Forest & BIODEV Officer for BIODEV30 Programme_Phase 2 (Contingent on funding)

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 Country Office in Cameroon, we are looking for a dynamic and committed «Forest & BIODEV Officer» to contribute to the phase 2 of its BIODEV30 Programme.

Reports to: Forest & BIODEV Coordinator
Location: Yaounde
Duration: Two (02) years

Mission of the Department:
Halting the decline in biodiversity is an urgent imperative if we are to guarantee lasting access to the ecosystem goods and services that underpin the survival and sustainable development of humankind, such as food, fibre, wood, carbon sequestration, water regulation and so on. By adopting the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity in December 2022, the States have affirmed a strong ambition for biodiversity, notably through its integration into all economic sectors and the adoption of sustainable production practices that preserve nature (links to targets 10, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19).
Launched in 2020 in 16 pilot countries, the first phase of BIODEV2030 project, of which WWF Cameroon was a beneficiary, initiated a dynamic multi-stakeholder dialogue based on science, which mobilized, in each country, all stakeholders in society – States, private sector, civil society organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities, citizens, men, women and young people – around this vital issue, in close collaboration with each National Focal Point (NFP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
WWF Cameroon has just been officially informed by WWF France that he is eligible for phase 2 of the project, which will run from September 2023 to June 2026, a period of 30 months.

Building on the results of phase I and the dynamics of the multi-stakeholder platforms, the overall objective of phase II of the project (2023-2026) is to contribute to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Agreement by promoting the adoption of production practices that reconcile biodiversity and development.
To this end, WWF Cameroon would like to recruit a ‘Forest & BIODEV Officer’ (Technical Assistant) who will work closely with the Coordinator for the duration of this project, whose main duties will be as follows:

Major functions:
Assist the Forest & BIODEV Coordinator in all tasks related to the implementation of the BIODEV programme in Cameroon, in particular:
– Identifying and mobilizing key players to be invited to take part in the multi-stakeholder dialogue (Envi. & sector ministries, private players, financial players, CSOs, etc.);
– Defining the objectives, operating and coordination methods to promote multi-stakeholder dialogue;
– Monitoring the operation of the national dialogue forum;
– Promoting the results of BIODEV30 at major international biodiversity events;
– Facilitating the domestication of the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal agreement on the global framework for biodiversity.
– Maintaining permanent contact with the CBD and CC focal points of the Ministry for the Environment and Nature Protection in relation to the RIO conventions.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
• Initiate planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting on BIODEV30 initiatives in Cameroon;
• Initiate terms of reference for workshops, service providers or consultants, civil support organizations (CSOs) to assist in the implementation of approved activities;
• Prepare requests for services and purchases agreed in work plans and budgets;
• Ensure permanent liaison with the CBD Focal Point and his team at MINEPDED within the framework of the BIODEV30_phase 2 initiative;
• Participate in various initiatives in liaison with the CBD and CC where WWF Cameroon is requested;
• Participate in the process of developing internal WWF project/programme proposals to take into account issues of adaptation, mitigation and biodiversity loss.
Profile:
Required Qualifications
• Master’s degree in natural resource management, sustainable development, economics, agricultural economics or other related field;
• Minimum of two (02) years’ experience working with public sector stakeholders, CSOs and the private sector on conservation and/or sustainable management, including significant project management experience;
• Additional experience of public and private sector policy engagement;
• Fluency in French and/or English.
Required Skills and Competencies
● A good overview of the legal and institutional framework for biodiversity in Cameroon;
● A network of external relations that extends the current reach of WWF Cameroon
● Excellent communication and organizational skills;
● Team spirit and internal organizational networking;
● Proactive approach to meeting deadlines and achieving results with limited supervision.
WWF’s Values & Behaviors:
● High ethics and a personal commitment to transparency and accountability;
● Aligns and identifies with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration.
Working Relationships
Internal: The Forest & BIODEV Officer will work closely with the BIODEV Coordinator, the B&I Unit, the Communications Officer, the CLT and relevant WWF network staff.
External: CBD focal point and his team in Cameroon, public authorities, private sector leaders, CSOs and CBOs.
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.