Food Loss and Waste Associate

This position will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Applicants will be expected to hold existing work authorization at the time application is submitted. WRI is unable to sponsor this role for visa work authorization.

About the Program:

WRI Africa’s Food Program aims to transform food systems across the continent to address food and nutrition insecurity for a rapidly growing population while driving economic development, strengthening climate resilience, reducing emissions, protecting people and biodiversity, and advancing equitable outcomes for women, youth, children, and other vulnerable groups. The Program is organized around three mutually reinforcing priorities: (i) increasing food production sustainably, (ii) reducing food loss and waste, and (iii) shifting diets towards greater diversity and nutrition. These priorities are underpinned by a circular economy approach where resources are used efficiently, and nothing is allowed to go to waste.

Job Highlight:

The Associate will support the implementation of a multi-partner Food Loss and Waste (FLW) research project involving consortium partners across multiple countries and institutions. Specifically, the role will contribute to the program’s Food Loss and Waste Action for Reducing Emissions (FLARE) initiative in South Africa, working closely with government – including national ministries, city governments, and agencies responsible for food loss and waste – as well as businesses and non-profit organizations. This initiative aims to deliver rapid and large-scale GHG emissions reductions by scaling interventions across the food system – from on farm production through supply chains to waste diversion from landfills, while laying the foundations for long-term system change, through coordinated action with smallholder farmers, businesses and public stakeholders.

The role will primarily support overall project coordination, including leading and coordinating engagement with partners and stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of project objectives. Additionally, the Associate will contribute to building and strengthening strategic partnerships to enhance the quality, relevance, and impact of the work. The role will also involve bringing forward innovative ideas within the food loss and waste portfolio to expand and scale the program’s initiatives.

The position will be led from WRI Africa Food Program and closely linked to WRI’s Food, Land and Water (F|L|W) pillar, which advances sustainable food systems, landscape restoration, water resilience, and circular economy solutions—including food loss and waste reduction—to support climate, development, and environmental goals.

The Associate will work closely with WRI’s Climate Resilient Cities Pillar to advance food loss and waste reduction as a key component of urban climate action and food system resilience. The role requires a highly motivated and analytical professional with strong stakeholder engagement skills, the ability to collaborate with teams in a dynamic work environment, and a strong interest in sustainable food systems, circular economy, and food loss and waste reduction. You will report to the Food Program’s Senior Research Associate, who also leads WRI Africa’s Food Loss and Waste reduction workstream.

What will you do:

Technical support and project management (60%)

• Coordinate and support the implementation of project activities across local partners and stakeholders, while providing technical assistance to ensure effective delivery.
• Provide leadership through effective coordination and oversight of workplans, deliverables, milestones, and reporting obligations across partners, consultants, and technical teams to ensure timely and high-quality implementation.
• Manage and maintain strategic relationships with local partners and interest groups for the purpose and implementing FLARE and any other projects within the food loss and waste line of work.
• Lead partner engagements, consultative meetings, and working sessions, ensuring proper planning, documentation and follow-up actions.
• Support the preparation of project communication materials.
• Assist in identifying implementation challenges and contribute to mitigation and adaptive management actions.
• Support monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities related to project outcomes and indicators.

Research, outreach and engagement (20%)

• Cultivate and build existing and new relationships to support generation of knowledge and evidence for effective delivery of project activities. This includes forming or joining coalitions on research and/or policy, and supporting data collection on food loss and waste, and important technical, socio-economic and climate variables.
• Support any research activities through planning and coordination of stakeholder consultations.
• Contribute to the preparation of technical outputs/knowledge products including reports, issue briefs, presentations, and insights.

Resource mobilization (20%)

• Maintain and strengthen strategic partnerships with government, private sector, and other key stakeholders to support resource mobilization from public, private, and philanthropic sources to grow the food loss and waste portfolio.
• Support the cultivation and strengthening of partnerships that elevate the project’s global profile and improve visibility among investors.
• Collaborate with the Cities Program to support Food Systems work and Climate Resilient Cities portfolio integration.
• Represent WRI Africa in relevant technical, donor, and stakeholder engagements to advance resource mobilization objectives.

What will you need:

• Education: You have a completed master’s degree in food systems, Environmental Science, Agriculture, Development studies, or a related climate-focused field, preferably with an interdisciplinary focus on food–energy–climate nexus.
• Experience: You have 6+ years of full time, relevant working experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of food loss and waste dynamics, including their drivers, measurement, and implications across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
• Technical expertise in one or more areas: food loss and waste, Green House gas (GHG) accounting, life cycle assessment (LCA), circular economy, agricultural value chains, or urban waste systems.
• Experience with private sector (agribusiness, SMEs, social enterprises) and/or public sector (government entities, municipalities) or development partners in Africa.
• Experience creating and communicating theories of change and results framework, and linking project activities to intended outcomes and impacts.
• Demonstrated coordination and communication skills with experience communicating with a wide range of stakeholders including farmers, business entities, government officials, colleagues, and system actors in general.
• Experience supporting multi-partner projects preferably in an NGO setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary and multicultural teams and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Languages: You have verbal and written proficiency in English.
• Requirements: You have an existing right to work in South Africa.

Potential Salary:

Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by 28 October 2026.

Internal applicants should submit their application through the Jobs Hub portal in Workday. External applicants 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.

What we offer:

• 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 across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities
• 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
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure.

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 catalyse 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 People team carefully reviews all applications.