Senior Expert Forest Management

DRS is looking for a Senior Expert Forest Management, to work for a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting responsible forest management and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Title: Senior Expert Forest Management

Location: Bonn, Germany

Start date: As soon as possible

Contract duration: 2 years contract (with possible extension)

Travel: Sporadic travel is required

Working Hours: Full time – 40 hours per week

The Scope

To perform quality and consistency reviews of new organization requirements, support the introduction of new normative concepts, and develop training materials in the area of forest management with a focus on internationally applicable requirements.

Main Roles and Responsibilities

• Advise on the overall streamlining of forest management requirements.
• Conceptualize certification standards towards outcomes.
• Introduce risk-based approaches for auditing.
• Focus the wording and structure of requirements in documents on user needs and interests:
  • Modular organization of requirements.
  • Simplification of language.
  • Reduction of the number of documents and requirements.
• Digitizing and connecting requirements, advice notes, and interpretations.
• Conceptualize new approaches towards critical topics such as climate change adaptation, biodiversity management, conservation vs intensification, etc.
• Undertake research and analysis of relevant external policy developments (e.g., on responsible sourcing, zero deforestation, restoration) and their impact on the organization’s normative framework.
• Benchmark organization’s requirements and concepts against official regulations, other relevant certification schemes, and third-party initiatives to ensure they remain state-of-the-art.
• Analyze and advise on risks and opportunities resulting from new concepts and mechanisms being considered for incorporation into the organization’s normative framework.
• Provide technical expertise for the regular development, review, and revision of organization’s certification and accreditation requirements, for example:
• Development of zero drafts as starting points for relevant working group discussions;
• Advice on and interpretations of normative requirements and their intent to ensure awareness and the consistent implementation of organization’s requirements by relevant users (certification bodies, certificate holders, assurance services international (ASI), network partners, and others);
• Analysis of stakeholder comments as part of consultations or ongoing inputs.
• Provision of feasibility, impact, and risk analyses of drafts prior to their consultation as well as prior to their submission for approval.
• Draft, conceptualize, and review training modules and other competence development measures in forest management certification.
• Represent organization externally in technical and other fora (e.g., on iso committees or EU policies).

Qualification, Experience, and Skills

Education and Training:

• A university/ technical college degree in forestry or equivalent, post-graduate or doctoral degree is an asset.

Working Experience, Style and Skills:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in one or more of the following:
• The forest sector.
• Multi-stakeholder standard development processes.
• Conservation management.
• Corporate environmental responsibility programs.
• Substantive knowledge and extensive experience related to forest management.
• Extensive project management experience.
• Good time management skills: Ability to perform well while handling several functions simultaneously.
• Solution and service-oriented attitude to work.
• A strong sense for diligence and accuracy.
• Ability to conceptualize.

Communication Skills & Language:

• Exemplary verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive interpersonal relations.
• Fluency in English (spoken and written).
• Spanish is a plus.

Computer Skills:

• Good skills in the use of standard software packages (MS Office).