Forestry expert

Location: Shouf Biosphere Reserve, Lebanon
Salary and level of classification: to be defined based on work experience and qualifications held
Duration: 18 months 
Work location: Maasser el-Shouf (Mount Lebanon Governorate) with frequent transfers to other project areas
Collaboration beginning (tentative): 1st March 2023

Job Description
We are looking for a forest biologist / forest agronomy / agroecology expert in natural areas’ management. 
The selected candidate will be working within a three years project funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in the field of Climate Change resilience, aiming to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of mountain ecosystems in three Lebanese Nature Reserves: the Shouf Biosphere Reserve (SBR), the Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve (JMBR) and the recently established Mount Hermon Nature Reserve (MHNR). The goal will be pursued through an integrated approach that includes: agro-forestry-pastoral landscape planning, implementation of concrete actions for the restoration of ecosystem services in priority sites for each Reserve, promotion of the use of biomass with the dual objective of sustainability of energy consumption and reduction of climate-related risks.
Oikos will be the leading manager of the Project and will be supported at local level by the Al-Shouf Cedar Society (ACS). The expert will dialogue with the managers and technicians of the three Lebanese reserves under the supervision of the Project Manager and the Unit for Analysis and Management of Environmental Resources (UAGRA) of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DISTA) of the University of Insubria and supported by international and local consultants on specific areas of greatest relevance. The selected person should be therefore able to suitably liaise with a wide range of stakeholders. 

Main duties
This position requires strong leadership and communication skills, in addition to excellent theoretical and practical competences in forest resource management.

The main responsibilities will be:
•    Coordinate the project action that envisages the implementation of adequate medium-long term management strategies by the Managing Authorities of the three protected areas in Lebanon, through the adoption of planning tools consistent with the principles of integrated and adaptive landscape management promoted by the FLR approach and by valorizing the different experiences gained on the subject over the years. 
•    Guide the three Reserves in defining/integrating/sharing the constituent elements of the management plans, identifying the priorities of each of them.  
•    Propose, plan and coordinate training and capacity-building sessions addressed to the managing bodies of the target reserves and other stakeholders, in order to develop the needed know-how to put into practice the contents of the management plans. 

Requirements:
•    Study of forestry and environmental sciences, expertise in forest management.
•    Previous experiences in active forest management or restoration, thus ability to support sustainable forestry conservation programs;
•    Familiarity with principles of sustainable forest management; knowledge of current practices in sustainable forestry, conservation, land management and natural resource preservation
•    Excellent capacity building, coaching and training skills.
•    Relationship building skills to work closely with a variety of partners, stakeholders, landowners, consultants in related fields.
•    Good level of organizational autonomy, ability to dialogue with a variety of stakeholders and to lead teams. 
•    Excellent knowledge of English.

Additional assets:
•    Previous work experience in Lebanon or the Middle East.
•    Experience using GPS and GIS Software

To apply, please send your updated CV with contact details of at least two references, together with a short motivation letter with authorization to process personal data pursuant to articles 13 and 14 of G.D.P.R. (General Data Protection Regulation EU Regulation 2016/679 Legislative Decree 196/2003) to selezione@istituto-oikos.org 

Deadline: 28 February 2023, although Istituto Oikos reserves the right to close the selection before the deadline in case the suitable candidate is identified.

Indicate in the object: LB/RES/FEx/23

NOTE: Only short selected candidates will be contacted for a first interview and subsequently updated on the status of the selection.

Istituto Oikos reserves the right not to hire an applicant if the recruitment process or background check reveals that the applicant has previously been reported for a SEA (sexual exploitation and abuse) incident or is unsuitable to work with beneficiaries. Istituto Oikos will not hire or employ anyone with a previous conviction for SEA or related offense.

This selection respects the principle of equal opportunities (Law 903/77).