Job Notice: Senior Expert Cocoa

Want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our one shared home, the Earth? Working with WWF could be the opportunity of a lifetime:

All around the world, people are waking up to the deepening crisis of nature loss. A growing realization that nature is our life-support system. And that nobody will be spared from the impacts of its loss. Here at WWF, we are helping to tackle this enormous global challenge.

Our people come from hugely diverse backgrounds and with a variety of expertise, ranging from HR and finance to advocacy and conservation science. We welcome applications from anyone who believes they can help us create a better future for people and wildlife.

What we do:

We are an independent conservation organization, striving to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. From individuals and communities to business and government, we are part of a growing coalition calling on world leaders to set nature on the path to recovery by 2030. Together, we seek to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable. WWF Network has moved to the development and the implementation of 9 Practices with Global Goals to be achieved.

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global Network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

For our Country Office in Cameroon, we are looking for a dynamic and committed Senior Expert Cocoa .

Reports to: Conservation Manager

Location: Yaounde, with frequent travel (in Cameroon and abroad)

Duration: An initial two (02) years’ contract to be renewed depending on funding availability

The mission of the department

The Tri-National Dja-Odzala-Minkebe (TRIDOM) Landscape covers nearly 10% of the Congo Basin rainforests (178,000 km²) in Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo-Brazzaville, and currently includes 11 protected areas (in total 42,319 km² or 24% of TRIDOM). This Landscape is one of the priority Landscapes for WWF because it holds the largest elephant population in the Congo Basin (estimated at up to 40,000, though rapidly declining) and harbors most of the biodiversity typically found in central Africa’s rainforests, including both western gorillas and central chimpanzees (estimated at up to 140,000). TRIDOM has 250,000 inhabitants (typically 1 inh/km² average density) including an estimated 10,000 Baka indigenous people. With a forest cover of 97% and a deforestation rate of 0.2% per decennium (1990-2010) it is one of the most intact forest blocks in the Congo Basin. TRIDOM has low road density and few easily navigable rivers. However, the development of a growing logging road network and public road improvement have led to many emerging threats such as artisanal mining, palm oil and cocoa expansion, logging, and ivory poaching.

The WWF 2030 Vision for the TRIDOM transboundary tropical forest landscape is “to provide a safe home to healthy populations of forest elephants and great apes and a wealth of biodiversity, supported by empowered local communities while contributing to the sustainable economic development aspirations of Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo”.

In Cameroon, the cocoa sector plays a vital role for job and wealth creation for local communities, and for forest protection and ecosystem conservation. To increase cocoa production sustainably, protect forested areas, and to help farmers find a sustainable livelihood, WWF is supporting the Roadmap to Deforestation-free Cocoa.

WWF is focused on working with communities within its priority landscapes to promote sustainable natural resource use. This includes the promotion of deforestation-free commodity production as a means of increasing income and reducing pressure on forest resources. The objective of this position is to sustainably improve the living and working conditions and opportunities for cocoa smallholder producers in TRIDOM, notably for indigenous people and women by establishing a Congo Basin sustainable production model combined with creating market access that achieves zero conversion of natural forests and corridors related to cocoa production in TRIDOM; and to improve traceability and accountability in the cocoa value chain.

Successful reduction of deforestation requires landscape level interventions that combine private sector action along agricultural supply chains with public sector planning and integration of producers. Companies need to be involved to ensure long-term sustainable supply chains. WWF-Cameroon currently is looking for an expert to support cooperative capacities “to be ready for market”, to further develop the (inter)national market links and to connect cooperatives with buyers of responsible cacao.

Major Functions

WWF Cameroon implements the MOMO4C and GCLP programs in TRIDOM with the main objectives: to strengthen capacity farmers and cooperatives, with a focus on Cocoa and NTFP (s); improve farmers access to responsible/Fair trade markets and improve access to private sector finance/ investment.

The ultimate goal of WWF’s work is to strengthen the Cocoa (and NTFP) value chain development and enhance community livelihood resilience.

In support of these objectives, and working closely with the WWF Cameroon Conservation Manager, the Senior Cocoa Expert, will support business development and private sector engagement. The position will help establish and nurture commercial business linkages for WWF supported cocoa producers that can attract private, as well as Public, investment further unlocking potential and benefits for local communities.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Specific activities under this assignment, will include, but are not limited to:

1. Build and maintain an extensive knowledge base of market conditions and or requirements for international, local and specialty Cocoa (NTFP) market (s);
2. Map and engage responsible and fair trading private business opportunities;
3. Negotiate, closing of business deals and investments or offtake agreements between local farmers and potentially interested cocoa related businesses.
   • Provide strategic advice on intensive and hands-on institutional capacity building for cooperatives ensuring their readiness before any partnership engagements

The position will also provide technical support to the WWF cacao programs in Gabon and the Republic of Congo, as these unfold.

