Data Specialist for Central African Forest Initiative

About the role

The Data Specialist will support the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) by managing and analysing data related to forest carbon, deforestation drivers, and payments for environmental services across the six partner countries.

Key responsibilities

• Collect, validate and maintain datasets on forest cover, land‑use change and REDD+ activities.
• Produce regular analytical reports and visualisations for donors, governments and project partners.
• Support the design and monitoring of Payments for Environmental Services (PES) schemes.
• Collaborate with country teams to ensure data quality and alignment with national REDD+ and Low‑Emissions Development frameworks.

Required profile

• University degree in environmental science, geography, statistics or a related field.
• Experience working with forest or climate‑related data in a multi‑country context.
• Strong analytical mindset and ability to work with diverse stakeholders.

Required skills

• Data collection, cleaning and validation.
• Statistical analysis and reporting.
• Familiarity with GIS and remote‑sensing datasets.

What we offer

• Opportunity to contribute to a high‑impact climate and biodiversity initiative.
• Collaboration with international donors and Central African governments.
• Professional development within the UNDP/UNCDF/UNV framework.