KEY EXPERT ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ALBANIA - CEJ CONVERGENCE PROJECT (M/W)

In the framework of the project Climate Environmental Justice Convergence in the Western Balkans, financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Expertise France (EF) is looking for a Key Expert on Public Participation Expert (Practitioner) working in Albania. General description of the position :  Key Expert on Public Participation will be directly contributing to assisting the project team in the implementation of the Component 2 of the project dedicated to Public Participation regulation and practices enforcement, in the pilot Municipality in Albania. In particular, the Key Expert on Public Participation will be directly contributing to : 1. Component 2 – Public Participation in environmental decision makingThe work of this component aims at strengthened capacities of local authorities to encourage effective public participation practices in environmental matters in two of the targeted countries : Albania and North Macedonia. The work of the Public Participation Key Expert in Albania, in cooperation with the international Public Participation expert, would be to assist the CEJ project team in the following activities : 2.1. Analysing the public participation mechanisms for policies and strategies affecting the environment at the local decision-making level in a local Municipality in Albania already selected by the project during the assessment phase.2.2. Improve effective use of public participation and consultation tools at the local level, based on the community needs, using the EU / French best experiences and participatory examples.2.3. Enhance participatory methods used in the environmental impact assessment processes by improving and widely disseminating relevant participatory tools, using the EU / French best experiences and participatory examples.2. Covering Environmental participation aspects at the National and Regional Events as part of the Component 1.The work will mostly consist in contributing to the discussions related to Public Participation during the National Roundtable on Environmental Justice and the Regional event with the presence of the three targeted countries organised in Albania. The CEJ Convergence Project seeks to improve access to justice and effectiveness of public participation in the field of environmental justice, thereby contributing to convergence towards European standards in Albania, North Macedonia and Montenegro. More particularly, the Action will support the three countries for EU accession through the alignment of their national frameworks to the Aarhus Convention standards on access to environmental justice, which was officially integrated into EU standards in 2006.  The Action will be structured around 3 components :

• The first component (Component 1) will be dedicated to the improvement of access to justice on climate and environmental matters.
• The second component (Component 2) will be dedicated to the improvement of citizen participation on climate and environmental matters.
• The third component (Component 3) will focus on the implementation of grants for civil society organizations. Key expert on Public Participation will work in Albania, under the supervision of the Team Leader and in close collaboration with the Project Manager and international experts from Expertise France (EF) in accordance with the project specifications. Knowledge and Skills : Higher education (at least Master’s Degree or equivalent) in natural sciences. A specialized Degree on Law or environment would be an asset;Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to work as part of a team (adaptability to a multicultural environment essential);Critical thinking and synthesizing skills;Excellent English writing and speaking skills;Ability to organize, coordinate and draft the various meetings and documents required; Good command of IT and communication tools (word processing, presentation, etc.);Adaptability to changing circumstances, priorities, and requirements during the mission. General Professional Experience : At least 5 years of experience working on Albanian environmental public participation cases or projects;Proven experience in environmental participatory processes, where the cooperation with the local authorities is highlighted;Strong problem-solving abilities, to assess the situation and draft possible resolutions. Specific Professional Experience :
• Deep understanding of environmental public participation practices in Albania;Strong network within Albanian environmental actors;A previous experience in environmental public participation case would be an asset.  Estimated starting date : February 2025Estimated finishing date : March 2026Duration : 36 days Position : National Public Participation Expert (Practitioner) in AlbaniaApplications should include a CV and a cover letter. Deadline for submissions : 3 / 2 / 2025 Framework contract for and overall maximum duration of 36 days – with specific deliverables to be set in subsequent purchase orders.