Senior Manager Indigenous Engagement

Millar Cameron is proud to be supporting FSC with the recruitment of a Senior Manager to lead engagement with Indigenous Peoples and to support FSC institutions in building and strengthening relationships with Indigenous Peoples and their organizations.

Location Bonn, Germany  A003204

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting responsible forest management through certification. Established in 1993, FSC advances sustainable forestry that is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable. With a presence in over 160 million hectares of certified forests worldwide, FSC addresses critical global challenges such as illegal logging, deforestation, and climate change while supporting biodiversity, economic development, and social empowerment.

Its rigorous certification system, including a strict chain of custody, ensures that forests are managed sustainably, protecting ecosystems and livelihoods while meeting the growing demand for responsibly sourced timber and forest products.

Key among FSC’s guiding principles is respect for the rights of Indigenous Peoples as the original stewards of forests in many countries around the world. The Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC) was established in 2012 to advise the FSC Board of Directors on matters relating to Indigenous Peoples. To further enhance the quality of FSC’s engagement with Indigenous Peoples, strengthen their voices within FSC’s work, and facilitate deeper engagement between FSC and Indigenous Peoples and their organizations, the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC IF) was established in Panama in 2019 as an Indigenous-led and Indigenous-managed organization.

FSC is seeking a Senior Manager to lead engagement with Indigenous Peoples and to support FSC institutions in building and strengthening relationships with Indigenous Peoples and their organizations. This is a newly created position based in Bonn, Germany, designed to act as a key coordination and bridging role between the FSC Secretariat and the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC IF). The role strengthens coordination, capacity building, and the integration of Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives across FSC, ensuring these perspectives are meaningfully mainstreamed within the FSC Secretariat, governance bodies, and FSC IF.

The Senior Manager Indigenous Peoples Engagement reports formally to the Chief Engagement Officer (CEngO) of FSC and works closely on a day-to-day basis with senior colleagues within the Engagement function. The role works across teams in Bonn and interfaces regularly with FSC IF staff, FSC governance bodies, and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations. A key focus of the role is liaison and collaboration with the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF).

• Supporting FSC-IF staff to demonstrate the value of FSC certification and other FSC solutions to Indigenous Peoples.
• Collaborating with FSC-IF staff to strengthen participation and knowledge-sharing with other entities across the FSC system, including Community and Family Forests and Ecosystem Services.
• Supporting effective relationship management and governance within FSC related to Indigenous Peoples, including engagement with the FSC-IF Council, the Permanent Indigenous Peoples Committee (PIPC), and the FSC International Board of Directors.

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Engagement Officer (CEngO) and the overall guidance of the Director General / Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the incumbent will:

• Support alignment and complementarity between the FSC Global Strategy and the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC IF) Global Strategy.
• Serve as a central coordination point between the FSC Secretariat, FSC IF, the FSC Network and Regional Offices, and relevant governance bodies, ensuring coherent collaboration and effective information flow.
• Proactively ensure Indigenous Peoples’ concerns, priorities, and perspectives are integrated across FSC Secretariat functions, FSC IF activities, and FSC governance and decision-making processes.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of…