The Project “Protection and sustainable use of natural resources in Ethiopia” aims to strengthen the capacities of institutions responsible for protected areas and forests for a climate-resilient management of selected landscapes in accordance with the interests of the local population. The upcoming new module of the project introduces innovative implementation approaches that promote a wider collaboration among local stakeholders, partners, communities, as well as the engagement of private actors in the restoration of degraded landscapes; the use of digital solutions for improving partner’s capacities and efficiency; and the expansion of the timber value chain.

Another new area of intervention of the project is the capacity development of partners for the selection and application of alternative financial mechanisms for the management and sustainable use of natural resources, like management delegation of protected areas or payment for ecosystem services. In each landscape, communities will be further integrated in decision making processes that reflect their interests and development needs.

The project supports national and regional partners in the institutionalization and up-scaling of the already developed instruments for the management of forests and protected areas through digital solutions and interactive platforms. Digital tools are also used for monitoring the overall contribution to international commitments and partner’s strategies.

The coordinator of sustainable landscapes will be responsible for the implementation of project activities in each selected landscape, including the establishment of collaboration platforms among stakeholders, intersectoral coordination, forest-based landscape restoration, local economic development through the use of natural resources and support of protected area management.

Contract duration:       Until July 31, 2024

Responsibilities & Tasks

• Responsible for steering the implementation of project activities in the landscapes around selected protected areas
• Supervise the advisory services and the support of the project at local, regional and federal levels
• Promote the establishment and support the strengthening of stakeholder platforms for the restoration and sustainable development of selected landscapes
• Supervise the monitoring and recording of the contributions of the interventions in the landscapes towards project objectives as well as international commitments and national strategies
• Coordinate with EWCA and regional partners the required interventions for the implementation of sustainable management mechanisms for protected areas in the selected landscapes, such as delegated management
• Develop approaches for the integration and investment promotion of the private sector (PPP, CSR) in the development of economic activities and joint ventures with communities in each selected landscape, and for the implementation of payment for ecosystem services
• Define an intervention strategy to sensitize and integrate local communities in decision making processes in relation to the use of natural resources in protected areas
• Technical support and disciplinary supervision of a team of 6 advisors located in the selected landscapes

• Masters/MSc in Environmental Economics, Natural Resource Management, Forestry, or other related fields
• 15 years’ professional experience in the sector of natural resource management, sustainable economic development, or forestry development
• 10 years of experience in the coordination of projects in the context of development cooperation
• Proven experience in advising government institutions in the areas of sustainable land use, landscape restoration, local economic development or protected area management in a landscape approach
• Excellent knowledge and practical experience with the use of digital monitoring tools applied to protected area management, forestry and economic development
• Excellent working knowledge of ICT technologies and computer applications (e.g. MS Office) and willingness to continuously apply new tools and functions
• A proven track record in a managerial position and profound know-how about leadership styles and tools
• Profound know-how in the application of GIZ rules, regulations, instruments and tools
• Excellent negotiating skills as well as intercultural and communication skills
• High level of self-organization and ability to steer many parallel processes successfully
• Fluent written and oral knowledge of English and Amharic
• Willingness to continuously update know-how and skills in a changing environment