EIA Campaigner (Forests – Political)

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Organisation: Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)

Location: Islington, London

Position Type: Paid, Full Time, Permanent

Salary: £competitive

Application closing date: January 6, 2014

Website: www.eia-international.org

Contact name: Bill Dishington

Contact email: ukinfo@eia-international.org

Contact phone: +44 (0) 20 7354 7960

Campaign Background:

The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an independent campaigning organisation committed to bringing about change that protects the natural world from environmental crime and abuse.

EIA’s Forest Campaign has been a major part of EIA’s work since 1999, and works to reduce global deforestation by improving forest governance in producer countries and implementing demand-side controls in major consumer markets. To achieve these aims, EIA conducts research, investigations and lobbying activities designed to curb illegal logging and trade in illicit timber by closing major markets to imports of illegally sourced timber and wood products. EIA is also working to ensure forest governance measures are embedded in emerging avoided deforestation schemes, and to reduce forest conversion for plantations.

 

Main Purpose of Position:

The Campaigner will play a major role in assisting EIA’s Forest Campaign in delivering a range of projects and activities, and in particular assist in advocating EIA’s main goals.  The EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) initiative includes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA), which EIA supports in East Asia. EIA also monitors the illegal trade in illicit timber that includes the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR).

 

Job Specification: EIA Campaigner (Forests – Political)

Specific responsibilities:

• Assist the campaign in planning and undertaking advocacy missions;

• Represent EIA at meetings with government officials, NGOs and other groups;

• Produce written reports of trips and meetings;

• Monitor campaign related information of VPAs;

• Assist in monitoring the EUTR;

• Contribute to building and sustaining a network of contacts in key countries and institutions;

• Participate in lobbying, research and investigative activities with senior staff as required;

• Assist in the planning, writing and production of reports, briefings and other communications materials for external audiences as required.

 

Range of Responsibilities:

• Communicate with EIA’s foreign partner organisations, as directed;

• Assist in campaign administration, as required;

• Assist in fundraising activities as directed;

• Assist in both internal and external report & briefing writing and production, as required by the Forest Campaign;

• Work-related travel to South-East Asia, Europe and possibly other parts of the world may be required;

• Maintaining up-to-date Forest cCmpaign contacts databases and administering dissemination of targeted communications materials;

• Representing EIA’s Forest Campaign at external meetings and events, where required and as directed;

• Assist in campaign-related research as directed.

 

Person Specification:

Skills & Abilities:

• Ability to analyse complex social, political, economic and environmental parameters in ways that inform EIA’s work and communications;

• Ability to work with different cultures and languages;

• Ability to conduct detailed targeted research projects and tasks;

• Strong interpersonal, communication and time management skills;

• An ability to work independently but also as a team member;

• Ability to travel at short notice, including to potentially challenging environments;

• Ability to work under pressure;

• Legal right to work in the UK;

• Fully proficient in Windows applications such as Word, Excel & Outlook, and other applications.

 

Knowledge:

• Preferably knowledge of global forestry and governance issues;

• Understanding of South-East and East Asia society and politics.

 

Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum two years experience as part of a campaigning organisation, research organisation or equivalent.

 

 Ideal Qualities:

• Understanding and experience of international forest policy initiatives surrounding environmental and climate issues pertaining to forests, such as FLEGT & VPAs, the Lacey Act, REDD/REDD+, RSPO;

• Practical or experiential understanding of carbon trading and carbon markets, and how forests are entering such markets;

• Practical experience of web and print design programs;

• Open to undertaking investigative work;

• Ability to speak, read or write relevant foreign languages; knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia desirable.

 

The Campaigner will report to the Forest Team Leader.

Download a job application form here. Job ref No FCP 06/1