Consultant as Regulatory and Legal Analyst for Blue Carbon & Plastic Waste Sector (Jakarta based)

WRI Indonesia; Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta; Hybrid; IDR 200.000.000 - 300.000.000; Part time

Job summary

A leading environmental research organization is seeking a Regulatory and Legal Analyst to conduct legal analysis and policy recommendations relating to blue carbon ecosystems in Jakarta. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in environmental law and project management, along with exceptional communication skills in both Bahasa Indonesia and English. This part-time consultancy role offers competitive compensation and an inclusive workplace culture.

Benefits

Consultant rate commensurate with experience

Travel insurance

Access to global network

Diversity and inclusion focus

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in environmental law research.
• Familiarity with blue economy issues and methodologies.
• Ability to communicate complex problems clearly.

Responsibilities

• Conduct legal and policy analysis on blue carbon ecosystem management.
• Map laws, regulations, and commitments relevant to marine protection.
• Draft reports and policy recommendations for national development.

Skills

Research

Legal analysis

Communication

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Education

Master’s degree in environmental law or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Program Overview

Indonesia envisions that in 2045 the country will be able to transform its economy from a natural resource-dependent economy to a modern, competitive manufacturing- and service-based economy with high value-added to secure prosperity and social justice for all Indonesians. This transformation will capitalize on the country's maritime strengths by incorporating better ocean resource management to leverage the blue economy development for increasing environmental sustainability as well as building competitive, innovative, and sustainable maritime sectors.

While oceans and the marine environment are vital for Indonesia's nature and prosperity, their true contribution is often overlooked in the climate change narrative. WRI Indonesia’s Ocean and Climate program conducts research in ocean-climate topics (including blue carbon ecosystem management and sustainable aquaculture), plastic pollution, and ocean accounting, and has identified potential consequences if the status quo continues. These include degradation of marine and coastal ecosystems affecting biodiversity and the livelihoods of Indigenous People and Local Communities living in coastal areas.

WRI Indonesia Climate program positions the oceans and maritime ecosystem as a potential sector for enhancing national climate commitments while achieving development goals. The Ocean program focuses on sustainable livelihoods for Indigenous People and Local Communities, maintaining ecosystem services, and governance for marine and coastal ecosystems through an inclusive approach, enabling evidence-based policies with active participation from Indigenous People and Coastal Communities.

Job Highlight

The Regulatory and Legal Analyst will support WRI Indonesia in conducting in-depth regulatory and legal analysis across national, sub-national, and international frameworks relevant to blue carbon ecosystems (e.g., mangrove ecosystems management, aquaculture, plastic pollution, and payment for ecosystem services). The role involves assessing alignment between national mandates and international guidance and identifying legal gaps or opportunities to inform future regulatory or policy making. Reporting to the Plastic Waste and Ocean Manager and working closely with the Climate team, this position will be based in Jakarta with an office-flex arrangement and may require travel. In support of WRI's DEI commitment, you are responsible for actively integrating equity into your work, workplace, and organizational culture.

Key focus areas include regulatory analysis on the management of blue carbon ecosystems in Indonesia with specific objectives and outputs as described below.

What You Will Do

Research/Analysis and Report Writing (80%)

• Conduct comprehensive legal and policy analysis related to blue carbon ecosystem management, ocean accounting, and plastic waste regulation in Indonesia, including literature reviews, desk studies, and stakeholder interviews.
• Map relevant existing and emerging laws, sectoral regulations, regional bylaws, and international commitments (e.g., climate targets, biodiversity conventions, marine protection).
• Identify regulatory gaps, inconsistencies, and opportunities for alignment between national, sub-national, and international legal frameworks.
• Analyze potential legal bases for implementing Ocean Accounts as a tool for Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), especially for mangrove and seagrass ecosystems.
• Provide legal inputs and draft policy recommendations to support national policy development (e.g., Presidential Regulations, Ministerial Regulation revisions).
• Prepare high-quality outputs including written reports, policy briefs, and presentation decks in Bahasa Indonesia and/or English.
• Support the preparation of consultation materials and summary notes for stakeholder engagement.
• Participate in discussions, meetings, and conferences on relevant topics conducted by WRI Indonesia or other stakeholders.
• Co-author knowledge products (e.g., Policy Briefs, Working Papers) on related themes such as blue carbon ecosystems, ocean account regulations, and EPR regulations.

Coordination and Engagement (20%)

• Coordinate regularly with the WRI Indonesia Plastic Waste and Blue Carbon project teams, consortium partners, and local government counterparts.
• Participate in internal coordination meetings and external stakeholder discussions, policy consultations, and expert forums.
• Maintain documentation and records of engagements and consultations throughout the assignment period.

What You Will Need

Education: Master’s degree in environmental law, public policy, international environmental law, or related field, with sufficient experience on regulatory or legal research relevant to environmental issues or SDGs.

Skills & Experiences:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in conducting research relevant to environmental law and regulations.
• Strong familiarity with blue economy issues (blue carbon ecosystem management, climate change, just transition, PES) and ability to use a range of methodologies.
• Ability to support discrete elements of research projects with limited guidance (literature review, data collection, organization, and visualization).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in Bahasa Indonesia and English.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership building with government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector.
• Ability to identify and communicate complex problems and solutions to the line manager.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and related tools.
• High integrity, passion for sustainable development, and good interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized with strong time management and ability to juggle priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to travel to remote areas for field investigations and stakeholder coordination.
• Legally able to work in Indonesia.

Deliverables, Timeline and Terms of Payment

Deliverable-based consultant. Payment will be made upon completion of each deliverable as described below.

• Brief report and deck on Regulatory Analysis on the management of blue carbon ecosystems (mangrove and seagrass) in Indonesia, with recommendations for integrating blue carbon into the Second NDC Indonesia. Payment: 30%.
• Brief report and deck on regulatory analysis on the utilization of the Ocean Account Tool for PES for blue carbon ecosystems, with policy brief integration. Payment: 30%.
• Draft knowledge products as references to incoming/potential regulations (e.g., Presidential Regulation on Circular Economy based Waste Management; revision of Minister for Environment Regulation No 75/2019 on Waste Reduction by Producers). Payment: 20%.
• Working Paper on regulatory transformation for Mandatory EPR for Packaging. Payment: 20%.

Duration

This position is expected to start immediately for a contract period up to 30 April 2026. Contract arrangement: Individual consultancy contract (part-time, limited term).

What We Offer

• Consultant rate commensurate with experience and skills.
• Travel insurance for domestic and international travel as assigned by WRI Indonesia.
• Access to the WRI global network.
• A workplace that prioritizes diversity and inclusion.

Must have authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.

Final candidates may be required to take a writing test and provide two writing samples when needed.

How to apply: Please submit an updated resume and cover letter through the WRI career portal. Application close: 1700 (DKI Jakarta local time), 15 September 2025. We may close the advert earlier when the best candidates are identified. This is a locally engaged position; Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.

About Us: WRI is a global environmental research organization focused on climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive action and scale solutions. We are committed to gender and social equity, and have EDGE certification.