Recruitment notice: Technical Advisor in Biodiversity

OFFER DESCRIPTION

CALL FOR INTERNAL/EXTERNAL APPLICATIONS FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF A BIODIVERSITY TECHNICAL ADVISOR (M/F) FOR THE COMIFAC REGIONAL SUPPORT PROJECT OF THE DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT (GIZ/COMIFAC) GmbH IN YAOUNDE.

Context

The Sustainable Forest Management Program in the Congo Basin is an initiative of German technical and financial cooperation, which aims to improve the protection and sustainable use of biological diversity and forest resources in the Congo Basin and the savannas. nearby. The regional support project for COMIFAC is one of the technical cooperation modules of the said programme. It is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and under the political supervision of COMIFAC. Due to its regional orientation for the improvement of the operating capacity of the main institutions and actors of the Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC), this project creates the framework conditions inherent in the implementation of the latter (eg. harmonization of policies,

COMIFAC is the regional organization in charge of coordinating and bringing together State and civil society actors around themes related to the protection and sustainable use of biological diversity and forest resources. Its achievements contribute to orienting, harmonizing and monitoring forest and environmental policies in the Congo Basin with a view to an adequate implementation of the COMIFAC Convergence Plan.

The COMIFAC regional support project as a technical cooperation module contributes to strengthening the framework necessary for the implementation of the COMIFAC Convergence Plan through the institutional strengthening of the actors of the COMIFAC system, the strengthening of environmental diplomacy of the institution, the improvement of the regional training offer and better communication integrating the gender dimension. These objectives are achieved through the following areas of intervention:

• Component 1: Strengthening the institutional and organizational functioning of COMIFAC;
• Component 2: Strengthening COMIFAC’s environmental diplomacy;
• Component 3: Improvement of the professional training offer in the field of Protected Areas Management (PAM) and landscape restoration in Central Africa;
• Component 4: Strengthening COMIFAC communication on sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin.

To support and monitor this dynamic, the COMIFAC Regional Support Project (GIZ/COMIFAC) is looking for  a (01) Technical Advisor in Biodiversity  for its Coordination Office in  Yaoundé .

A- Areas of responsibility and powers 

• Commit to the implementation of the COMIFAC convergence plan;
• Make a qualitative and lasting contribution to international cooperation as well as to the protection and sustainable exploitation of the forests of the Congo Basin;
• Focus its activity on supporting COMIFAC in the field of environmental diplomacy and in the steps towards regional convergence in terms of biodiversity (implementation of the COMIFAC convergence plan);
• Advise the Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC in mobilizing international funding for sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin;
• Manage its portfolio of activities in accordance with the objectives of the project, the agreements concluded within the team and under the coordination of the hierarchical superior;
• Support the biodiversity expert of the Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC in the execution of his missions;
• Strengthen the technical capacities of the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat in the preparation of national reports, studies and information available at the national and regional levels as a prelude to the participation of the COMIFAC “biodiversity” Working Groups (Biodiversity Working Group in Central and Protected Areas and Wildlife Sub-Working Group) to regional and international negotiations;
• Provide technical support to the COMIFAC Working Groups (Biodiversity Working Group in Central Africa and Protected Areas and Wildlife Sub-Working Group) as a prelude to international negotiations;
• Technically support the COMIFAC Working Groups (Biodiversity Working Group in Central Africa and Protected Areas and Wildlife Sub-Working Group) in the formulation of Congo Basin positions to be asserted at the Africa Group and international level , and in deciphering international decisions for the sub-region (Conventions on Biological Diversity, CITES, etc.);
• Support the establishment and professionalization of a group of regional negotiators mandated by COMIFAC and its member countries, involving civil society;
• Technically support the participation of this group of regional negotiators in international negotiations (Africa, COPs, CITES, etc.);
• Technically support the Working Groups (GTBAC and SGTAPFS) in the capitalization of experiences and promising national approaches;
• Technically support the Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC in the transposition of international and regional arrangements into national strategies and/or legislation/regulations;
• Support COMIFAC in the mobilization, transparency and channeling of international funding for forest management in the Congo Basin.

REQUIRED PROFILE

B- Qualifications required

Qualification and professional experience

• Master (BAC+5) in environmental engineering, forestry engineering, environmental diplomacy or equivalent;
• Have at least seven (07) years of professional experience in a similar position;
• Have at least five (05) years of experience in international relations in the field of forests and the environment;
• Have proven experience in the field of international negotiations related to biodiversity;
• Have proven experience in mobilizing international funding for forests and biodiversity.

Other knowledge/ skills

• Very good knowledge of the institutions of the COMIFAC system;
• Be familiar with international issues in the areas of forest conservation, biodiversity and climate, as well as with the actors in these areas and development in the Congo Basin;
• Experience in advisory support, organizational and institutional support for state institutions;
• Proven report writing and communication skills;
• Be willing to travel to COMIFAC countries and sometimes in difficult conditions;
• Excellent command (C2) of French and English. Fluency in Portuguese (B1) would be a significant asset;
• Excellent organizational management skills;
• Very good working knowledge of the use of information and communication technologies (related software as well as telephone, e-mail, Internet) as well as computer applications (such as MS Office).

Duty station:  Yaoundé  with regular missions in the eleven (11) member countries of COMIFAC (Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Chad, Central African Republic ).

Desired starting date: 01.03.2023

Duration of the contract: Two (02) years renewable

Deadline for admissibility of application files: Until February 13, 2023

Internal classification: Band 4T, under the supervision of the GIZ/COMIFAC Program Director

C- Composition and submission of applications

• Composition of application files  : cover letter from the candidate; CV + 3 professional references; Photocopy CNI and photocopies diploma and certificates / work certificates.

• Submission of application files  :

For any internal application meeting the eligibility conditions, the employee is requested, after formal information from his/her Line Manager, to submit his/her application via the GIZ-Cameroon recruitment platform:  https://gizkamerun.jobs.net/fr-FR/join

Female candidates are strongly encouraged