• Assist the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management to identify the activities and areas in which the promotion of sustainable development of tropical forests, with emphasis on conservation and environmental needs, could be strengthened, re-oriented, or accelerated, working with appropriate bodies and means through which such improvements could be put into effect;
• Assist assessing project and pre-project proposals submitted to the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management and provide Member countries with relevant assistance in conformity with the ITTA and ITTO criteria/priorities;
• Develop a comprehensive annual and biennial work programme of the Division  (project, pre-projects, activities, workshops/seminars, including ITTO thematic programmes) along with a time-line, expected results/outcomes;
• Oversee and guide implementation, monitoring and evaluation of ITTO projects in the field of Reforestation and Forest Management;
• Monitor the implementation of the Work Programme (annual and biennial) of the Division; taking into account the practical implementation aspects including financing;
• Prepare the necessary documentation for and serve the Reforestation and Forest Management Committee’s annual sessions;
• Arrange for dissemination of ITTO technical documents and of other results of ITTO’s work in the field of Reforestation and Forest Management and the ITTO Thematic Programmes, including preparation of materials for publication or presentation at seminar and training courses.
• Represent the Organization in seminars, conferences and other meetings of relevance to ITTO’s programme and activities in the field of Reforestation and Forest Management;

• Identify actions to seek greater alignment and to harness synergies between ITTO´s work and international goals, such as the UN Millennium Development Goals, climate change, biodiversity and continue to strengthen partnerships with the United Nations and other institutions, including members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests to promote sustainable forest management;
• Identify measures to speed up capacity building in member countries by developing guidelines for boosting training and skills-development programmes; and
• Any other duties that the Executive Director may assign from time to time.

2.  QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
 

• Be a national of an ITTO Member Country;
• Suitable university degree preferably with post‑graduate qualification;
• A minimum of fifteen years of progressively responsible post qualification working experience, including working experience in a multi-cultural environment;
• Knowledge of development, technical, social, investment and other issues relevant to the promotion of further and increased processing of tropical timber in producer countries;
• Experience of working in an international organization within the United Nations system is an advantage.

• Professionalism: highly proactive with excellent management ability and results oriented; ability to review and revise work of others; conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; proven analytical and conceptual ability; capable of producing clear and comprehensive reports; capable of identifying and addressing policy issues and presenting analytical findings and making decisions based on objective analysis;
• Communication: excellent command in written and verbal communication skills in English is mandatory including ability to communicate complex issues with people from different backgrounds, knowledge of French and/or Spanish will be advantageous; 
• Teamwork: have excellent interpersonal skills with ability to work under pressure, capable of leading and gaining assistance of others in a team endeavour;
• Managing performance: ability to coach, mentor, motivate and develop and encourage good performance;
• Judgment/Decision-making: Good judgment and initiative, imagination and resourcefulness, energy and tact; capable of ensuring and effective work structure to maximize productivity and achieve results; and
• Technological awareness: ability to keep abreast of developments and relevant technologies applicable to the profession.

The Executive Director
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
International Organizations Center, 5th Floor
Pacifico-Yokohama, 1-1-1 Minato-Mirai, Nishi-ku
Yokohama, 220-0012 JAPAN

Tel.: (81-45) 223-1110
Fax: (81-45) 223-1111
E-mail: itto@itto.or.jp

Please note that only applicants who are short-listed will be contacted.

*/The Executive Director reserves the right to make this appointment at a lower level than advertised.


ABOUT ITTO

The ITTO is a commodity organization which brings together countries which produce and consume tropical timber to discuss and exchange information and develop policies on all aspects of the world tropical timber economy. The ITTO is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and at 1 January 2008 had 60 members, including the European Community, which together represent about 90 percent of world trade in tropical timber and 80 percent of the world’s tropical forests.

The ITTO recognizes that a continuing supply of tropical timber on the world market depends on quality information about the trade and market place, on efficient timber production and processing methods and on sustainable forest management practices. The ITTO facilitates discussion, consultation and international cooperation on issues relating to the international trade and utilization of tropical timber and the sustainable management of its resource base.

The ITTO was first established by the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA), 1983, which was negotiated with a limited life span under the auspices of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and came into force in 1985. The Organization became operational in 1987. Unlike some other commodity agreements, the ITTA has no price regulation and mechanisms or market intervention provisions, and accords equal importance to trade and conservation. ITTO’s underlying concept is sustainable development of tropical forests by encouraging and assisting the tropical timber industry and trade to manage and thus conserve the resource bases upon which they depend.

The successor agreement to the ITTA (1983) was negotiated in 1994 and came into force on 1 January 1997. ITTA, 1994 continues to focus on the world tropical timber economy. In addition, it contains broader provisions for information sharing, including non-tropical timber trade data and allows for consideration of non-tropical timber issues as they relate to tropical timber.

The ITTA, 1994 gives emphasis to the policy work of the ITTO. It enshrines the Year 2000 Objective and establishes the Bali Partnership Fund to assist producing member countries to sustainably manage their tropical timber producing forests.

Negotiations for a successor to this agreement were concluded, again under the auspices of UNCTAD. The ITTA, 2006 is expected to come into force in 2009. The ITTA, 2006 builds on the foundations of the previous agreements, focusing on the world tropical timber economy and the sustainable management of the resource base, simultaneously encouraging the timber trade and the improved management of the tropical forests.

* ITTO’s membership consists of: Australia, Austria, Belgium/Luxembourg, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, European Union, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu and Venezuela.