Project objectives:

Development of digital solutions and strengthening of technical skills for the institutionalization of instruments for protected area management and forestry value chain promotion.

Ethiopia has a consolidated system for the conservation of its biodiversity, including forests, which also helps improve the living conditions of the local population. 

The institutions responsible for the management of protected areas and forests at national, regional and local level, together with the private sector and state actors from other sectors, implement a climate-resilient management in selected landscapes in accordance with the interests of the local population.

Lead executing agency: Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission (EFCCC)

Key Outputs:

1. Institutionalization of piloted management instruments;

2. Participatory protected area management in the landscape approach;

3. Raising environmental awareness of the local population; 

4. Alternative financing and management models;

5. Capacity to use forest resources sustainably.

Tasks of Expert 2 (Key Expert): International long-term expert (28 months) – Coordination of the design, development and integration of digital systems – Addis Ababa (GIZ)

Main tasks are related to the coordination of the design, development and integration of the digital systems:

1) Aggregated Monitoring Platform (MI4);

2) Knowledge and self-learning platform (Output 1);

3) Match-Making Platform (Output 4);

4) AFE financial monitoring system (Output 5).

Further responsibilities/tasks: 

• Coordination of needs assessment and selection and design of the respective suitable digital system;

• Coordinate the development and establishment of a digital platform:

o Aggregated Monitoring Platform (MI4): One monitoring platform to be based at EFCCC to aggregate all activities / results of donor institutions/project in compliance with national and international climate-related commitments, for example: aggregation of monitoring data of all projects contributing to the AFR100 pledge on afforestation. Develop and/or adapt reporting templates to be produced by the system to be used by different partner institutions. Develop templates for facts and figures to be based on the reports;

o Knowledge and Self-learning platform (O1): Development of one or two self-learning and knowledge management digital platforms (depending on the contractor’s design) to institutionalise standards, strategies and instruments for the conservation and management of protected areas and forests, as well as the know-how regarding their implementation in the areas of protected area management, plantation and natural forest management;

o Matchmaking Platform (O4): Development and establishment of a digital match-making platform to link alternative management and financial mechanisms with selected protected areas and; ecosystem services

o Financial Monitoring System (AFE-O5): One digital system for monitoring forest management, revenue and expenditure control at AFE providing the enterprise with a solution to monitor the plantation stands and track the operations and timber processing at the sawmills, up to the financial monitoring;

• Coordination of procurement for IT equipment and hardware;

• The export takes up the role as Business Analyst, acting as the interface of technical needs of the partners, developing the IT solutions and coordinating their implementation;

• Coordination of timely development and integration of content from the other experts to ensure compatibility with the digital solutions. Training of technical and IT-staff at partner institutions in the management and updating and maintenance of the digital platforms and the data collection process.

• Education/training: University degree (Master’s) in Information Technology or System Engineering;

• Languages: Knowledge of English, C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;

• General professional experience: 10 years of professional experience as IT project manager or Business Analyst;

• Specific professional experience: 8 years of professional experience in using/developing digital solutions with a focus in natural resources or environment, 5 years of professional experience as a business analyst;

• Leadership/management experience: not applicable;

• Regional experience: not applicable;

• Development cooperation (DC) experience: 5 years of experience working on DC projects in the field of digital solutions;

• Other: 5 years of experience in the use of digital or interactive learning tools.

Other information: Interested applicants may send their updated CV till October 9th to Ms Caroline Fischler caroline.fischler [at] gopa.de (caroline[dot]fischler[at]gopa[dot]de) (see download option for the GIZ template). The project will start in January 2022 and last till approximately June 2024. The mission length is 28 months. Key experts are based in Addis Ababa. Please understand that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.