Project Manager

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 level, with headquarters in Joensuu, Finland. EFI has several offices across Europe in Barcelona, Bonn and Rome, and under its Global Partnerships Unit, a project office in Kuala Lumpur.

The Global Partnerships Unit is a global centre of knowledge and expertise that supports policy and governance reforms to safeguard the world’s forests. It 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 is preparing for the implementation of the EU-funded Sustainable and Competitive Cocoa Value Chain project in Cameroun (2026-2030), which aims to contribute to the sustainable and inclusive development of the cocoa sector in Cameroon, while strengthening forest governance and compliance with the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR). The project will support national and local stakeholders to:

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

• Improve producers’ income through sustainable production practices, quality improvement and agroforestry;

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

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

EFI is seeking a Project Manager, based in Yaoundé, to lead the implementation of the Sustainable and Competitive Cocoa Value Chain project in Cameroon. The Project Manager will be responsible for the overall coordination, technical coherence and operational management of the project, and will act as EFI’s primary representative vis-à-vis national partners and the EU Delegation. The position requires strong project management expertise combined with a solid understanding of cocoa value chains, sustainability, governance and multi-stakeholder processes.

Key responsibilities will include:

Project management and coordination

• Overall management of the project, including planning, budgeting and reporting, as well as implementation of project activities, strategic communication and knowledge dissemination;

• Coordination and management of technical experts and support staff, external service providers, grantees and other implementing partners;

• Organisation and participation in technical meetings, steering committees and high-level coordination platforms;

• Close coordination with EFI technical experts based in Yaoundé and Barcelona, as well as with other EFI and EU-supported initiatives in the cocoa and forest sectors in Cameroun.

Technical support

• Provide technical assistance and supervise activities related to cocoa traceability, governance, sustainable production and agroforestry;

• Support national institutions and stakeholders in advancing compliance with the EUDR and related sustainability frameworks;

• Contribute to strategic reflections, capitalization of lessons learned and knowledge sharing at national and international levels.

Duty station and travel

The Project Manager will be based in Yaoundé, Cameroun, with regular field missions and travel inside Cameroun and occasionally to Europe.

Conditions of engagement

The Project Manager is expected to work ‘full-time’ (complete working weeks) over the contract period which will be 4 years.

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

Interested candidates are requested to send (in English) a CV including copies of academic degree certificates/diplomas with a motivation letter by the 9th March 2026 23:59 CET, using our online application form.

For more information about the in-house consultant position, please contact Christophe Van Orshoven, Team Leader at Global Partnerships: christophe.vanorshoven@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.

• University degree in agriculture, forestry, environmental sciences, natural resource management or a related field; a Master’s degree or higher is an asset;

• Minimum of ten years (10) years of relevant working experience in project management, natural resource management, agricultural value chains or related fields;

• Strong knowledge of cocoa value chains, sustainability standards and agricultural practices, traceability systems and/or forest governance;

• Demonstrated experience managing donor-funded programmes, preferably EU-funded;

• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder and politically sensitive processes with different stakeholders, including public institutions, private sector actors, producer organisations, civil society and NGOs;

• Experience in Central and/or West Africa is a strong asset, either through permanent residence in the region or frequent travelling;

• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality and inclusive development approaches;

• Excellent organisational, coordination and communication skills;

• Professional proficiency in French and English (written and spoken).