European Forest Institute Job Vacancy: Senior FLEGT Policy Advisor for China and Regional Asia

The European Forest Institute (EFI) is an international organisation with 25 Member Countries, and around 120 member organisations. EFI’s Headquarters is located in Joensuu, Finland. EFI has several offices across Europe, and FLEGT offices (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and in Beijing, China.

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.

EFI is seeking a Senior FLEGT Policy Advisor to support the EU in its FLEGT related policy dialogue with China, the regional dimensions of the EU’s and EFI’s work with the countries and institutions in Asia, and general support to Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) processes in South East Asia.

The Senior FLEGT Policy Advisor serves as the EFI focal point for the regional work in Asia, and together with the FLEGT Facilitator to China, jointly serve as the EFI focal points for China. The Senior FLEGT Policy Advisor reports to the Head of the Asia Regional Office.

Tasks and responsibilities
The Senior FLEGT Policy Advisor’s main tasks are:
  • Together with the FLEGT Facilitator in Beijing, support the EU – China policy dialogue on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade in order to promote a leadership role by China in contributing to trade in legal timber and timber products;
  • To provide guidance to the work done in China in strategically connecting the EU-China policy dialogue with the FLEGT-related work outside China;
  • To strategically engage and cooperate with public and private partner organisations active in FLEGT related work with China, and to closely cooperate with other programs in China that aim to promote forest governance goals and tackle illegal logging, ensuring to the extent possible, coherence and co-ordination of activities;
  • To liaise closely with the timber industry and trade associations as well as the NGO communities in China and those with close links to China, to ensure their fullest possible participation in the FLEGT process;
  • To support the operational work of EFI’s Beijing office and jointly plan, coordinate and report on the annual EU – China Bilateral Coordination Mechanism (BCM) on FLEG work plan;
  • To support the EU in actions taken in other consumer markets, especially in East and South Asia to reinforce the demand for legal timber and incentivize the governance reforms that FLEGT seeks to promote;
  • Together with the FLEGT Facilitator to China and the senior staff of the KL office, to liaise with the relevant European Commission services, EU Delegations and EU Member States as well as Facility Headquarters to ensure that lessons from Asia are documented and shared for improved policy development;
  • To cooperate with the EU and key international initiatives in the Asia Pacific region on promoting and further developing the FLEGT agenda;
  • To support the work of the Facility’s VPA focal points in selected countries in South East Asia;
  • To support the enhancement and dissemination of information about the FLEGT process in the Asia region with donor-supported agencies, private sector, academic communities and civil society initiatives aimed at addressing forest governance at country level and in the major timber supplying/consuming countries and regions.
Qualifications
  • MSc or higher university degree in natural resource economics, public policy, business administration, or a related suitable discipline;
  • Minimum seven years of relevant working experience in the (international) forest sector policy arena and private sector; work experience in Asia is a plus;
  • Excellent understanding of international commerce and international forest investment and trade;
  • A networker with a proven ability to work on complex and sensitive issues at the interface of governments, private sector, CSOs and international organisations and institutions;
  • Good understanding of FLEGT and related other international initiatives;
  • Good presentation and communication skills;
  • Experience with supporting EU institutions is a plus;
  • Proficiency in English, both spoken and written, is required. Command of Asian languages, in particular Chinese is an asset. 
Duty station and travel
The Senior FLEGT Policy Advisor will be based at EFI’s Asia Regional office in Kuala Lumpur, with frequent duty travel to China, in the Asia region and to the EFI office in Barcelona.

Employment conditions
EFI offers a competitive benefits and salary package. The duration of the employment will be 2 years, with a possibility for extension.

Interested candidates are required to send their CV with cover letter by 31st August 2016, using our online application form. If it is not possible to apply online, applications should be submitted to the Human Resources Office, EFI, email: efi.hr @ efi.int.

All applications will be handled confidentially. EFI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages submission from female candidates.

For more information about the position please contact Dr. Alexander Hinrichs: alexander.hinrichs @ efi.int.

Please note that only candidates that have been shortlisted for interview will be contacted.

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