Land Policy Specialist (LPS)

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

As the leading institution for advocacy under ZCRA Phase 3 program, MC puts specific efforts to strengthen policy at global, national or sub-national level to support climate resilience initiatives. This perspective is contextualized by the ZCRA Indonesia team, taking into account the current challenges faced by the country, particularly in Indonesia’s working area. Coastal inundation has recently emerged as a significant concern in Indonesia. This occurs when seawater flows into the land repeatedly over a certain period of time, permanently changing the area from dryland into permanently inundated area. Coastal flooding and abrasion are among the primary causes of coastal inundation.   As it often happens gradually over an extended period of time (known as a slow-onset event), the severity of the situation may go unnoticed, until it is too late, resulting in irreversible impacts.

ZCRA Phase 2 has equipped the team with substantial insights on issues and challenges faced by local governments in managing coastal inundation and its associated impacts. The previous study on Loss and Damage Governance Gap Analysis highlighted the unclear categorization of coastal inundation (between disaster and climate change) and its slow-onset character, which already poses a challenge in addressing it. Additionally, the inadequate policy and governance framework at the national level has contributed to incompetence and inefficiency in managing this issue. Recognizing the pivotal role played by relevant policy and governance frameworks at the national level in guiding sub-national and local government, it is important to have such a framework in place to effectively address coastal inundation.

CONTRIBUTION TO MC AND ZCRA PROGRAM

Despite the ZCRA team’s efforts and achievements in influencing the decision-making and policy-making processes related to flood resilience and climate resilience at both sub-national and national levels, these challenges remain unresolved. In addition to that, vested interests of stakeholders and political dynamics across different government levels have driven the team to continually refine the advocacy strategy throughout the program implementation period. The advocacy process, particularly for coastal inundation context and its cascading impacts, was getting more challenging as the team has struggled to comprehensively map the broader landscape of this issue. ZCRA sees a more robust influencing approach for coastal inundation issue is needed to foster a more effective and operational policies and governance frameworks, particularly at the national level.

Purpose / Project Description:

The third phase of ZCRA in Indonesia is aiming for the following three system changes:

1. National government policy supports effective climate change adaptation

Where MCI will strive to improve climate change adaptation by aligning policies better and thus having a clearer and more well-informed approach at local level.

1. Strengthen international and national policy on how to address long term coastal flooding and inundation

By advocating a clearer, more effective and synergized governance framework for climate change and disaster resilience in Indonesia, with the inclusion of Loss and Damage mechanism, with the prolonged coastal flooding as a focus. MCI will use the local-level case as evidence for the advocacy process.

1. Flood-affected people living in watersheds in the North Coast of Central Java can thrive

MCI will work in a range of ways and stakeholders (communities, local leadership, a range of government agencies and officials at regency/city and provincial level) to protect households from both flash and coastal flooding.

Land Policy Specialist (LPS) provide strategic and technical expertise on land policy, tenure governance, and climate-induced land-use change to strengthen evidence-based decision-making, policy advocacy, and climate resilience programming under the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (ZCRA) in Indonesia, particularly in coastal areas experiencing land loss, tidal flooding, coastal erosion, and emerging land (tanah timbul).

Consultant Objectives:

MCI is thus seeking a consultant to develop the policy analysis and policy brief with specific objectives as follow:

1. Assess Land Tenure and Governance Challenges: Analyze existing land tenure arrangements, land rights, and governance systems in climate-vulnerable coastal areas, including issues related to land loss, submerged land, emerging land (tanah timbul), informal tenure, and tenure insecurity.
2. Identify Policy and Regulatory Gaps: Review national and sub-national legal and policy frameworks governing coastal land management, spatial planning, climate adaptation, land administration, and tenure security to identify gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for reform.
3. Generate Evidence for Climate Resilience Planning: Produce evidence and analytical recommendations on the implications of climate-induced land transformation for community resilience, livelihoods, settlement planning, and long-term adaptation pathways, including managed retreat and land-use transition options.
4. Support Participatory and Inclusive Governance: Facilitate stakeholder engagement processes involving communities, government agencies, academia, and civil society organizations to ensure that land governance solutions are equitable, inclusive, and responsive to local needs.
5. Strengthen Policy Advocacy and Systems Change: Develop policy recommendations, technical briefs, and advocacy materials that support ZCRA’s efforts to influence land governance, coastal resilience planning, and climate adaptation policies at local, provincial, and national levels.
6. Integrate Land Governance into Climate Resilience Programming: Provide technical guidance to ensure that land tenure and governance considerations are incorporated into climate risk assessments, resilience measurement frameworks, participatory land-use planning processes, and adaptation interventions.

Consultant Activities:

The Consultant will be based in Jakarta, with one-time travel for data collection purpose to site. The consultant will work closely with ZCRA Indonesia Team (the Jakarta team) to assess coastal communities’ awareness, experiences, perceptions, and coping strategies related to coastal inundation:

1. Desk review and context scan (collect existing studies, national and local planning documents)
2. Develop quantitative and qualitative analysis (descriptive stats: the awareness levels, perceived frequency/severity, reported losses and cross tabs analysis

A separate Terms of Reference document for this consultancy work is available to provide a more detailed information on proposed analysis method, research questions, expected outline and detailed timeline.

Consultant Outcomes:

Improved understanding and governance of climate-affected coastal land systems, enabling more secure tenure arrangements, evidence-based policy development, and equitable adaptation strategies that enhance long-term climate resilience and reduce vulnerability among coastal communities.

Timeframe / Schedule: 

Two (2) months, starting from July – September 2026.

The Consultant will report to:       

• ZCRA Indonesia Program Manager

The Consultant will work closely with:

• ZCRA Indonesia Program Manager
• ZCRA Technical Support Consultant for Phase 3 Initiation and Strategic Engagement

Required Experience & Skills:

• Minimum 10 years experiences in CCA/DRR and/or resilience issues
• Excellent understanding on climate resilience and disaster management frameworks at national level as well as coastal flooding issue
• Proven experience in coordinating and communicating with national stakeholders; both government and non-government actors.
• Demonstrated proficiency in writing bilingual report.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

How to Apply
Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and expected fee to Procurement at procurement@id.mercycorps.org  by July 11, 2026, at the latest.

Thank You,

Mercy Corps Indonesia