Recruitment notice: a Senior Cocoa Expert

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cameroon is recruiting a Senior Cocoa Expert

Do you want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our common home, the Earth
? Working with WWF could be the opportunity of a lifetime

Around the world, people are waking up to the growing crisis of nature loss. They
increasingly realize that nature is our survival system. And that no one will be spared
the consequences of his disappearance. At WWF, we are helping to address this enormous global challenge.
Our people come from a wide variety of backgrounds and have a range of skills, from
human resources and finance to advocacy and conservation science.

 

 

We
welcome applications from anyone who thinks they can help us create a better future for
people and wildlife.
What we do:
We are an independent Conservation Organization, working to preserve the
natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. Whether individuals, communities,
businesses or governments, we are part of a growing coalition calling on
world leaders to put nature on a path to restoration by 2030. Together, we
seek to protect and restore natural habitats, halt the mass extinction of wildlife,
and ensure that our production and consumption patterns are
sustainable. Our mode of production and consumption. The WWF network has moved to the development
and implementation of 9 major themes with global objectives to achieve.
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most

 

 

experienced independent conservation organizations, with more than 5 million supporters and an active global network in
more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to end the degradation of the
planet’s natural environment and build a future in which people live in harmony with nature,
conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that use of renewable natural resources
is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and waste.
For our National Office in Cameroon, we are looking for a dynamic and
committed Senior Cocoa Expert.
Reports to: Conservation Manager
Location: Yaoundé
Duration: Initial contract of two (02) years renewable depending on the availability of funds.
Mission of the department
The Tri-National Dja-Odzala-Minkebe (TRIDOM) landscape covers nearly 10% of the
humid tropical forests of the Congo Basin (178,000 km²) in Cameroon, Gabon and Congo-Brazzaville, and
currently includes eleven (11) protected areas (total 42,319 km² or 24% of TRIDOM). This landscape
is one of the priority landscapes for WWF because it is home to the largest population of elephants in the
Congo Basin (estimated at 40,000, although in rapid decline) and is home to most of the biodiversity that
we commonly found in the rainforests of Central Africa, including western gorillas and
central chimpanzees (estimated at 140,000). TRIDOM has 250,000 inhabitants (average density
of 1 inhabitant/km²), including an indigenous Baka population estimated at 10,000 people. With a
forest cover of 97% and a deforestation rate of 0.2% per decade (1990-2010), it is one of the
most intact forest blocks in the Congo Basin. TRIDOM has a low density of roads and few rivers.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cameroon is recruiting a Senior Expert Cocoaeasily navigable. However, the development of a growing network of logging roads and

 

 

the improvement of public roads have led to many emerging threats such as
artisanal mining, palm oil and cocoa expansion, exploitation forestry and
ivory poaching.
In Cameroon, the cocoa sector plays an essential role in creating jobs and wealth for
local communities, as well as in protecting forests and conserving ecosystems. To
sustainably increase cocoa production, protect forest areas and help farmers
find sustainable livelihoods, WWF supports the “Roadmap to
Deforestation-free Cocoa”.
WWF focuses on working with communities within its priority landscapes to
promote the sustainable use of natural resources. This includes promoting
deforestation-free raw material production as a way to increase income and reduce pressure
on forest resources. The objective of this position is to sustainably improve living and working conditions
and opportunities for small-scale cocoa producers in TRIDOM. These include
indigenous populations and women, establishing a sustainable production model in the
Congo Basin combined with the creation of market access that achieves zero conversion of
natural forests and corridors linked to cocoa production in TRIDOM; and improve
traceability and accountability in the cocoa value chain.

combine private sector action along agricultural supply chains with
public sector planning and producer integration. Businesses must be involved to ensure
long-term sustainable supply chains. WWF-Cameroon is currently looking for an
expert to support the capacities of cooperatives to be “market ready”, to develop links
with the (inter)national market and to connect cooperatives with buyers of
responsible cocoa.
Main Functions
WWF Cameroon implements the MOMO4C and GCLP programs in TRIDOM with the
following main objectives: strengthening the capacities of farmers and cooperatives, with emphasis on cocoa
and NTFPs; improve farmers’ access to responsible/fair trade markets and
improve access to private sector financing/investment.
The ultimate goal of WWF’s work is to strengthen the development of the cocoa (and NTFP) value chain
and improve the resilience of community livelihoods.
In support of these objectives, and in close collaboration with the “Conservation Manager” of WWF
Cameroon, the “Senior Cocoa Expert” will support business development and private sector engagement
. The position will establish and maintain market linkages for
WWF-supported cocoa producers that can attract private and public investment, unlocking potential
and benefits for local communities.
Main Duties and Responsibilities Specific activities under this assignment will include but are not limited
to the elements listed below : i. Build and maintain an extensive knowledge base of market conditions and requirements for the international, local and specialty cocoa (NTFP) market(s); ii. Map and engage responsible and equitable private business opportunities;iii. Negotiate, conclude trade and investment agreements or sales agreements between local farmers and companies potentially interested in cocoa. The position will also provide technical support to WWF’s cocoa programs in Gabon and the Republic of Congo as they develop. Activities: In close collaboration with Jengi-Tridom field staff, 1. Strengthen farmers’ capacities In close coordination with the Conservation Manager, further support efforts to develop

