Job Description

Title: Forest Management Specialist

Company Name: A Reputed National NGO

Vacancy: 1

Job Location: Dhaka

Employment Status: Contractual

Educational Requirements:
∎ At least Post-graduate degree in Forestry/Natural Resource Management

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 12 year(s)

Job Context:
∎ Job Nature: Full-time
∎ Duration: Up to December 31, 2026, subject to the availability of fund and satisfactory performance.
∎ Project Brief: The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has selected a CARE Bangladesh led consortium to implement the project titled `Nature Based Adaptation towards Prosperous and Adept Lives & Livelihoods in Bangladesh (NABAPALLAB/ ???????)` in two Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA) - Sundarbans and Hakaluki Haor. The other consortium members are CNRS, CordAid, C3ER-BRAC University, Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK), Friendship, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), iDE, and Practical Action. It is a key component of the Bangladesh-UK Accord on Climate Change and will deliver the adaptation outcome of the FCDO`s flagship Bangladesh Climate and Environment Programme (BCEP). The programme will make a significant contribution in Bangladesh to progress against GoB`s policies and priorities e.g., National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), commitments to biodiversity conservation, ongoing 8th Five Year Plan, etc. And it will also contribute to UK`s commitment to International Climate Finance (ICF).
∎ The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, and Hakaluki Haor, a complex wetland system of the Meghna-Surma River basin, play a crucial role in protecting lives and livelihoods in the southwest coast and northeast Bangladesh respectively. With a population of over 4 million and a rich habitat with rare species, including tigers, the Sundarbans` inhabitants are threatened by climate changes due to rising sea levels and frequent cyclones. Over-extraction of forest resources by locals and industrial development in the nearby areas is currently threatening this World Heritage Site. Hakaluki Haor is one of the most extensive marsh wetlands in the country, inhabited by over 200,000 people and 558 animal and bird species and is a breeding ground for fisheries. Due to environmental sensitivity and high anthropogenic pressures such as overharvesting, overfishing, pollution and illegal logging, the Sundarbans mangrove and the Hakaluki Hoar wetland are at a vulnerable stage with climate change exacerbating the current situation.
∎ FCDO`s NABAPALLAB aims to engage biodiversity and natural resource-dependent communities to strengthen the climate resilience of the ECAs, conserve biodiversity, and at the same time, diversify and improve people`s livelihood through innovative nature-based (NBS) and locally led adaptation solutions. It will primarily target communities within the 10 km buffer zone of the ECAs, which are critically exposed and vulnerable to climate change impacts and have a lesser capacity to adapt to such changes. It will increase climate resilience of more than 250,000 vulnerable households and ecosystem-based protection and restoration of 5,000km2 area in, especially in the districts of Bagerhat, Satkhira and Khulna in the Sundarbans ECA, and Maulvibazar and Sylhet in Hakaluki Haor. The project will consider the most marginalised communities, involving stakeholders from multiple strata and ensuring ownership of provided interventions. It will also enhance the capacity of the local government bodies to manage and conserve the ECAs effectively and create an enabling environment to implement relevant government plans and policies related to Eco-System based Adaptation (EBA).

