Project Officer

Job Description

Location: Republic of Kenya City: Nairobi Contract Type: Staff Grade: X8 Salary scale: Country Scale End date of appointment: 31.01.2031 Deadline: 07/02/2026 Job Reference: RP26-16

Please note that the deadline is based on Korean Standard Time Zone (KST, UTC+9)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Project Officer will lead the delivery of an IKI-funded regional project in Ethiopia and Kenya, focused on mainstreaming biodiversity into economic planning, finance, and private sector decision-making, in support of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

The role oversees policy and financial gap analyses, including the assessment of subsidies, incentives, and economic drivers affecting biodiversity, and coordinates the application of economic and natural capital accounting tools (e.g. SEEA) to inform policy reform, investment decisions, and NBSAP implementation. The Project Officer will guide the development and execution of communication and change strategies, engage public and private sector stakeholders, and oversee capacity-building programs on biodiversity finance, valuation, and economic modeling.

The position also leads monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, ensures coordination with national partners (NABU Ethiopia and Nature Kenya), and supports policy mainstreaming processes that embed biodiversity and bioeconomy considerations into national development plans and sectoral legislation.

PURPOSE

The Project Officer will:

• Coordinate project activities to advance biodiversity mainstreaming in economic and financial planning.
• Support capacity building for government, private sector, and project partners on biodiversity finance and valuation tools.
• Assist in mobilizing resources and promoting bioeconomy value chains.
• Monitor project progress, ensure compliance, and contribute to reporting for GGGI and donors.

ENGAGEMENT

• Originate and develop spin-off opportunities of the Project, including potential additional resource mobilization to further accelerate Kenya and Ethiopia’s shift to sustainable land use and forest landscape and biodiversity restoration;
• Maintain proactive communication with government counterparts in Kenya and Ethiopia, donors, and development partners to ensure alignment and synergy.
• Represent GGGI in the Project Steering Committee and foster strong partnerships for resource mobilization and project expansion.

DELIVERY

• Organize project execution consistent with the Project objectives engaging national counterparts and building reputation for quality design and reliable delivery;
• Provide technical leadership to staff members/consultants and build capacity of internal staff and government officials;
• Adapt project cycle and enhance project implementation process to ensure project outcomes are delivered as planned;
• Ensure successful completion of the project deliverables detailed in the Project Agreement;
• Provide successful team management, ensuring GGGI’s core values are integrated into the team and that staff wellbeing is ensured;
• Mainstream and apply Safeguards, Poverty Reduction and Social Inclusion which are key for this Project and need to be mainstreamed and/or applied in all deliverables, outputs and outcomes;
• Ensure compliance with national legal frameworks and alignment with national strategies and action plans under the Agenda 2030 and NDC frameworks and NBSAPs.

REQUIREMENTS QUALIFICATIONS

• An advanced degree (Masters) in Forestry, Environmental Economics/Finance, Natural Resource Management, (Biodiversity) Conservation, Agroforestry, Sustainable/Climate finance, or comparable relevant field (additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a post graduate degree).
• Preferred at least 7 years of relevant work experience in developing countries leading projects related to biodiversity conservation and restoration, biodiversity finance, forest landscape restoration, or agroforestry.
• Experience with biodiversity mainstreaming, NBSAPs, or bioeconomy initiatives.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills with government, private sector, and civil society.
• Familiarity with project management, reporting, and compliance processes.
• Fluent in English (Swahili or Amharic an advantage).
• Knowledge of safeguards, gender, and social inclusion integration.
• Kenya working permit (a must)

FUNCTIONAL

• Able to think strategically and in close collaboration with others.
• Detail-oriented striving for quality and consistency in all outputs and communications.
• Able to perform analysis of management and administrative matters in tandem and under time constraints.
• Output-oriented, demonstrating creativity, innovation and an entrepreneurial drive.
• Highly organized and able to effectively and efficiently multi-task and prioritize.
• Comfortable working both in a team and independently.
• Excellent organizational and management understanding and demonstrated experience with successful mainstreaming of safeguards, gender, poverty reduction and social inclusion.
• Demonstrated experience in managing activities and deliverables that are supported and/or implemented by both international and local consultants.

CORPORATE

• Understand and actively support GGGI’s mission, vision and values.
• Promote an organizational culture of trust, transparency, respect and partnership.
• Excels at problem solving, ask key questions and seeks support when needed, shares easily information and knowledge with others both internally as externally.
• Manage emotions and stress positively, builds rapport and resolves conflict easily.
• Strong ability to work independently and/or remotely, while maintaining productivity.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills; including public speaking.

DEADLINE: February 7, 2026