Technical Advisor, Conservation

The World Wide Fund for Nature seeks a Technical Advisor Conservation in CAR

The Wolrd Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the largest independent conservation organizations in the world. We are an international NGO committed to environmental protection active in almost 100 countries and have been working in the Congo Basin since 1978.

The Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas complex (DSPA) is a 4,450 km2 area, comprising the Dzanga Sangha Dense Forest Special Reserve with its various community use and other zones, and the Dzanga Ndoki National Park. This area is home to spectacular large mammals such as forest elephants, lowland gorillas and chimpanzees, bongo, buffalo, sitatunga, giant forest hogs and as well as a large variety of monkeys and duikers. The area is also home to exceptional diversity in other taxa. 

 

WWF is supporting the Government of CAR to manage DSPA both to conserve its exceptional biodiversity and to promote the sustainable management of natural resources for the well-being of nearby human populations.

 

The DSPA administration and WWF take a multi-disciplinary approach to management of this important area, including developing and managing infrastructure, human and financial resources; conservation through surveillance and anti-poaching activities; income generation via tourism through athe primate habituation programme focussed on lowland gorillas as well as other tourism activities; and sustainable rural development to take pressure off natural resources and sustain livelihoods.

 

DSPA is part of the recently inscribed Sangha Tri-National (TNS) World Heritage Site. The TNS is made up of three national parks (Dzanga Ndoki in CAR, Lobeke in Cameroon and Nouabale Ndoki in the Republic of Congo) and their buffer zones. The protected area managers and their key partners work together to manage the TNS.

 

The conservation department’s mission is to ensure the protection and conservation of DSPA’s biodiversity. It is responsible for managing the 40 ecoguards, and the conservation trackers and porters and implementing anti-poaching and law enforcement activities. The department also contributes to planning and implementing trans-boundary anti-poaching patrols and contributes to the operations of the TNS anti-poaching brigade.

 

The WWF team based in Bayanga providing support to the DSPA consists of a Principal Technical Advisor, a Technical Advisor for Conservation (this position), a Primate Habituation, Research and Tourism Advisor, a Community Development Technical Advisor as well as different support staff for logistics, finances and administration; WWF also has a national office in Bangui.

 

WWF-CAR seeks a Technical Advisor Conservation whose major functions will be to:

• Provide technical assistance, oversight and leadership to the conservation activities of WWF-DSPA;
• Ensure effective and efficient protection of DSPA natural resources and transfer technical and managerial knowledge and experience to the Park Warden (Conservateur) and other conservation programme staff;
• Assist the WWF PTA in delivering the broader goals of WWF and DSPA in line with WWF’s and Sangha Tri-National landscape (TNS) conservation strategies.

 Location: The position will be based in Bayanga, CAR.

Duration: 2 years renewable.

 

Main responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Principal Technical Advisor, the Technical Advisor Conservation has two major duties:

 

1.     Ensure effectiveness of the Dzanga-Sangha conservation programme by:

• Coordinating the finalization and regular update of the anti-poaching and law enforcement strategy for DSPA;
• Working as counterpart and technical advisor to the Park Warden to plan, manage, monitor and report all aspects of anti-poaching and law enforcement in DSPA and participating in effective operation of day-to-day field operations; 
• With the Park Warden and wildlife law enforcement partner (RALF), developing and implementing an informant network system as per WWF standards, leading to investigations and arrests;
• Working with key DSPA and WWF personnel on-site, in Bangui as well as in Yaoundé, to maintain clear communication lines in cases of arrests of high level or dangerous poachers/traffickers and in case of other threats;

•      Providing input for the State of Conservation reports and other relevant information in relation to the World Heritage Site status.

 

2.     Programme oversight, planning, monitoring & evaluation and management by:

• Contributing to the development of annual projects work plans, funding proposals, budgets and technical reporting;
• Planning for expenses for the conservation programme, on a quarterly basis or more frequently as necessary;
• Assisting the PTA to ensure accountability of programme funds according to project planning and contractual obligations in collaboration with the Finance and Administration Manager;
• Helping ensure reporting as defined by project contracts/agreements and WWF Programme Management standards.

 What you need:

Required Qualifications

• Minimum MSc in conservation, environmental management or related field;
• Substantial experience working with conservation organizations;
• Considerable field experience in Africa, ideally in Central Africa, preferably in a tropical forest environment.

 

Required skills and competencies

• Knowledge of wildlife laws and legal procedures linked to law enforcement;
• Practical experience of forest, wildlife and protected area management and monitoring; environmental law enforcement;
• Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for analysis capacity of data originating from law enforcement activities;
• Strategic planning abilities - particularly ability to use spatial data and hands on field knowledge to plan conservation and law enforcement activities;
• Ability to act proactively to reduce threats to wildlife and people, as well as to improve the impact of conservation activities;
• Fluency in French; good knowledge of English is an advantage;
• Adhere to WWF’s values: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging. 

 

Please consult the attached job description for more information on the position.

 

How to apply?

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are invited to send a cover letter and a detailed CV to the addressrecruitcarpo@wwfcarpo.org

The subject should read TAC.

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:9 April 2014.

 

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