Senior Communications Expert for FLEGT&REDD Unit

The European Forest Institute (EFI) is an international organization with 23 European member countries, and over 120 Associate Member institutions. EFI’s Headquarters is located in Joensuu, Finland. EFI has several Regional Offices across Europe, a FLEGT office (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is establishing an office in Brussels.

EFI hosts the EU FLEGT Facility and the EU REDD Facility, which support partner countries, the European Commission, EU Delegations and EU Member States in the implementation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan and REDD+ activities.

The EU FLEGT Facility supports efforts to combat illegal logging and promote trade in legal timber. It works with timber producing and exporting countries to develop appropriate systems to ensure the legal trade and export of timber products, aiming to address forest governance failures. The Facility currently works in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Facility provides this support through technical assistance in the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) processes and other equivalent arrangements, through facilitation of dialogue between the EU and timber exporting countries and other forms of cooperation.

The EU REDD Facility provides support to the development of REDD+ policies and actions. It assists both the EU and developing countries in this context. Important work areas include building the necessary capacities of developing countries, supporting forest governance reform and providing advice for the development of EU-financed REDD+ related actions. The Facility builds synergies with FLEGT VPA processes where relevant, including taking lessons from the FLEGT Action Plan for other sustainable approaches to addressing the drivers of deforestation outside the forest sector.

EFI is looking for a Senior Communications Expert to reinforce the FLEGT and REDD Unit’s Communications team.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

The main duties of the Senior Communications Expert include the following:

• Design, implement and measure a global communications strategy for a partnership of actors committed to sustainable forest management and verifiably legal trade in timber from tropical countries.
• Create widespread momentum around and interest in the real advances being made through policy reform in forest governance worldwide, with a focus on the EU FLEGT Action Plan.
• Establish key messages and talking points to be conveyed by a diverse stakeholder group, across regions, languages and sectors.
• Using strong social and traditional media channels, convey the benefits and achievements of EU initiatives in forest governance.
• Provide guidance on tools and methods for increasing the Facility’s presence at global and European forums and initiatives, given its unique identity.
• Advise senior management on:
• How to convey the unique identity of the two facilities, as a complement to the work of the Commission yet still a part of EFI;
• Strategies for informing key EU stakeholders about the facilities’ achievements
• Internal communication, leadership and change management in a small and growing global group.
• Initiate, develop and actively contribute to the production of communication materials using various methods, including audio-visuals, video etc.
• Establish and maintain a network of trade media contacts in Europe and news media contacts globally to disseminate relevant information products.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of relevant communications experience, experience involving developing countries and in a forest/environment policy-related field will be a plus.
• Ability to design, implement and measure the effects of a global communications strategy.
• Experience managing Europe-wide or global media campaigns.
• Proven capacity to lead multi-actor networks that address global or regional issues.
• Strong negotiation skills to facilitate advancing common issues among network members
• Fluent in English and either French or Spanish, Chinese an advantage
• Ability to facilitate high level meetings and events, public or private, with stakeholders from governments the private sector, civil society and community representatives.
• Experience managing teams and leadership skills
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Experience in working in virtual teams in an international work community.

Duty station

The Senior Communications Expert will be based at the EFI Policy Support Office in Barcelona, Spain and is a member of the FLEGT and REDD Unit Communications Team.

Employment conditions

The Senior Communications Expert will be an EFI staff member. The initial duration of employment will be 2 years, starting on 1 July 2012 for a fixed-term employment. EFI offers an inspiring, dynamic international and multicultural working environment, varying duties and opportunities to learn new skills and a comprehensive health care package.

Interested candidates are requested to send an application letter and CV by 1 June2012, using our onlineapplication form. If it is not possible for you to apply online please send your application to: Human Resources Office, EFI, email: efi.hr@efi.int.

For more information about the post please contact Mr. Tomi Tuomasjukka, FLEGT-REDD Communications Team leader, phone +358-50-433 9049, email:tomi.tuomasjukka@efi.int.