Water Program Lead

World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia; Indonesia; Hybrid; IDR 998.502.000 - 1.664.171.000; Full time

Job summary

An international environmental organization in Indonesia is seeking a Water Program Lead to manage projects within the Water Security Sub-Cluster. The ideal candidate will possess a Master's degree and at least 4 years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include stakeholder engagement, project management, and oversight of strategic implementation. Effective communication in both Bahasa Indonesia and English is essential. This role offers a hybrid work environment and the chance to contribute to significant environmental initiatives.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits package

Flexible working hours

Access to a global network

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years of relevant work experience.
• Professional fluency in Bahasa Indonesia and English.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead project implementation under the Water Security Sub-Cluster.
• Develop and manage stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Supervise junior project staff and coordinate project reporting.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Project monitoring

Education

Master's degree in water resources management or related field

Tools

MS Office

Salesforce

TM1

Job description

Water Program Lead, Food Land and Water Program

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in WRI Indonesia, Jakarta. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position.

Program Overview

Food, Land, and Water (FLW) within the World Resources Institute (WRI) work to contribute in reversing and halting tropical forest loss to achieve net sink emission from Agriculture, Forestry, and other Land Use (AFOLU) Sector by 2030, while maintaining steady growth of local economy, improving livelihood for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, catalyzing high-quality NbS projects, mainstreaming sustainable food, and promoting prudent use of water and effective control of its consumption supported by NbS-related water bonds. FLW clusters covers various areas, such as Supply Chain and Transformative Livelihood, Forest and Peat Monitoring, Nature-based Solutions Financing, Sustainable Food System, and Water Security. Through collaboration, innovation, and transformative action, FLW embodies a sustainable future where people, nature and climate thrive in harmony.

Job Highlight

Reporting to the Food, Land, and Water (FLW) Director at WRI Indonesia, Water Program Lead performs complex tasks requiring multiple variables to determine the proper course of action. They utilize expertise and organizational skills to independently oversee complex tasks, resolve challenges, and coordinate among various stakeholders. As a trusted advisor and primary resource, the Water Program Lead guides the processes to ensure the NbS program of WRI Indonesia aligns with WRI's mission and compliance standards. Their proficiency in program, project, and process management allows them to address and overcome obstacles with minimal oversight. The role is expected to make most decisions within pre-determined approaches and keep track of information to assist in new decisions. The Water Program Lead implements routine tasks independently and applies knowledge and principles of the function to solve problems requiring non-routine factors analysis.

In leading the implementation of projects under Water Security Sub-Cluster, they will ideally be supported by Project Analysts, Project Operation Specialists supported by Project Assistants. The Water Program Lead ensures strategic, seamless, and adaptable implementation of the projects under the Water Security Sub-Cluster. They are responsible for aligning project-specific processes with strategic objectives, driving efficiency, and meeting deliverables on time and within budget. This role requires balancing competing priorities and managing multiple projects with precision and strategic insight.

In consultation with the FLW Director, the Water Program Lead will prepare a strategic plan for the Water Sub-Cluster, ensuring effective implementation across multiple projects. It includes collaboration with the FLW Program team, project partners, and the WRI Global Water team to support realizing the holistic Water Security strategy for WRI Indonesia.

The Water Program Lead also oversees essential project management and content delivery aspects, offering actionable recommendations and conducting in-depth analyses that contribute to long‑term planning, operational efficiency, and organizational growth. Their capacity for informed, independent decision‑making guarantees the timely execution of complex tasks while promptly addressing discrepancies. Furthermore, the Water Program Lead provides crucial insights that support decision‑making, enhancing WRI Indonesia's impact through meticulous oversight and a data‑driven approach.

