Deadline: 20 December 2023

The Board of Trustees of INBAR is seeking a Director General to take over the strategic and managerial leadership. The successful candidate will be based in INBAR Headquarters – Beijing, China, with an appointment term of 4 years commencing from 1 April 2024, with the potential for one additional term’s renewal. An international competitive salary and benefits package will be commensurate with experience.

I. Roles and Responsibilities

• Define goals, execute far-reaching initiatives, and recruit a talented multinational team;
• Oversee and manage the activities undertaken by the INBAR secretariat, co-ordinate work among different departments;
• Play a key role by engaging with high-level decision makers from governments and international financial institutions in resource mobilization, partnership building, project management and stewardship of resources;
• Advocate bamboo and rattan as practical and economical nature-based solutions and exploit the potential of bamboo and rattan to support sustainable development;
• Align INBAR and its Member States to integrate bamboo into local, national, regional and international policies to develop the enabling frameworks aiming to enhance the management and utilization of bamboo resources.
• Raise awareness globally about the potential of bamboo as a sustainable source of energy, plastic alternative, low carbon construction material, as well as food and fodder to provide social, environmental and economic benefits for vulnerable rural communities in the global south.
• Perform other related duties as requested by the Board of Trustees of INBAR.

 II. Minimum Requirements

• The candidate should be from an INBAR Member State1;
• Advanced university degree in a relevant subject area (e.g. forestry, and/or environmental sciences, and/or international relations). Experience with bamboo/rattan research and development would be highly desirable;
• Excellent in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another official INBAR language is desirable (Chinese, French or Spanish);
• Have an overall understanding of international relations to carry his/her mandate as well as experience working with international organizations.
• Proven record of accomplishment in multi-cultural organizations working in the Global South;
• Ability to lead and work effectively with a diverse team of people of different national and cultural backgrounds in an international setting.

Until November 2023, INBAR has 50 Member States: Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, The Philippines, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, Venezuela and Viet Nam.

III. Application Process

• To apply please submit a cover letter and the INBAR application form written in English to the e-mail [email protected] before 20 December 2023. Please include the following subject in the email: “INBAR Director General Application-NAME”.
• All applications will be acknowledged, but only candidates whose skills and experience best match the requirements of the position will be contacted thereafter.

IV. About INBAR

Founded in 1997, INBAR is an intergovernmental development organization that promotes environmentally sustainable development using bamboo and rattan, with the mission “to improve the well-being of producers and users of bamboo and rattan within the context of a sustainable bamboo and rattan resource base, by consolidating, coordinating and supporting strategic and adaptive research and development.” 50 Member States are a part of INBAR. In addition to its Secretariat Headquarters in China, INBAR has Regional Offices in Cameroon, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana and India. INBAR has Observer status to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) as well as the Three UN Rio Conventions (UNFCCC, UNCBD, UNCCD).

Its unique position allows INBAR to act as an important advocate for its Member States. With most of its Member States from the Global South, INBAR has played an especially strong role in promoting South-South cooperation for the last 26 years. Since its founding, it has been making a real difference in the lives of millions of people and environments around the world, with achievements in areas such as raising standards, promoting safe, resilient bamboo construction, restoring degraded land, enhancing biodiversity and contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation through capacity-building, informing green policy to support the global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.