Sustainable Value Chain Expert

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 International Partnerships Facility, a project office in Kuala Lumpur.

The  International Partnerships Facility (IPF) of EFI 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 to help protect and restore forests and maximise their role in green economic growth, climate change mitigation and poverty alleviation. It also fosters legal, deforestation-free and sustainable commodity production and trade.

EFI is a long-standing partner in support of the Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, launched by the European Union to enhance the sustainability of cocoa supply chains in West Africa. EFI provides technical and policy support to help its Ivorian partners accelerate the transition toward sustainable, deforestation-free cocoa production and trade. Beyond the cocoa sector, Côte d’Ivoire’s rubber, coffee, and cashew value chains also offer significant opportunities to advance sustainable agriculture, secure decent livelihoods for farmers, and contribute to the protection and restoration of the country’s forest cover.

To support these developments, EFI is seeking a Sustainable Value Chain Expert based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Sustainable Value Chain Expert will provide technical and advisory support to 1) strengthen the EU-Côte d’Ivoire cooperation on sustainable cocoa and 2) increase transparency and sustainability of agricultural commodities produced in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Sustainable Value Chain Expert will work in close collaboration with Ivorian stakeholders and the EU Delegation in Abidjan, and will provide support and expertise in the following areas:

• EU-Côte d’Ivoire policy dialogue on sustainable cocoa – the Expert will provide technical support to the stakeholders involved in the policy dialogue, follow national initiatives and processes relevant to sustainable cocoa and where relevant, other commodities, engage into relevant forums and working groups and produce strategic insights or other documents and analyses in support of ongoing sectoral dialogues.

• Multi-stakeholder engagement in sectoral policy dialogue and action – the Expert will facilitate relevant multi-stakeholder meetings and working groups to ensure sound understanding of sustainable production and trade of agricultural commodities, and related EU market and trade requirements.

• Traceability, sustainability standards and monitoring systems – the Expert will provide technical advice and oversee service contracts to support the development and implementation of credible sustainability standards and monitoring system(s)/approach(es) that serve value chain actors’ needs with regard to national objectives and future EU market and trade requirements, in close collaboration with government, private sector and civil society. In this context the expert will also promote inter-sectoral dialogue among EUDR-affected commodities in Côte d’Ivoire and potentially in other partner countries in West Africa

• Communication and lessons learnt – the Expert will support outreach and dissemination of information in relation to the EU-Côte d’Ivoire sectoral policy dialogue on sustainable cocoa and share best practices/lessons learnt with other relevant commodity sectors, including on Côte d’Ivoire´s efforts and progress on its transition towards legal, deforestation-free and sustainable commodity production and trade.

• Technical and other analyses, guidance, briefings, lessons to national stakeholders (in Côte d’Ivoire and, where relevant, in other countries) and the EU Delegation as needed.

Duty station and travel

The Expert will be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with occasional travel inside Côte d’Ivoire, regionally and to Europe.

Conditions of engagement

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

The Expert must ensure that they have the right to live and work in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from the commencement date of the contract. The Expert will be paid an hourly rate, which includes all personal costs necessary for implementing the tasks (e.g. organizing appropriate health insurance).

Interested candidates are requested to send (in English) a CV, including copies of academic degree certificates/diplomas with a motivation letter outlining how you fulfil the requirements for the position by 25th August 2025 23:59 CET, using our online application form.

For more information about the position, please contact Christophe Van Orshoven, Value Chains Team Leader, email: christophe.vanorshoven@efi.int  

Information in relation to in-house consultant conditions of engagement are available by request from Niina Verkerk, email: niina.verkerk@efi.int

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

• University degree in a relevant field such as agriculture, forestry, supply chains, natural resource management, environmental science or economics. MSc/MA or higher degree is an asset.

• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in value chain and/or rural development, including at least five years in West Africa. Experience in Côte d’Ivoire is required, either through permanent residence, long-term assignments, or regular field missions.

• Strong professional network in the Ivorian agricultural commodity sector and an excellent understanding of value chain dynamics in West-Africa. A solid understanding of the cocoa sector in Ivory Coast is an asset.

• Good understanding of the EU Deforestation Regulation and its implications for value chain actors.

• Demonstrated ability to work on politically sensitive issues with different stakeholders (governments, industry, NGOs and communities)

• Solid knowledge of land-use dynamics and sustainability challenges in Côte d’Ivoire, especially those related to agricultural commodity production, deforestation, and restoration

• Demonstrated ability of working in multi-disciplinary teams in multi-cultural environments.

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