Forestry Advisor at WeForest Zambia
- Company: WeForest Zambia
- Location: Zambia
- State: Lusaka
- Job type: Full-Time
- Job category: Administrative/Secretarial Jobs in Zambia
Job Description
WeForest Zambia: Forestry Landscape Restoration Expert
About WeForest
WeForest is an international non-profit association headquartered in Belgium, dedicated to conserving and restoring the ecological integrity of forests and landscapes. We engage communities to implement lasting solutions for climate, nature, and people, promoting science, best practices, and a culture of sharing and inclusion. We aim to make our work replicable and scalable globally.
Job Summary
WeForest Zambia (WFZ) is seeking an expert in the management, conservation, and utilization of forest resources. This position involves providing technical oversight on all forestry-related activities, such as forest management planning, forestry governance, fire management, silvicultural treatment of regenerating forests, and sustainable harvesting of wood and non-wood forest products. The role will ensure the implementation of best practices in forestry landscape restoration projects within WFZ.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Leadership and Planning:
- Conceptualize, plan, and guide the implementation of forestry-related activities across all WFZ projects.
- Ensure integration of forestry landscape restoration (FLR) best practices through expert advice and collaboration with project/program managers.
- Community and Governance:
- Strengthen community and joint forestry governance structures by building capacity in forest management planning and forest restoration.
- Facilitate partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders in the forestry sector at national and decentralized levels.
- Alignment and Standardization:
- Collaborate with WeForest Global to standardize forestry practices, ensuring consistency across projects.
- Support the review of technical documentation, including project reports and TORs.
- Financing Strategy:
- Provide expertise in developing financing strategies for forest management and protection, exploring potential funding sources (public budgets, corporate social responsibility, donor contributions, private sector investments, etc.).
- Compile actionable recommendations based on the analysis of funding opportunities.
- Scaling and Planning:
- Support the scaling and strategic planning of forest restoration and protection measures within WFZ.
- Collaborate closely with the Head of Project Development to scope and develop new FLR projects in Zambia.
- Representation:
- Represent WFZ at national/international fora/networks related to forestry.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
- Work with other professionals (e.g., ecologists, wildlife biologists, land-use planners) to provide holistic advice on forest management.
- Research and Capacity Building:
- Stay up-to-date with the latest research, technologies, and trends in forestry and natural resource management.
- Strengthen the capacity of project teams in sustainable forest management and practices.
- Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Support project MEL teams in designing and monitoring forestry-related indicators and protocols.
Candidate Profile
Education:
- Minimum of a Master’s degree in Environment, Forestry, Natural Resources Management, or a closely related field.
Work Experience and Skills:
- Essential:
- Minimum 5 years of experience in the forestry sector in Zambia.
- Strong personal network within Zambia’s forestry sector, particularly with the Forestry Department.
- Demonstrable experience in engaging with communities on forestry-related activities.
- Experience in forest management planning and implementation, including forest landscape restoration approaches.
- Strong understanding of government policies and priorities in the Forestry Sector.
- Experience in working with government representatives, especially at the decentralized level.
- Experience in engaging with the private sector.
- Knowledge of carbon project development and implementation is an added advantage.
- Other Skills and Competencies:
- Self-motivated and proactive.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, especially in multi-stakeholder collaborations.
- Fluency in English, with strong writing, presentation, and IT skills.
- Ability to work well in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.
- Additional Requirements:
- All academic and professional certificates must be certified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA).
Method of Application
- Application Deadline: 8th February 2025
- Please send your application (CV, motivation letter, and two recent references) to: recruitment.zambia@weforest.org
- Ensure the subject of the email includes the job title and the source of the job post.
- In your motivation letter, briefly explain your interest in working with WeForest and how your experience aligns with the role.