Senior Forest and Landscape Specialist

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Position Summary

The Senior Forest and Landscape Specialist is expected to provide strategic and technical leadership in designing and implementing integrated, system-level interventions that transform forest and landscape management in Ethiopia. This role is central to ensuring HARNESS achieves its ambition of transforming systems—not just delivering projects. By aligning governance, markets, finance, and livelihoods, the position will help establish a scalable model for sustainable forest and landscape management in Ethiopia.

The position is a senior role requiring systems thinking, policy and institutional engagement, as well as market and financing integration. The successful candidate will ensure interventions move from fragmented activities to coherent, scalable systems aligned with national policies and global commitments.

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Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Systemic Transformation

• Lead integrated landscape approaches and systemic transformation strategies.
• Guide restoration and climate-smart land use practices.
• Document lessons and contribute to global knowledge on integrated landscape approaches.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of deforestation reduction, system-level change, and livelihood impacts.

Governance & Institutional Engagement

• Strengthen governance systems across federal, regional, and local levels.
• Engage government, private sector, and development partners through multi-stakeholder platforms.

Market, Finance & Livelihood Integration

• Develop deforestation-free value chains aligned with international standards.
• Support sustainable financing mechanisms including REDD+, carbon finance, and blended finance models.
• Promote inclusive livelihoods (youth, women, returnees) and climate-resilient enterprises.

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Job Requirements

Required Education, Qualifications, and Experience

• PhD or MSc degree in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Policy, Climate Change, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10–12 years of relevant experience in forest and landscape management, REDD+, climate finance, and policy engagement.

Technical Competencies

• Strong understanding of integrated landscape approaches, forest governance systems, sustainable value chains, and climate finance mechanisms.
• Proven expertise in forest and landscape management, REDD+, climate finance, and policy and institutional engagement.
• Knowledge of GIS and digital technologies for tracking land use and land cover changes.

Core Competencies

• Ability to apply systems thinking in programme design.
• Excellent leadership, stakeholder engagement, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to work in complex, multi-partner environments.
• Experience in Ethiopia or similar contexts is highly desirable.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience with donor-funded programmes (e.g., NORAD/NICFI).
• Knowledge of the Ethiopian policy and institutional context.
• Experience working with the private sector and market systems.
• Proven experience in GIS applications and other digital technologies to track land use and land cover changes.

Required Skills

• Environmental regulations

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How to Apply

Those who are interested and meet the above requirements for each position should submit an application letter (one page) and CV (maximum of 3 pages) to: sossahelhrm@gmail.com.

Women candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

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