 

the offer (farmers) for the organic and specialized market(s).
– Provide strategic advice on intensive and practical institutional capacity building
of cooperatives to ensure they are ready before any partnership engagement
.
– Build and maintain an extensive knowledge base on market conditions and
requirements of international and local organic/specialty cocoa (NTFP) markets;
– Ensure that all “preconditions” to facilitate sustainable business linkages and
cooperative governance structures, including for stricter
organic/specialty cocoa markets and other potential partners, have been properly put in place by
field teams and that, wherever possible, relevant documentary evidence is
visible and easily accessible electronically, e.g. farmer maps,
documentary evidence of legal registration documents, polygon mapping/
considerations traceability, the opening of bank accounts by farmers, etc.
2. Business Development: Sustainable Cocoa Marketing
The “Senior Cocoa Expert” will be responsible for supporting the marketing of cocoa and NTFP products
in local and international markets, with a particular focus on the organic market(s). (s)
and specialized(s).
– Analyze and map demand actors in the organic/specialty cocoa market(s)
, i.e. fair and responsible trade opportunities.
– Identify the main actors who play a role in the value chains and their structuring and
establish and maintain an updated database of actors in the cocoa sector, including the
establishment of a network with important stakeholders ( both companies and NGOs,
service providers, etc.;
– Develop a marketing strategy (define the type of markets and products targeted, the level of
quality, legal requirements, necessary capacities…) in collaboration with cocoa cooperatives
and WWF partnership managers in the WWF network;
– Develop a communications package to promote sustainable landscape products and to
recognize corporate support;
– Support cocoa cooperatives to build relationships long-term business with
international and local markets (trade events)
3. Private sector engagement: Relationship management
– Contact businesses through workshops, trade fairs and bilateral discussions
to gain their support for the development of sustainable supply chains: from farm
to store; develop and maintain commercial relationships with suppliers and
buyers of specialty organic cocoa;
– Help strengthen the capacity of cooperatives to negotiate competitive prices and develop the relationship
between the quality of beans and market prices;
– Negotiate, enter into trade and investment agreements or facilitate sales agreements
(contracts) between local farmers and potentially interested parties. Profile
Required Qualifications
 You have good technical knowledge of commodity trading and commodity
management supply chain. You are able to develop and/or structure
commercial and impact investment plans. These plans allow you to facilitate and
maintain business investments, business linkages between
international and local private companies and local agricultural communities.
 Relevant academic qualifications (university level) in agriculture, economics, commerce
or a related discipline;
 At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in the field of commodities, including
cocoa and sustainable development.
 You have experience in cocoa/NTFPs or a related field
in the private sector.
 You have in-depth knowledge of the cocoa and chocolate industry, from both a
demand and supply, marketing and regulatory perspective, for example
understanding the importance of traceability.
 Good understanding of key sustainability issues in the cocoa sector, particularly
with regard to standards and certification;
 Proven experience in marketing and developing communications materials
aimed at a private sector audience (ability to present information in a way that
resonates and appeals to this specific audience).
 Experience managing client relationships, including engaging and negotiating
with international or foreign businesses, ideally across several
different geographies.
 Proven capacity and experience in business engagement at national or
sub-regional level;
 Good knowledge of the WWF network and/or other international NGOs is an advantage.
Required skills and competencies:
 Ability to work effectively in a team
 Ability to communicate effectively and be fluent
in English and French  Excellent human relations, diplomacy and
conflict resolution skills to manage complex and highly sensitive involving multiple stakeholders
;
 Knowledge of cutting-edge research on the development of deforestation-free agriculture;
 Strong training and management skills;
 Excellent written and oral communication skills;
 Ability to react quickly and under pressure.
WWF Values ​​and Behaviors:
 Able to demonstrate WWF behaviors in ways of working: aim for impact,
listen attentively, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly.
 Aligns and identifies with the core values ​​of the WWF organization: courage, integrity,
respect and collaboration.
Deliverables
 Field teams have developed and maintained a robust list of “prerequisites”
to facilitate the establishment of sustainable business linkages, including for stricter organic/specialty markets and other potential partners, e.g. the governance capacity
of cooperatives was taken into account, documentary evidence of
legal registration documents, polygon mapping/traceability considerations,
opening of bank accounts by farmers, etc.
 Create a baseline of data from private sector companies present in the
organic or specialized market(s) with a view to establishing potential commercial links.  Private
sector engagement leading to writing publications and communications for internal and external publishing Working relationships: ● Internal Interact daily with WWF staff; coordinate and interact with the Africa Regional Office, WWF-International, practices and other WWF network staff as appropriate. ● External Interact, where appropriate, with partner NGOs, the private sector and donors. .