Vacancy #: 7502 Unit: ESARO -Drylands Resilience Programme(DRP) Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Madagascar Country Office, Antananarivo, Madagascar Reporting to: Regional Programme Manager, Land Systems Work percentage: 100% Grade: P1 Expected start date: 01 March 2026 Type of contract: Fixed-term (up to 12 months) Closing date: 07 February 2026 BACKGROUND THIS IS A NATIONAL POSITION FOR MENABE REGION MADAGASCAR
BACKGROUND:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), is implementing the project โForest Landscape Restoration Hub: Advancing Knowledge, Equality, and Scaled Impact on the Groundโ in Madagascarโs Menabe region. The region is facing extensive land degradation, severe biodiversity loss, and escalating pressures on its dry forests and mangrove ecosystems due to deforestation, charcoal production, slash-and-burn agriculture, and recurrent wildfires. To translate national restoration commitments into local action, there is a need for strong on-the-ground coordination, community engagement, and technical support to operationalize the Regional FLR Platform, align land-use planning with FLR priorities, and implement gender-responsive restoration models. IUCN is therefore recruiting an FLR Project Officer based in Menabe Region to lead field-level coordination with government, communities, and partners; oversee restoration implementation; foster sustainable value chains; and ensure inclusive planning, monitoring, and capacity building to advance Madagascarโs restoration targets. The FLR Project Officer will be an integral member of the national and regional FLR Hub teams, supporting local implementation and stakeholder engagement at community, institutional, and technical levels JOB DESCRIPTION MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Project Officer is responsible for ensuring consistent engagement with key stakeholders at provincial, district, and community levels, and for supporting the timely and effective implementation of daily project activities. Working under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Officer will contribute to planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes, facilitate field operations, and provide technical input to ensure that restoration interventions are inclusive, evidence-based, and aligned with project objectives.
She/he will coordinate logistics for meetings, workshops, and field visits, and will contribute to the production of technical reports, minutes, and knowledge products. The Project Officer will also support the integration of spatial data and mapping tools into project workflows, helping to visualise restoration priorities, monitor progress, and inform decision-making.
The Project Officer reports directly to the Project Manager and interfaces regularly with project partners, local authorities, and community stakeholders.
SPECIFIC DUTIES:
Coordinate the day-to-day implementation of project activities in Menabe Region, under the guidance of the Project Manager.
Organise and support community events, training sessions, awareness campaigns, and field visits.
Identify opportunities to integrate sustainable value chains (e.g. cashew, banana, bamboo, non-timber forest products).
Assist in the integration of GIS and mapping tools to support site selection, spatial analysis, and visualization of restoration activities and land-use dynamics.
Support engagement with local authorities, NGOs, community leaders, and technical institutions.
Contribute to the collection, systematisation, and analysis of data for reports, case studies, and impact stories.
Promote the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge into restoration strategies.
Ensure compliance with IUCNโs administrative, financial, and safeguard standards.
Alert the management team to risks, challenges, or emerging opportunities.
Facilitate participatory planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes, with a strong focus on gender, youth, and inclusion. REQUIREMENTS โข POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Education;
Bachelorโs or Masterโs degree in Agronomy, Forestry, Agroforestry, Natural Resources Management, Rural Economics, Sustainable Development, or a related field.
Work Experience;
Minimum of 3 yearsโ experience in community-based projects, rural development, or landscape restoration.
Proven experience in community facilitation, training of trainers, and participatory methodologies.
Technical Competencies
Solid understanding of FLR, agroforestry, sustainable value chains, and natural resource governance.
Familiarity with participatory monitoring tools and knowledge-sharing platforms,
Driving licence for Motocycle and/auto vehicle will be an added advantage.
Language Proficiency;
Proficiency in English and French (writing and speaking) as a working language.
Knowledge of the local language will be an advantage,
Core Competencies;
Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out the work of IUCN in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team.
Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provide a tolerant, positive and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
Professionalism: Promote the organizationโs interests, objectives and values in a diligent and professional manner.
Accountability: Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions, promotes the IUCN One Programme approach.
Functional competencies;
Strong analytical and results-oriented skills; ability to see patterns and approach. APPLICATIONS
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the \"Apply\" button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the worldโs largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve peopleโs well-being.
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