Bonobo Conservation Project Manager

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has embarked on ambitious, field-based conservation program across the Congo Basin. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, WWF is active in several landscape-scale sites, including the 80,000 sq. km Lac Tumba area, which harbours a rich assemblage of terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity including chimpanzees and forest elephants as well as slender-snout crocodile and unique native fish assemblages. This includes the endemic bonobo (Pan paniscus), a unique species of great apes found only within the DRC. Relatively high densities of bonobos persist in the Lac Tumba Landscape, comprising the western population of bonobos, which are limited to the central cuvette in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The program takes an integrated conservation approach with different partners and stakeholders. Key conservation strategies include: land use planning; protected area management and species conservation; community-based natural resource management and livelihood improvement; best practices in industry and policy development; and sustainable financing mechanisms, including REDD and ecotourism. 

Since the beginning, WWF has worked on conservation of bonobos in the zone, including initiating habituation activities in order to generate conservation-dependent revenues for local communities by establishing a basis for long-term sustainable ecotourism. Today, bonobo conservation actions in the southern Lac Tumba landscape are integrated into a community based natural resource management approach, micro zoning and land use planning, the establishment of alternative economic activities, and the development of REDD+ initiatives with benefit sharing mechanisms. 

We are looking for the Project Manager who will be responsible for supervising bonobo conservation science and strategic actions in the southern Lac Tumba landscape, hereby ensuring that critical threats are addressed, strategic opportunities are pursued, integrated activities are implemented towards conservation results, and outcomes are communicated to increase understanding and mobilize support for bonobo conservation.

The Project Manager will supervise all activities related to projects in the conservation of bonobos in the Lake Tumba landscape.

Location:

The position is based at the WWF field station Bambou-Malebo (Democratic Republic of Congo, Bandundu Province).

Main responsibilities:

• Coordinate the PICBOU project and ensure its good performance in its various aspects of conservation and the development of ecotourism in cooperation and communication with the communities, authorities and other stakeholders
• Oversee the development and set up a sound health monitoring and disease prevention system focusing on the prevention of human-bonobo disease transmission, by taking Dzanga-Sanga (WCS Field Vet program) as an example and following the most recent recommendation of the consultant Metzer (2013)
• Oversee the scientific assistant on managing the scientific research program on bonobos around Malebo.
• Follow the recommendations of the consultant Metzger,
• The coordination of the implementation and strengthening of activities anti-poaching around Malebo;
• Monitor the scientific assistant on developing guidelines, recommendations and regulations for the habituation process, in collaboration with the Program manager and staff of the Africa Great Apes Programme (AfGAP) of the WWF.
• Finalize an eco tourism plan in collaboration with different partners identified
• Oversee a pilot phase of ecotourism activities based on 2 habituated groups of bonobos.
• Oversee the signing of agreements between communities, private operators, Mbon Mon Tour NGO and WWF for the implementation of these ecotourism activities
• Train, supervise, and evaluate staff members, bonobo trackers, volunteers, interns, researchers, and Congolese counterparts to support all project activities, including the administrative performance and monitoring of procedures according to Congolese law and WWF policies;

What you need:

Required Qualifications,Skills and Competencies

• University degree and relevant experience, especially on project management
• At least 5 years working experience in project management;
• Experience in project management and coordination related to Primatology, research on primates, apes habituation (preferably chimpanzees and bonobos, possibly gorillas and orangutans) or ecotourism are a plus;
• Strong administrative and financial management skills and excellent organizational skills.
• Experience in supervision of a technical and scientific team, and, where appropriate;
• Good negotiation, facilitation and communication skills;
• Ability to live and work in remote and difficult conditions.
• Results- based management.
• Ability to scientific analysis,
• Fluency in French and English.
• Adhere to WWF's values: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.

How to apply?

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements should send a cover letter and a detailed CV with 2-3 references to the Human Resources Manager. E-mail: recrutement_wwfrdc@wwfcarpo.org. The subject should read Bonobo Conservation Project Manager.

Please note that only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted for follow up. If you have not been contacted six (6) weeks after closing, consider your application unsuccessful.

Deadline for applications: January 21, 2014

WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce