Who we are?

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a German federal enterprise offering workable, sustainable and effective solutions in political, economic and social change processes.

Most of our work is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). However, GIZ also operates on behalf of other German ministries and public and private bodies in Germany and abroad.

GIZ operates throughout Germany and in more than 130 countries worldwide. We have about 17,000 staff members around the globe, some 70% of whom are employed locally as national personnel.

GIZ was active in Liberia from 1974 until the outbreak of civil war in 1989. In 2010, GIZ reopened a regional office for Sierra Leone and Liberia in Monrovia and is supporting sustainable economic development through various projects.

For GIZ Project – ‘’Strengthening ecological connectivity in the Tai-Grebo-Krahn Sapo forest Link’’ (PAPFor TGS) we seek applications from suitable national candidates for

Position: Land Use Management Specialist

Location: Zwedru with frequent travels to Monrovia

Contract Period: Subject to agreement of the commissioner, this post is available up to December 2022.

Responsibilities

The project aim is to support communities around the GKNP in the development of a land use management plan considering three (3) keys components: Anti-poaching and Law enforcement; Mainstream Gender and vulnerable groups rights; and Human Rights in the context of Protected Areas Management. Under the supervision of the Team Leader of PAPFor TGS Liberia and the PAPFor TGS Project Coordinator, the Land Use Management Specialist will be responsible for land use planning, raising awareness on child labour and human Rights in protected areas in Zwedru.

His/her duties will include:

Tasks

• Develop a brief methodological note which takes into consideration international best-practices in Land Use Planning (I.E. the GIZ references for the development of land use plans and is aligned with the MARXAN approach – requested by the PAPFor TGS project) and the LLA standards;
• Compile and organize secondary information relevant for land use planning purposes (thematic maps, statistician information, etc.);
• Carry out a participatory problem and conflict analysis, including scenarios for land use development in the area;
• Conduct a participatory visioning and participatory discussions at a clan level to define land-use categories;
• Conduct fieldwork to elaborate a participatory mapping with the participation of communities to identify their forest areas using participatory methods;
• Produce and validate maps (presenting the different clans) and validation by local communities presenting forest lands, land uses, sacred forests, etc. with different options that consider ecological connectivity into land development;
• A final land use plan is produced and available to support the community land formalization;
• Outline projects/interventions for land use plan implementation;
• Outline organizational arrangements for plan implementation;
• Other duties as may be required.

Required qualifications, competences and experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in natural resources management with a background in law or any other equivalent certificate in the job-related field.

Professional experience

• A minimum of 5 years cumulative professional experience in a similar position;
• Community development, land rights, agronomy/natural resource management;
• Computers, GIS, databases skills;
• Experience in data collection using GPS;
• Presentation and public speaking skills;
• Resource management and biosecurity legislation;
• Community, cultural and political awareness.

Other knowledge, additional competences

• Human rights and biodiversity conservation in of Grebo-Krahn and Sapo National Parks and community/sacred forests;
• Ecosystem services: Non-Timber Forest Product sustainable use, cultural/ values/ sacred forests;
• Knowledge of the Ecological corridors within the TGS Landscape of protected areas and land use is an advantage;
• Expertise in the Commercial forestry – in the “FMC” concession and proposed community forests is highly desirable;
• Knowledge of Cocoa sustainable cultivation and other food crop cultivation.

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter and CV to recruitment-liberia@giz.de by August 20, 2021.

Or apply via the system below.

Applications will be reviewed when received. Early applications are strongly encouraged. As your application e-mail subject, please write: “Land Use Management Specialist”

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.