Restoration Manager – Forest Restoration & Nurseries

About the role

The Restoration Manager leads the design, planning and execution of large-scale forest restoration initiatives, combining technical forestry expertise with program and people management. The role oversees native species selection, nursery establishment and operations, and planting implementation so that activities meet ecological, carbon and organizational standards. It reports to the Program Director, is full-time and based at the Olokeri Landscape Project office, with regular travel to implementation sites. Employment is through Compassionate Carbon Africa, a Kenyan-registered affiliate of Eden: People+Planet, and is open to local nationals only.

Key responsibilities

• Identify, explore and secure restoration access to new sites with program leadership, and develop reforestation strategies that optimise carbon sequestration.
• Carry out landscape assessments and stakeholder consultations, and ensure planting complies with the approved species list and organisational SOPs.
• Establish workplans, implementation plans and budgets, and oversee large-scale tree nurseries, including seed collection, propagation and planting timelines.
• Support nursery and planting teams in troubleshooting propagation, germination and survival issues, and coordinate planting schedules and seed/seedling supply.
• Represent the team internally (MEAL/MRV, marketing, technical, regional and global stakeholders) and externally with NGOs, CBOs and other agencies.
• Mentor and lead a high-performing team, set clear goals and monitor progress.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Forestry, Horticulture, Botany, Environmental Sciences, Monitoring and Evaluation or a related field; Master's preferred.
• At least 5 years of hands-on forest restoration or commercial timber/tree-crop project management experience.
• Experience setting up and managing community-based nurseries and delivering projects on time and within budget.
• Fluency in English; Kiswahili and/or Maa is a strong asset.

Required skills

• Project management, including project management tools and software.
• Plant propagation and horticultural techniques for woody tropical plants, and knowledge of native tree species and forest ecology.
• Understanding of local customary practices and community engagement in natural resource management.