms across forestry, watershed development, climate adaptation, rural livelihoods and natural resource management programmes.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with government agencies, development partners, technical institutions and civil society organisations.
• Facilitate platforms to dialogue, strengthen coordination and address institutional and operational barriers.
• Represent WRI India in technical consultations, workshops, conferences and other external forums.

3. Programme management and Team Leadership (20%)

• Co-lead the planning, delivery and adaptive management of local restoration projects, ensuring high-quality implementation and achievement of programme objectives.
• Co-lead policy, research and implementation teams by fostering collaboration, technical excellence, accountability and continuous learning.
• Develop robust project planning, budgets, risk management, monitoring and donor reporting.
• Support the professional development of junior team members.
• Oversee the management of consultants, implementation partners and technical experts to ensure effective programme delivery.

4. Portfolio Growth and Program Development (15%)

• Identify emerging opportunities to expand WRI India's restoration portfolio and strengthen its impact along with Program Leadership.
• Support the development of proposals, concept notes and project designs for new restoration initiatives.
• Contribute to portfolio strategy, annual planning and resource mobilisation efforts.
• Support donor engagement and partnership development.
• Contribute to the development of technical publications, knowledge products and communications that strengthen WRI India's restoration portfolio.

What will you need:

• Master's degree in Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Ecology, Natural Resource Management, Landscape Restoration, Geography, Public Policy, or a related field (PhD preferred).
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in ecological restoration, natural resource management, climate resilience, or related sectors, including the delivery of complex, multi-stakeholder, donor-funded programmes.
• Deep technical expertise in ecological restoration, landscape management, and climate resilience, with the ability to translate scientific evidence into practical, scalable solutions.
• Strong understanding of restoration science, monitoring frameworks, geospatial analysis, GIS platforms, and restoration decision-support tools; experience developing technical guidance, knowledge products, or evidence-based policy recommendations is an advantage.
• Ability to identify emerging global trends and adapt innovative restoration approaches to the Indian context.
• Extensive experience working with national and state government institutions, with a strong understanding of India's policy, institutional, and public finance landscape for restoration.
• Demonstrated ability to identify strategic opportunities, navigate complex institutional environments, and provide evidence-based technical inputs that inform government programmes, policies, and investments.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, and facilitation skills, with the credibility to engage senior government officials, development partners, technical institutions, and diverse stakeholders.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams, mentoring technical staff, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and learning-oriented work environment.
• Strong programme and partnership management skills, including planning, budgeting, risk management, monitoring, reporting, and ensuring high-quality programme delivery.
• Strategic, analytical, and entrepreneurial, with sound judgement, a proactive approach to identifying opportunities, and a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Passion for advancing restoration as a key solution for climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development, with a strong commitment to WRI India's mission and values.

Potential Salary and Benefits: INR 26,00,000 to INR 34,00,000 Per Annum

“Salary shall be commensurate with experience, skills, and internal parity. WRI India offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.”

Location: New Delhi, India

Duration: 1 year (Extendable based on performance and project requirements)

Start date: As soon as possible

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position.

Kindly note that WRI India’s recruitment process does not involve any payment at any stage. Applicants will never be asked to share bank account or financial information as part of the application. All official communication and offer letters are issued only through authorised WRI India email IDs.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India

WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.

Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here

People-centric to the core:

We keep our people at the center of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.

Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:

Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs

Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member

Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance

Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle

Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job

Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities

Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.

Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.

Equal employment @WRI India

We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.