Fern is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) created in 1995. Our mission is to achieve greater environmental and social justice, focusing on forests and forest peoples’ rights in the policies and practices of the European Union.

We believe that to be effective it is essential to understand and address the social dimension of environmental conflicts; that strong coalitions are more likely to achieve lasting change; and that presenting ways forward is often more effective than highlighting problems. We are committed to tackling gender injustice and supporting women’s rights.

We have no director and strive to make decisions by consensus. Details of our current work areas and campaigns can be found at www.fern.org

We currently have 18 staff working from two offices, in Brussels (Belgium) and Moreton in Marsh (UK). We are looking for a Forest Governance campaigner to manage a large grant and support local partners in Ghana and Liberia.

A.      Key areas of responsibility:

1. Campaign tasks

• Supporting partner organisations in Ghana and Liberia and in the implementation of their in-country work.
• Managing the relevant grant(s), including monitoring implementation; writing and compiling three-monthly narrative reports and being the liaison between the funder(s).
• Facilitating and/or participating in relevant NGO networks and coalitions (e.g. UK NGO coalition; Liberia NGO coalition).
• Facilitating and organising information flows between partners, the EU and UK Government.
• Guiding and/or carrying out research and presenting results to relevant target groups.
• Participating in and organising meetings/seminars with Government, Commission officials and MEPs.
• Networking with people in the UK Government, EU Institutions and relevant representatives of EU Member States.
• Writing regular campaign updates and articles for, among others, Fern’s newsletter EU Forest Watch (10 issues per year) and FLEGT VPA updates.

1. General Fern tasks:

• Staying informed at a general level about Fern’s campaigns;
• Fundraising for the successful continuation of Fern campaigns related to improving forest governance (average Euro 150,000/year);
• Carrying out general managerial and administrative tasks, shared between all staff;
• Fulfilling Fern’s policies on reporting on meetings, producing work plans etc;
• Managing the campaign budget in close co-operation with Fern’s financial officer;
• Maintaining a proper filing system on issues relevant to the position;
• Ensuring Fern’s reputation as a professional organisation is maintained at all times.

B. Other job requirements

• Travel. As Fern is an international organisation with offices in two countries and activities in numerous countries, travel will be necessary to attend crucial meetings.
• Flexibility. Fern is a campaigning organisation, and flexibility will be required in working hours, for example in the case of preparing urgent funding proposals, budgets etc.

C. Person specification

We are looking for a strong, well-organised professional; a good team worker and networker who is able to communicate well - both orally and in writing - across different cultural backgrounds. Someone who shows initiative and works quickly and accurately; is politically astute and a quick learner.

Essential requirements

• At least three-years’ experience in developing, implementing and evaluating campaign plans.
• A good understanding of the interface between forests, human rights, consumption and climate.
• Experience in working with NGOs.
• Perfect oral and written English and excellent writing skills.
• Excellent organisational and computer skills.
• Good team worker.
• Ability to prioritise and manage a high workload.
• Willingness to travel frequently within the EU and abroad.

Desirable requirements

• Experience in working with NGOs in Africa.
• Experience of facilitating NGO networks, developing joint (NGO) positions and facilitating meetings involving a broad range of views, interest groups and cultural approaches.
• Understanding and experience of applying power and gender analysis in forest governance.
• Familiarity with fundraising procedures and reporting requirements of funders, notably DFID.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationship with partner organisations at grassroots level, Government and Commission officials and MEPs.
• A good understanding of the functioning of EU institutions.
• Experience in advocacy work, preferably at EU level.
• French speaker.

Indicative starting salary & working conditions

• If based in Belgium:

From €42,114 to €52,095 gross salary, plus lunch vouchers (6€ per working day) and a contribution to travel costs from home to office.

• If based in the UK: From £33,737 to £40,478.

D. How to apply

Applications should be made in English and comprise:

          I.            a CV

        II.            a covering letter explaining why you are interested in this job, including what attracts you to Fern and what you could bring to Fern

      III.            a short explanation (less than a page) of how the EU should deal with imports of commodities that drive deforestation, and how you would work with partners in producing countries to make the EU act.

Applications without a properly prepared covering letter will not be considered. Only selected candidates will be contacted in the w/c 16^th July.

Deadline for applications: 12:00 13^th July 2018

Send applications to: julie@fern.org

If you'd like to discuss the job, contact Saskia Ozinga: saskia@fern.org

Fern values a diverse work force and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.