Congo Basin Forest Hub Coordinator (re-advertisement)

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Cameroon is looking for a Congo Basin Forest Hub Coordinator

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

For our Congo Basin, we are looking for a dynamic and committed Congo Basin Forest Hub Coordinator.

Reports to:

Reports to: Conservation Director, Congo Basin

Dotted line reports: Host Country Director
Location: Cameroon, Gabon, DRC, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic

Duration: Initially one (1) year with likelihood of renewal

Mission of the Department:

Forests have been at the heart of WWF’s work in the Congo Basin since its establishment in the Region, helping to move the forest sector towards sustainability and transparency; and working to halt deforestation, helping to restore forests and putting deforestation-free commitments into action.

There is increasing recognition of the global importance of the Congo Basin forests for nature, climate and people. At the same time deforestation rates across the region are increasing. This is a new role to enable WWF in the Congo Basin to strengthen its leadership on forests in Central Africa and accelerate progress in delivering the Global Forest Practice Outcomes in the Congo Basin.

Major Functions:

The Congo Basin Forest Hub Coordinator will initiate, enable and support the implementation of the global forest and forest related practices in the Congo Basin and the delivery of the Global Forest Practice Outcomes. They will report to the Congo Basin Conservation Director and will work hand in hand with focal points in the five countries where WWF operates in the Congo Basin (Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, and Gabon), together with the wider WWF Network and external partners. This role will require some regional and international travel.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

He/she will be responsible for:

• Establish, operate and manage the Congo Basin Forest Hub.
• Forge a cohesive regional Congo Basin Forests Team across the Congo Basin Countries and promote and enable alignment, facilitate knowledge exchange on key topics and collectively leverage opportunities.
• Act as an ambassador for WWFs forests work in the Congo Basin internally and when requested externally, and act as the internal representative for the region in key fora such as Forest Practice Leadership Team, the Carbon Finance and Markets Task Force and the Forests Forward Steering Group.
• Provide strategic oversight, thought leadership, technical guidance and support to forest programmes across the Congo Basin, with emphasis on emerging opportunities for the region including climate finance, nature based solutions and private sector engagement.
• Help to support capacity development across the region on forest issues by identifying capacity gaps and facilitating access to resources, training programmes and technical guidance to enable WWF local teams to deliver on their forest goals.
• Lead the development of a regional strategy and approach for a new generation of community forests that deliver for people, nature and climate
• Support the development of project proposals and resource mobilization based on country and regional strategies.
• In consultation with country teams, develop and strengthen strategic partnerships with regional institutions, NGOs, development partners, the private sector, donors and relevant implementation agencies.
• Identify regional policy opportunities and processes and support effective coordination of WWF regional and local staff to engage.
• Develop and implement a workplan co-designed and agreed with focal points in the Congo Basin offices, the regional team and wider WWF Network stakeholders, and deliver timely reporting against agreed objectives.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Competencies:

Required Qualifications:

• An advanced degree in forestry, natural sciences, environment, or related field;
• At least seven (7) years professional experience in forestry, conservation, policy, environment, sustainable development, forest or deforestation-related agricultural commodity supply chains;
• Fluency in English and French;
• Knowledge of climate finance and carbon markets an advantage.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Knowledge Demonstrated ability to think strategically
• Able to inspire and motivate others with strong communication and influencing skills;
• Strong coordination and facilitation skills, and adept at facilitating knowledge sharing, learning and capacity building;
• Strong analytical and organization skills and ability to engage effectively across multiple issues;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and a decentralized, multi- national network (or programme);
• Excellent knowledge of, and passionate, about global forestry and conservation issues, policy and trends;
• Demonstrated experience in building strategic relations and partnerships with various stakeholders, including private sector, funding institutions and NGOs;
• Adheres to WWF’s values, which are: Courage, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration
• Demonstrates model behaviors in ways of working: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly, and innovate fearlesslyy.

Values & Behaviors:

• Aligns and identifies with the core values of the government of Cameroon and the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration.
• Demonstrating behaviors: Strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly
• Acts with highest integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Working Relationships:

Internal – Congo Basin Regional Team, WWF Congo Basin country offices, Regional Office for Africa team, Forest Practice Leader, Core Team and Leadership Team, Forest Forests Forward Shareholder Group; Carbon Finance and Markets Task Force, WWF Network offices engaged in the Congo Basin, relevant Practice Experts and Areas of Collective Action and Innovation (ACAI).

External –As required act as focal point contact regional and global partners such as NGOs, regional institutions, private sector companies and donor agencies.

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.