Communications Officer

The European Forest Institute

is seeking to contract an in-house consultant

to serve as

Communications Officer

based in Yaoundé, Cameroon

The European Forest Institute (EFI) is an international organisation with 30 member countries and around 120 member organisations. EFI undertakes policy support and forest research at pan-European and global level.

EFI’s headquarters are in Joensuu, Finland with offices in Barcelona, Bonn, Edinburgh and Rome and under its Global Partnerships Unit, project offices in Kuala Lumpur, Abidjan and Yaoundé.

Further information is available at https://www.efi.int.

About the Global Partnerships Unit

The Global Partnerships Unit (GPU) is a global centre of knowledge and expertise that supports policy and governance reforms to safeguard the world’s forests. The Unit promotes sustainable forest and land use, legal and deforestation-free value chains, and inclusive economic development, with a strong focus on forest-risk commodities such as cocoa.

In Cameroon, the EFI leads the implementation of EU-funded projects on sustainable cocoa and territorial governance, such as the Sustainable and Competitive Cocoa Value Chain and Natura Sud-Est programmes.  

About the role

To support the team’s work in Cameroon, EFI is seeking a communications professional to support the development and implementation of communication strategies, enhance the impact of EFI’s actions and project activities, and contribute to the dissemination of knowledge and results generated through EFI’s and its partners’ work in Cameroon.

The Communications Officer will also provide technical support to the Cameroon Sustainable Cocoa Committee (CCDC), helping to strengthen its institutional communication, build its communications capacities, and promote national initiatives that advance a sustainable, inclusive and traceable cocoa sector aligned with international market requirements. The Officer will work in close collaboration with the EFI teams in Yaoundé and Barcelona as well as national stakeholders and the EU Delegation to Cameroon.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Lead knowledge management and sharing activities for EFI projects in Cameroon

• Develop and implement communication strategies and plans for EFI projects in Cameroon.

• Lead the production of communication materials and products, including reports, briefs, news articles, feature stories, scripts, presentations, photography, videos and web content.

• Coordinate the design and development of outreach, information and communication materials.

• Manage media relations and coordinate press activities.

• Contribute to the training and capacity-building of media professionals on topics related to sustainable agricultural supply chains, with a particular focus on cocoa, and territorial governance.

2. Provide technical assistance to the Cameroon Sustainable Cocoa Committee (CCDC)

• Advise and support the Committee in strategic communication planning and the implementation of its institutional communication activities.

• Support the development of communication content and materials for the Committee.

• Train and coach Committee staff on communication tools, techniques and strategies.

• Strengthen the Committee’s communication capacities to enhance its visibility, stakeholder engagement and long-term communication autonomy.

3. Support communication activities of EFI's Global Partnerships Unit

The Communications Officer will provide communication support to other GPU projects and initiatives on a need’s basis, working under the guidance of the GPU Communications Team and contributing to the implementation of communication activities as required.

• Provide communication support to GPU projects and programmes beyond Cameroon, based on team priorities and needs, mostly in other African countries.

• Contribute to the development of communication materials and content, including publications, web content, presentations and visual assets.

• Support the organisation of communication campaigns, events and outreach activities.

• Assist in implementing communication plans and promoting project results and knowledge products.

• Contribute to other communication-related tasks within the GPU as required.

Duty station and travel

The Officer will be based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with regular field missions and travel inside Cameroon and occasionally within Africa and to Europe.

Engagement conditions

The Officer is expected to work on a full-time basis (complete working weeks) over the contract period which will be 2 years.

The Officer must ensure that he/she has the right to live and work in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from the commencement date of the contract. The Officer will be provided with office facilities and appropriate equipment and supplies to conduct their work. The Officer will be paid an hourly rate, which includes all personal costs necessary for implementing the tasks (e.g. organizing appropriate health insurance).

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit (in English):

• A motivation letter outlining their suitability for the position,

• A detailed CV, including copies of academic degree certificates/diplomas

Applications should be submitted via EFI’s online application system by 5th October 2026 23:59 CET.

For more information about the in-house consultant position, please contact Ghislain Fomou, Cameroon Sustainable Cocoa Project Manager: ghislain.fomou@efi.int.

Information about in-house consultant conditions of engagement is available by request from Ms. Niina Verkerk: niina.verkerk@efi.int.

EFI is committed to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH).  All positions are subject to safe recruitment procedures as outlined in EFI SEAH Policy.

EFI is an equal-opportunity employer. All applications will be treated confidentially.

Required qualifications and skills

• University degree in the field of communications, international studies, environmental sciences or equivalent.

• Full professional proficiency in French and an excellent command of English.

• Experience managing communication-related projects, including web, social media, editorial and/or audiovisual.

• Strong strategic communication skills, including the ability to develop communication strategies and oversee their implementation.

• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills, with the ability to independently produce quality communication materials, including press releases, feature articles, web content, video scripts and social media content.

• Ability to communicate complex technical and policy-related topics to diverse audiences.

• Good understanding of the media and communication landscape in Cameroon.

• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build trust-based working relationships with a wide range of actors, from public-institution representatives to private sector actors, technical experts and agricultural-commodity producers.

• Experience in event organisation.

• Proactive, autonomous and with a strong sense of initiative.

Desirable qualifications and skills

• Photo/video shooting and editing skills.

• Strong interest in climate, forestry, agriculture and sustainability issues.

• Good understanding of the international cooperation landscape in Cameroon.