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Part I: Job Statement
∎ The Forest Management Specialist will be the key technical person from the organization to provide technical guidance to the field implementation team on Forest PA management activities according to the plan.
∎ Part II: Job Responsibilities and Tasks
∎ A. Technical activities
∎ One key task of this position will be facilitating the process of policy advocacy and stakeholder capacity development in the regional/site level.
∎ Liaise closely with Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), BFD and DoE and conduct analysis with the Bangladesh Forest Department (BFD) and Department of Environment (DoE) to prioritize the needs of sites, then provide technical guidance to the field team to assist CMCs/CBOs to prepare business and financial plans.
∎ Assist the development and implementation process of national recovery plans for threatened species.
∎ Provide technical inputs in designing and delivering customized skill training with CMO members on forest resources management, leadership development, negotiation, conflict resolution and visibility.
∎ Development of modules and facilitate particular training sessions of GoB stakeholders to assess the overall effectiveness of forest PA management.
∎ Develop and introduce mechanisms/principles for resource collections by the users e.g., BLC holders, PL collectors, Fisher, crab collectors, etc. at Sundarbans ECA.
∎ Provide technical inputs to conduct a broader campaign to raise awareness of pro-environmental conservation.
∎ Provide technical support in identifying the resource user households/ communities and suggest alternative & sustainable livelihoods options.
∎ Contribute to develop a business model for sustainable PA management.
∎ Contribute to tap the public and private resources and introduce/strengthen Payment for Ecosystems Services (PES) to support the NbS.
∎ Provide technical lead in ANR (Assisted Natural Regeneration) of mangroves.
∎ Provide technical guidance in strengthening Village Tiger Response Team (VTRT) and Community Patrol Group (CPG) at Sundarbans ECA
∎ Provide technical support in the plantation and support to strengthen Dolphin, and fish Sanctuary activities and biodiversity protection e.g., crocodile, turtle, etc. at Sundarbans ECA.
∎ Disseminate entitlements under PA Rule 2017 among CMO members and initiate dialogue with BFD to ensure revenue sharing with CMC according to PA Rule 2017
∎ Technical guidance for ADP development by CMOs within the Sundarbans ECA.
∎ Lead in developing a monitoring protocol and plan including sampling strategy & appropriate tools and provide technical guidance to collect resource harvest data and important species such as dolphins, crocodiles, turtles by season e.g. PL, crab, and other flora and fauna.
∎ Work with the MEL team to establish a functioning accountability mechanism, and ensure closing the loop of all feedback, especially from ecology based adaptation (EbA) point of view. Support MEL team tools design to ensure real-time monitoring on natural resource management (NRM) and EbA and ensure appropriate actions to reflect and improve consortium's performance in these aspects.
∎ Provide inputs to prepare tools for periodical monitoring assessment and checklists from EbA of view.
∎ Contribute in preparing consortium 's learning and knowledge products from NRM and EbA perspectives.
∎ B. General Tasks
∎ Attending regular meetings/trainings/workshops as and when required by the project and management.
∎ Presentation of technical achievements regularly in the project events.
∎ Work closely with the Project Coordinator and other specialists along with PMU to achieve project results.
∎ Prepare and submit the periodic reports.
∎ Any other task as assigned by the management.

Additional Requirements:
∎ Experiences:
∎ Minimum 12 years of working experience in community led innovation in the context of natural resource management, co-management, climate justice & adaptation/ resilience. At least 07 years' experience in a similar position.
∎ Familiar with bio-physical and socio-economic conditions in the ecologically critical areas in Sundarbans and Hakaluki Haor.
∎ Experience in developing and implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address and mitigate climate change challenges.
∎ Existing rapport with BFD will be an added advantage
∎ Skills and Additional Job Requirements:
∎ Having non-discriminatory and gender-sensitive perceptions along with safeguarding
∎ To protect children in connection
∎ Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
∎ Having excellent understanding of existing country policies, rules and acts related to forest.
∎ Good understanding on issues of climate change adaptation; gender equity, protection and multicultural intervention.
∎ Good communication, negotiation and problem-solving capacity.
∎ Ability to manage stress, multi-task and take decisions.
∎ Proficient in MS Office tools (Word, Excel, Power Point); Sound knowledge on GIS and Remote Sensing software packages; Sound knowledge of data management and analysis tools (e.g., SPSS)
∎ Good verbal and written communication skills in local language, English and Bengali;
∎ Leadership and results oriented.
∎ Flexibility and good understanding on human centric innovation
∎ Adaptive thinking and a strong, critical mindset.
∎ Strong business acumen and presentation skills.
∎ Forward-thinking and adaptable to dynamic situations.
∎ Good interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills.
∎ Respectful to safeguarding policy

Salary:
∎ Attractive remuneration will be offered to the really deserving candidate. In addition, the organization will offer other admissible benefits as per organizational policy.

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 29 Oct 2023

Company Information:
∎ 23 Oct 2023
∎ A Reputed National NGO
∎ Business : CNRS is a renowned pro-environmental national NGOs in Bangladesh which commenced its journey in 1994. Since formation, CNRS has been active in this field and has drawn attention of relevant local, national and international actors including government and funding agencies through demonstrating innovations in its approaches and producing tangible learning outcomes.

Category: NGO/Development