What You Will Do

Program/Project Management (30%)

• In coordination with the FLW Director, provide leadership to the project team under the Water Security Sub-Cluster's overall implementation, including program planning, budgeting, implementation monitoring, reporting, project closure, project management best practices, and WRI's Project Management Standards.
• Develop a detailed implementation plan for the Water Security Sub-Cluster in coordination with the FLW Director, Sub-Cluster team, and WRI Indonesia's Sub-Cluster Senior Managers, Leads, Water Security Sub-Cluster team, and other members of Sub-clusters.
• Monitor budget spending of the Water Security Sub-Cluster, including its relevant projects, to ensure efficient and timely use of the available funding supported by the Project Operation Specialists of the projects.
• Lead in preparing internal documentation for project implementation with the WRI Indonesia Operation team following WRI Indonesia policies and regulations (e.g., procurement of services, travel documentation, etc.).
• Lead in conducting staff planning in coordination with the FLW Director and provide direction to the project's staff to ensure prudent and timely project delivery.
• Coordinate the data collection and develop the project report with the project's staff for monitoring and evaluation purposes and donor reporting of the project.
• Apply various productivity tools for project management, team collaboration, and financial tracking and analysis, including MS Office, Salesforce and TM1.
• With the support of the PMEL team, apply WRI's PMEL standards and M&E system (DevResults).

Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement (30%)

• Develop stakeholder engagement strategy as necessary in coordination with the FLW Director of WRI Indonesia.
• Lead the execution of the engagement and partnership strategy with relevant stakeholders, including national and local government, NGOs, and initiatives relevant to the current water issue in the region, private sector partners relevant to the current water issue, and other relevant parties to advance the adoption and implementation of the projects.
• Provide leadership to develop outreach materials and training modules and plan and implement general outreach and capacity building as necessary.
• Represent WRI Indonesia at relevant international and national events related to water‑related topics in coordination with the FLW Director.
• Lead in developing and implementing WRI Indonesia water outreach and stakeholder engagement strategy as necessary.
• Lead in contributing to blog posts and briefs writing, conducting media interviews as necessary, and coordinating with the FLW Director.
• Liaise with the WRI Indonesia communication team for any communication‑related products and events.

Research (20%)

• Coordinate with the FLW Research and Data Integrity team in any research and analysis to further develop insights and use cases of water in the region, particularly to mainstream WRI's position on water in relevant initiatives.
• Supervise junior project staff working on thematic map production, statistics analysis, data visualizations on land use, forest cover loss, and other spatial data as necessary.
• Actively contribute to WRI Indonesia's research activities, particularly on water topics.
• Liaise with the WRI Indonesia RDI team for project research and knowledge products.

Fundraising / Grant Management (20%)

• Lead the development of the Water Security Sub‑Cluster fundraising strategy in coordination with the FLW Director.
• Support the FLW Director in developing strategy and proposal development for fundraising purposes as necessary.

What You Will Need

• Master's degree required in relevant fields, such as water resources management, environmental management/studies, and sustainability.
• Minimum 4 (four) years of relevant, full‑time work experience.
• Exceptional writing, communication, engagement, and interpersonal skills well as the ability to manage professional relationships to effectively communicate with people at all levels and from various backgrounds.
• Strong analytical skills and keen on conceptual thinking.
• Experience working in an international team environment is a plus; must be comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment, with a diverse staff, across multiple time zones, and within tight and often parallel deadlines.
• Ability to quickly build strong working relationships in the complex landscape of actors working on driving sustainable commodities and supply chains in the region.
• Ability to quickly digest complex and new information and keen on conceptual thinking; able to take notes that identify key decisions and follow‑up actions.
• Detail‑oriented and organized thinker who can juggle multiple, competing priorities.
• Professional fluency in Bahasa Indonesia and English.

Contract Arrangement

Full‑time with fixed‑term employment agreement up to 31 December 2026 with 3 (three) months of consultancy will be in place prior to the start of the fixed‑term employment.

How To Apply

• Please submit a resume with a cover letter by 19 December 2025. You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of applications from qualified candidates.
• Must have authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.
• Final candidates might be required to take a certain test and/or to produce/share writing samples when needed.
• This is a locally engaged position, Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.

What We Offer

• Salary that is commensurate with experience and skills.
• Competitive and comprehensive benefit package.
• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work.
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI.
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours.

About Us

World Resources Institute works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

Our Mission And Values

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Independence, Integrity, Impact, Partnership, and Care.

Our Culture

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well‑being in our mission including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Our Human Resources Team carefully reviews all applications.