Expert on Traceability & Governance

The European Forest Institute is seeking to contract an in-house consultant to serve as Expert on Traceability & Governance based in Yaoundé, Cameroon

The European Forest Institute (EFI) is an international organisation with 30 member countries and around 130 member organisations. EFI undertakes policy support and forest research at pan-European and global levels.

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 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.

EFI has recently launched the EU-funded Sustainable and Competitive Cocoa Value Chain project in Cameroon (2026-2030), which will support national and local stakeholders to:

• Strengthen cocoa traceability systems from farm to export, ensuring access to the EU market;

• Improve producer incomes through sustainable production practices, quality improvement and agroforestry;

• Strengthen public–private governance of the cocoa sector, notably through multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms;

• Align sectoral practices with national strategies and international sustainability standards.

About the role

EFI is seeking an Expert, based in Yaoundé, to support the implementation of the Sustainable and Competitive Cocoa Value Chain project in Cameroon, on activities related to cocoa sector governance, traceability systems, geolocation of cocoa farms and EUDR compliance.

Key responsibilities include:

• Implement and monitor activities related to cocoa supply chain traceability, farm mapping and geolocation, and data sharing, in close collaboration with the Project Manager, EFI technical experts and project partners.

• Coordinate the development, deployment and dissemination of traceability, geolocation and data management tools, ensuring their consistency, accessibility and uptake by national stakeholders.

• Provide technical support and capacity building to national institutions, producers, cooperatives, private sector operators and other stakeholders to develop national traceability approaches and help understand and prepare for EUDR requirements and the due diligence obligations of EU operators.

• Strengthen governance structures and coordination mechanisms within the cocoa sector.

• Provide technical assistance to the Cameroon Sustainable Cocoa Committee (CCDC) to strengthen multi-stakeholder coordination, monitoring and evaluation systems, strategic planning processes and policy dialogue.

• Facilitate dialogue and collaboration among public authorities, the private sector, producer organisations, civil society, research institutions and development partners to improve coherence and harmonisation of interventions.

• Produce and/or supervise studies, technical reports, policy briefs, methodologies, guidance documents, training materials and other knowledge products related to traceability, governance, legality and sustainability in the cocoa sector.

• Monitor developments related to EUDR implementation, legality and sustainability requirements, and contribute to policy dialogue between Cameroon, the European Union and other relevant stakeholders.

The Expert will work under the supervision of the Project Manager and in close collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to Cameroon, relevant government institutions, the Cameroon Sustainable Cocoa Committee (CCDC), the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (ONCC), the Interprofessional Cocoa and Coffee Council (CICC), and other stakeholders of the cocoa sector.

Duty station and travel

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

Engagement conditions

The Expert is expected to work ‘full-time’ (complete working weeks) over the contract period which will be 2 years.

The Expert must ensure that he/she has the right to live and work in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from the commencement date of the contract. The Expert will be provided with office facilities and appropriate equipment and supplies to conduct their work. The Expert 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 10th August 2026 23:59 CET.

For more information about the in-house consultant position, please contact Ghislain Fomou, Technical Advisor:ghislain.fomou@efi.int.

Information about in-house consultant conditions of engagement is available by request from Niina Verkerk, Operations Support Manager: niina.verkert@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.

Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in agriculture, forestry, geomatics, geographic information systems (GIS), natural resource management, law, public policy, rural development, agricultural economics, or another relevant discipline. MSc/MA or higher degree is an asset;

• At least eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in sustainable agricultural value chains, forest and agricultural sector governance and/or supply chain traceability and data management systems.

• Demonstrated experience in the design, implementation or management of traceability, geolocation, supply chain monitoring or regulatory compliance systems.

• Good knowledge of EUDR requirements, due diligence approaches, supply chain legality, deforestation-free production and sustainable agricultural value chains.

• Experience in working with public institutions, producer organisations, interprofessional bodies, cocoa buyers and exporters, and development partners in Sub-Saharan Africa. Experience in Cameroon will be considered an asset.

• Proven experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder processes, policy dialogue and institutional coordination.

• Ability to work on strategic and politically sensitive issues involving public authorities, the private sector, civil society organisations and international partners.

• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams in multi-cultural environments;

• Professional proficiency in written and spoken French, good understanding of English, and proven writing, reporting, presentational and communication skills.