Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Ituri Site Coordinator

Vacancy Announcement
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Position: Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Ituri Site Coordinator

Division: Wildlife Conservation Society – Africa Program

Reports to: The WCS Ituri Project Director

Location:Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with frequent field missions to Ituri, DRC

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Objective

The SWM Ituri Site Coordinator has the responsibility for the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of site-based activities for the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM)Programme in collaboration with other concerned WCS DRC team members. S/he will also provide short-term support to the Ituri Director on the interim management of selected community-related activities in the Ituri Landscape.

Project Description

The overall objective of the SWM Programme is to reconcile the challenges of wildlife conservation with those of food security in a set of key socio-ecosystems, promoting sustainable and legal exploitation of resilient animal populations by indigenous rural populations, while increasing/ diversifying the protein supply. The project,financed by the European Union, is a joint initiative of several institutions and organizations, including FAO, CIFOR, CIRAD and WCS. WCS is responsible for implementing the project the Iturilanscadpe in DRC. The challenge is to maintain the ecological integrity of the unique forest ecosystem of the Okapi Faunal Reserve (OFR) and its surroundings, especially through the reduction of the risk of disappearance of protected species within and around the OFR, and the improvement of the well-being of local populations who heavily depend on natural resources for their survival.

Principal Responsibilities

This post first and foremost must ensure the successful implementation of the SWM project in Ituri and appropriate relationships with SWM partners, but also ensure its integration with other funding sources which may provide co-financing to achieve the objectives to reduce hunting to sustainable levels. The main tasks are as follows:

1. Development of six-month and annual work plans and budgets

• Preparationof the six-month and annual work plan and coordination of the budget, including the revisions following comments from different reviews (ProgrammeManagement Unit, Site Review Committee, Steering Committee…), in line with the project document and in coordination with the appropriate WCS support staffand the Programme Result teams.

2. Leadership and monitoring of implementation of site-based activities according to the agreed work plan and budget

• Coordination with other team/activity leads who manage staff participating in the SWM workplan.
• Technical supervision of activity implementation on-site including staff management, collaboration between SWM partners, coordination with appropriate WCS staff whose job it is to ensure financial planning and compliance with appropriate procedures, including the management of equipment and infrastructure. 
• Expertise mobilization, including development of ToRsto find experts within the consortium or outside, in collaboration and with the support of the Result teams.
• Acts as the Ituri focal point for all Result Coordinators and the Programme Management Unit (PMU), work through the national Programme to engage with the donor and the national government.
• Monitoring of activity implementation and adoption of corrective actions as needed to ensure adherence to work plan and budget, transparency and accountability.
• Regular feeding of Program impact and outcomes, monitoring & evaluation, and knowledge management systems with relevant information and data, in coordination with Result Teams (and with their support where needed).
• Supervision of logistical arrangements for activity implementation.
• Act as secretary of the Site Review Committee (SRC); be in charge of the regular organization and reporting of the SRC meetings (at least three per year) and other activities such as field visits.

3. Coordination of reporting for site level activities

• Coordination and submission of the six-month and annual technical and financial reports according to Programme Management Unit and donor requirements.
• Revision of six-month and annual reports addressing the PMU, SRC and Steering Committee comments.
• Preparing for the endorsement of six-month (prior to submission to the Program steering committee) and annual reports by the SRC.

4. Communications and visibility activities

• Coordination of all communications and visibility activities at site level, in line with the Program communication and visibility plan and in consultation with the Programme communication manager and the DRC communications officer. 
• Regular preparation and transmission of communication contents related to site activities to the Programme communication manager to feed Programme-level communication and visibility activities.
• Participation in the revision and approval of all communications content relating to site activities.
• Regular direct communications on project progress with Result Teams, the PMU, and the members of the SRC.

5. Representation of the Ituri site in international, regional and national forums and meetings related to the Program. 

• As necessary, participate in international, regional and national forums and meetings to represent Ituri as part of the overall Program.

6. Participate in informal and formal networking opportunities with other site Coordinators.

• As necessary, initiate or participate in informal and formal meetings with site coordinators from other SWM sites to discuss issues of common interest and measures to resolve obstacles encountered at the site level.

7.Provide other support to the Ituri Director as needed.   

Key deliverables

1. Annual evaluations of SWM Ituri staff members

2. SWM deliverables:

• Monthly report
• Six month and annual work plan and budget
• Six month and annual technical reports
• Technical reports related to specific site activities
• Site Review Committee meetings reports
• Communications materials related to site activities

Period of performance

The position is immediately available and a one-year contract will be issued.  Possibility of extension dependent on performance

Key qualifications

This position requires a minimum of the following:

• A master’s degree in natural resource management/conservation or related field
• Ability to work in challenging field conditions
• Demonstrated experience in project management
• At least 5 years field experience including managing field teams
• Fluent in French, conversant in English, knowledge of Kiswahili a competitive advantage

Payment

Pay will be commensurate with experience.

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by emailing an application letter and CV together with the names and contact information of three references to: africaapplications@wcs.org , copying to cabid@wcs.org. Please include “Sustainable Wildlife ManagementSpecialist, Central Africa” in the subject line of your email. Candidates must also apply online via the WCS career portal by searching job title at: https://www.wcs.org/about-us/careers. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.