The German consultancy GFA Consulting Group (www.gfa-group.de) is looking for a National long-term expert as advisor to the establishment and application of innovative learning and management instruments for protected areas in the frame of the Biodiversity and Forest Programme, BFP III.

Project summary:

The BFP 3 aims to consolidate and institutionalize the achievements reached so far by the previous two phases, while strengthening partners at the meso and macro level. The institutions responsible for protected area and forest management are supported in organizational development, in capacity and skill development, as well as in improving knowledge management by using digital solutions.

The consultancy firm is to contribute to the following outputs:

• Effective systems for coordinating and institutionalizing tested management instruments.
• Alternative financing instruments and management models that promote the involvement of private actors in protected area and forest management.
• Increased business and technical capacities in state and private enterprises with regard to using and processing forest resources.

Tasks:

• Coordinate the establishment of digital platforms for self-learning and knowledge management to meet the needs of partner institutions (in collaboration with another expert),
• One digital self-learning and knowledge exchange platform in EFCCC, EWCA and environment authorities in Amhara and SNNPR that provides learning content, a technical toolbox and a user’s manual on proven management and monitoring instruments
• Based on the IT assessment (in collaboration with another expert), facilitate procurement of necessary equipment and technology (hardware and software) as well as the installation of hardware and software at partner institutions
• Coordinate the collection of knowledge management related documents from all institutions and projects supporting EFCCC, EWCA, as well as the regional authorities
• Preparation of the content to be up-loaded to the digital platforms
• Develop knowledge management strategy for each partner institution according to their field of activities
• Training of technical staff at partner institution in the management and updating of digital platform
• Develop offline version of self-learning platform for national parks and pilot its implementation in selected parks. This includes training of parks’ staff to use the platform

Funding: GIZ (German Technical Cooperation)

Assignment duration:  28 months, planned commencement in March 2022

Qualifications and required experience:

• University degree (Master’s) in natural resource management or environmental governance
• 10 years of professional experience in protected areas’ management
• 6 years of professional experience in knowledge management or technical education, with a focus on natural resources or environment and advisory of governmental institutions in protected area governance
• 5 years of experience in facilitating trainings or capacity building
• 5 years of experience with IT solutions