Vacancy: Assistant Project Manager: Consultancy Services

Company Profile

Proforest is a non-profit organisation with a global presence. Our head office is in the UK with regional offices in Malaysia, Indonesia, Ghana, Columbia, and Brazil. Proforest has established itself as a leader in the development and implementation of sustainable production and sourcing of natural resources, including timber and a range of agricultural commodities (eg. palm oil, soy, sugar etc), helping companies, governments, non-governmental and civil society organisations to achieve sustainable use of the world’s natural resources. 

Proforest provides practical support to producers, processors, purchasers and investors to help them meet their sustainability commitments. We work at every stage of the supply chain, from production and processing, through to purchasing and investment. Our experience covers the management of forests, oil palm, soy, sugarcane, rubber, beef and cotton at a range of scales that includes smallholders, communities and forest-dependent people through to multinational businesses. 

Proforest is made up of a non-profit arm (Proforest Initiative Africa) which focuses on long-term support for small producers and wider capacity building, particularly in developing countries and a consultancy arm (Proforest Limited) which provides direct support and services to the private sector companies

Job Description

Proforest Africa Office in Ghana is seeking an experienced agriculture or natural resource practitioner to join our growing team based in Accra, Ghana and to deliver services within the Africa region.

Proforest Consultancy Services

Proforest has provided consultancy services to help governments and particularly private sector companies meet their environmental and social commitments – from zero deforestation to protecting workers’ rights – for over 23 years. Our consultancy services provide practical support to producers, processors, purchasers and investors to help them work in environmentally and socially responsible ways. As demand for sustainably sourced commodities increases, producers, processors, purchasers and investors in natural resources all need to demonstrate that they are meeting commitments to environmental and social responsibility. This is a complex task in a challenging commercial environment. We work at every stage of the supply chain, from production and processing, through to purchasing and investment. 

Position summary 

This position is an exciting opportunity to join the Proforest team and develop your skills and experience, working closely with senior project and programme managers to support implementation. As you gain experience demonstrate competence you will be able to take an ever-increasing role with the potential to become a more senior member of the international team over time. This will be supported by our internal development programme which provides a combination of formal training courses and supervised field experience. The role includes undertaking a broad range of work and involves international travel, including to remote locations in developing countries. The work will include the facilitation of standards setting processes, advising clients on responsible supply chain management and procurement policies, field assessment of companies’ operations against sustainability standards, supporting implementation of requirements for legal timber sourcing (FLEGT) and biofuels (EU RED), international policy development (REDD+), preparation of technical guidance and outreach material and training. There is a mixture of desk-based work on analysis, administration, field work and report writing.

• Lead in the delivery projects (consultancy services for clients) and support in the delivery of other projects. This may include proposal writing, project inception, budgeting and reporting


• Contribute to Proforest’s leadership on development and implementation of policies on sustainable natural resources management, through sustainability standards and certification schemes in Africa 


• Maintain a clear understanding of the current policy and framework direction relating to the responsible production and sourcing of forest products and agricultural commodities in Africa


• Occasional work as required on other related projects especially in relation to sustainability standards and certification schemes, training and capacity building


• Contribute to the broader functioning of the Proforest’s team, including support for the planning and delivery of other services.

• Where required, represent Proforest in relevant regional, sub-regional, international and other meetings and forums on natural resources governance and management


• Remain abreast with natural resources and agricultural commodities production and their related issues in the Africa region.


• Provide inputs and contribute to the Proforest regional-wide programme development for sustainable forestry and  agricultural commodities production in Africa

Required Skills or Experience

• Tertiary level (masters or equivalent) qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. forestry or agriculture, GIS and Geoinformation Science, conservation ecology, anthropology, rural development, geography, environmental science or natural resource economics). 


• At least one-year experience working in the field of biodiversity conservation and land use management (e.g. field-based ecology & biodiversity assessments; species, habitat or ecosystem service management; socioeconomic or cultural studies including participatory mapping).


• A demonstrable understanding of environmental and social sustainability issues in the forestry and agricultural commodity sectors, and experience in working with industries in the sector.


• Project management skills (including excellent time-management, problem-solving and organisational abilities) 


• Highly developed interpersonal and team working skills, as well as proven ability to operate in a multi-cultural environment


• Excellent report writing, verbal and communication skills 

• Fluent in a second language (particularly Spanish, Portuguese or French)


• Experience and/or knowledge of sustainability standards auditing, and certification, in the context of natural resource management (e.g. RSPO, FSC, RTRS, mining standards, IFC’s Performance Standards and REDD+).


• Experience related to working in natural or plantation forest management and/or agricultural commodity production systems, especially oil palm, sugar and cocoa.


• Experience in High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment and management for agricultural and forestry production systems.


• Knowledge of GIS and remote sensing techniques is highly desirable

• Annual salary of GHC100,000 to GHC150,000 depending on qualification and experience