Activities:

In close collaboration with Jengi-Tridom field staff,

1. Building capacity of farmers

In close coordination with the Conservation Manager further support efforts to develop the supply (farmers) side for organic/ specialty market(s).

• Build and maintain an extensive knowledge base of market conditions and or requirements for international, local organic/ specialty Cocoa (NTFP) market (s);
• Ensure any “pre-requisites” to facilitate lasting commercial linkages and coop governance structures, including for more stringent organic/ specialty market (s) and other potential partners have been adequately put in place by field teams, and that where possible, relevant documentary evidence is visible and easily accessible electronically where possible e.g. farmer mappings, documentary evidence of legal registration documents, polygon mapping/ traceability considerations, farmers opening bank accounts etc.

1. Business Development: Commercialization of sustainable cocoa

The Senior Cocoa Business expert will be tasked to support the commercialization of Cocoa and NTFPs products on the local and international markets, with particular focus on organic/ specialty market (s).

• Further analyze and map the demand side actors in the organic/ specialty cocoa market (s) i.e. fair trade and responsible business opportunities
• Identify the main actors which are playing a role in the value chains and their structuration and establish and keep an updated database of actors in the cacao sector including setting up network with important stakeholders (both business and NGOs, service providers, etc.) relevant for TRIDOM;
• Develop a marketing strategy (defining type of targeted markets and products, level of quality, legal requirements, needed capacities…) in collaboration with cocoa cooperatives and WWF partnership managers in the WWF Network;
• Develop communication package to promote the sustainable landscape products and to recognize companies’ support;
• Support cocoa cooperatives to establish long term business relations to international and local markets (Business events).
  • Contact companies through company workshops, trade fairs and bilateral discussions to gain their support for the development of sustainable supply chains: from the farm to the shop; Develop and nurture commercial relationships with suppliers and buyers of organic specialty cocoa
  • Help build the capacity of cooperatives to negotiate for competitive prices and elaborating the relationship between quality of beans and market prices;
  • Negotiate, closing of business deals and investments or facilitate offtake agreements (contracting) between local farmers and potentially interested parties.

1. Private sector engagement: Relationship management

Profile:

Required Qualifications:

You have a strong technical grasp of commodities trade and supply chain management. Ability to develop and/or structure business and impact investment plans that enables you to facilitate and nurture commercial investment (s) and market linkages between international and local private businesses with local farming communities.

Relevant academic qualifications (university level) in Agriculture, Economics, Business, or related discipline;

At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in dealing with commodities, including cocoa and sustainability

Experience working on Cocoa/ NTFPs or related within a Private sector context

In-depth knowledge of the cocoa and chocolate industry, from both a demand and supply, marketing and regulation perspectives e.g. understanding of importance of traceability

Good understanding of key sustainability issues of the cocoa sector including on standards and certification;

Proven experience in marketing and developing communication materials aimed at a private sector audience (ability to present information in a way that will resonate and appeal to this specific audience).

Experience in managing client relationships, including engaging and negotiating with international or foreign companies, ideally across a number of different geographies

Proven ability and experience to engage corporates at national or sub-regional levels;

Familiarity with the WWF Network and/or other international NGOs is an advantage.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Capacity to work effectively in teams
• Effective communicator with fluency in English & French
• Adherence to WWF’s values, which are: Courage, integrity, respect, collaboration
• Excellent people, diplomacy, and conflict resolution skills to handle complex and highly sensitive multi-stakeholder situations;
• Knowledge of cutting-edge research on the development of deforestation free agriculture;
• Strong training and coaching skills;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Quick thinking; capability of reacting under pressure.

WWF’s Values & Behaviors:

• Able to demonstrate WWF behaviors in ways of working: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly.
• Aligns and identifies with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration.

Deliverables:

• Develop and maintain a robust list of “pre requisites” to be in place to facilitate lasting commercial linkages, including for more stringent organic/ specialty market (s) and other potential partners have been put in place by field teams e.g. governance capacity of cooperatives have been addressed, documentary evidence of legal registration documents, polygon mapping/ traceability considerations, farmers opening bank accounts etc.
• Create a data base of private sector companies in the organic/ specialty market (s) for potential commercial linkages
• Private sector engagement leading to X number of offtake agreements / MOUs other commitments
• Organise X business and marketing events
• Deliver regular internal sessions on Private Sector engagement challenges and opportunities, including writing publications and communications for internal and external publishing

Working Relationships:

• Internal

Interacts with WWF staff on a daily basis; Co-ordinates and interacts with Regional Office for Africa, WWF-International, Practices and other WWF Network staff as appropriate.

• External

Interacts as required with Partner NGOs, private sector and donors .

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.

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