Consultant as Environmental and Fiscal Law Researcher

Program Overview In Indonesia, the Endowment Fund (EF) has recently gained prominence as an alternative financing option. Two legal developments are in place for EF: the Law on Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations (Undang-Undang Hubungan Keuangan Pemerintah Pusat dan Daerah, UU HKPD 1/2022) and the Government Regulation on Special Autonomy in Papua (PP 107/2021). These legal documents encourage the development of EFs at the sub-national level, emphasizing the allocation of revenues from the exploitation of natural resources (domestic public finances) as capital for the EF. The EF operates by investing its capital in low-risk instruments, with the stipulation that only the generated interest is used to finance agreed-upon development agendas or specific project activities. The EF is regarded as a promising alternative financial mechanism that can address both recurring and long-term funding needs for various purposes, including sustainability. Its key feature lies in its ability to function as a funding pool that can access financing sources beyond conventional public finances, with operations that extend beyond fiscal year constraints.
Recently, a follow-up regulation, Government Regulation number 1 of 2024 on Fiscal Harmonization (Peraturan Pemerintah tentang Harmonisasi Kebijakan Fiskal, PP 1/2024), was enacted. This regulation is imperative as it allows special autonomy provinces, even those with considerably low fiscal capacity, to establish their own EF for investment and savings purposes under Article 25. West Papua, a forest-rich province in Indonesia, is one of the first provinces on the path to developing its own EF for sustainability objectives.
For context, the Papua provinces are home to various endemic fauna and carbon-rich mangroves, which hold some of the highest carbon values in Indonesia. Preserving these vital carbon sinks and rich biodiversity requires substantial and flexible financing sources, including innovative and ‘patient’ financing options. Considering its specific needs for the protection of the climate, natural resources, and the welfare of its people, the EF for the Papua provinces should be designed as a financing vehicle to help address the provinces long-term financing needs, which encompass development agendas, poverty alleviation, forest protection, and sustainable economic growth.
In addition to that, Papua provinces operate under a special autonomy law within an asymmetrical decentralization system in Indonesia. With special autonomy, the provinces have been granted authority to manage their own development agendas, including sustainability aspirations as reflected in initiatives like the Manokwari Declaration and Papua 2100. However, given their specific decentralization arrangement, an EF established for the special autonomy provinces of Papua will operate with a mix of government authority and development interests, including fiscal coordination between national and sub-national levels (Mumbunan, 2023). Therefore, there are critical gaps in understanding the intricacies of the fiscal governance and government arrangement of the EF under the special autonomy provinces of Papua, which underpins the objectives of this initiative.
Job Highlight The Environmental and Fiscal Law Researcher will report to WRI Indonesia’s Political Economist and will have the primary responsibility of providing systematic and comprehensive legal and technical analysis of the existing fiscal, governance, and environmental laws and regulations related to the establishment of an Endowment Fund in the special autonomy provinces of Papua, Indonesia. He/She will work within a research team to develop evidence-based, context-driven legal recommendations and document them in the form of high-quality knowledge products and advocacy materials for relevant policymakers. The researcher will be based in Jakarta, with office-flex working arrangement and possibility to travel to the Papua provinces as needed, and will coordinate closely with WRIs Papua Regional Team.
What You Will Do Research (70%):

• Develop a technical and legal assessment of national and sub-national laws and regulations related to endowment funds in special autonomy provinces, including relevant fiscal, environmental, and sustainability legal frameworks associated with them.
• Systematically collect, map, and provide in-depth legal analysis of relevant laws and regulations (as well as other legal documents) about or related to endowment funds and special autonomy regulations. Create reference tools for easy use by the team.
• Support other research and communication teams in authoring or co-authoring knowledge products and other engagement documents relevant to achieve the initiative’s outcomes.

Engagement and Outreach (20%):

• Support research advocacy efforts with relevant external stakeholders by acting as a resource person, as assigned by the Line Manager.
• Support engagement with key stakeholders with the goal of forming partnerships, as assigned by the line manager.

Project Management and Administrative Tasks (10%):

• Support the planning, reporting, and material preparation of internal and external meetings, focus group discussions, workshops, conferences, and outreach initiatives related to the endowment fund for sustainability projects.
• Employs collaborative and consultative approaches and a growth mindset to problem-solving, working with program and research team to deliver project.

What You Will Need Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree in Law, Environmental Law, Constitutional Law, or other related fields.
• A minimum of 2 years professional experience as a legal researcher involved in legislation and policy-drafting processes.
• Ability to support discrete elements of research projects with manager support, e.g. systematically reviewing and synthesizing existing literature; collecting, cleaning, organizing, analyzing and visualizing data.
• Demonstrated research experience in the fields of development, finance, or sustainability.
• Familiarity with the concept of asymmetrical decentralization and its fiscal implications at the sub-national level in Indonesia.
• Previous engagement with policymakers in the areas of finance, climate, and sustainability, or engagement with stakeholders in West Papua, Indonesia, is preferred.
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written in Bahasa Indonesian and English.
• Experience in developing research reports, including the ability to evaluate and interpret diverse types of legal documents.
• Openness to travel to remote locations in Indonesia when necessary.
• Ability to travel
• Legally able to work in Indonesia.

Deliverables

• Knowledge products encompass both a policy brief and an advocacy report, including engagement and communication materials (i.e., presentations, op-eds, frameworks/technical analysis) are produced in accordance to WRI research standards and disseminated to targeted key stakeholders in a timely and satisfactory manner
• Project meeting reports including follow up actions recommendations are submitted in a timely manner
• Provide legal advice and advocacy related to the project for the internal team whenever necessary.
• A comprehensive monthly progress report that include work progress, challenges, achievement, and lesson learned.

Duration 29 February – 29 June 2024 with the possibility of extension subject to project’s needs, performance evaluation, and budget availability
Terms of Payment Daily-rate based consultant with maximum of 72 (seventy-two) working days for the whole contract period or 18 (eighteen) working days per month on average.
Contract Arrangement Individual consultancy contract (Part-time, limited term)
What we offer

• Consultant rate that is commensurate with experience and skills
• Travel insurance for both domestic and international for any travel duty as assigned by WRI Indonesia
• Access to the WRI global network
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work

Must have authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.
Final candidates might be required to take a writing test and to produce two writing samples when needed.
How to apply: In order to be formally considered, please submit an updated resume and cover letter through WRI career portal.
Application close: 1700 (DKI Jakarta local time), 25 February 2024. We will close the advert earlier when the best candidates are identified at earlier dates.
This is a locally engaged position; Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.
About Us Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.
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WRI Indonesia is national entity (Yayasan) associated with the World Resources Institute (WRI), a global environmental research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. WRI work with various stakeholders in the natural resources sector to support policy and management that are both profitable and sustainable. WRI work with leaders in more than 50 countries for more than 30 years, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.
Launched in early 2014, WRI Indonesia builds on WRI’s 10-year history in the country, and strengthens our impact on the ground. In the short-to-medium term, WRI Indonesia aims to expand its presence and portfolio to include projects in the climate, energy, as well as city and transportation programs.