South Sudan: Protected Area Management and Wildlife Law Enforcement Expert, South Sudan

Position: Protected Area Management and Wildlife Law Enforcement Expert, South Sudan

Reports to: Country Director, Southern Sudan

Location: Southern Sudan

Country Program/Sector: Global Conservation/Africa Program

Position Type: Full-Time Conservation

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

Country Program Overview

WCS’s Sudano-Sahel Region Program focusses on robust long term protected area management, land-use planning, wildlife law enforcement, community conservation, conservation-security partnerships to protect wildlife and wild places in a set of core landscapes across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. The WCS South Sudan presents unparalleled opportunities for saving some of the last remaining intact wildernesses on the planet and to contribute significantly to the security of people and wildlife. The savannas, forests, and wetlands of the country support key populations of, among others, endangered elephant, northern giraffe, lion, cheetah, African wild dog, Nile lechwe, eland, the second largest antelope migration on the planet (white-eared kob, Mongalla gazelle, tian), and more than 800 bird species, including the iconic shoebill and globally threatened vulture species. Communities depend intimately on the land and ecosystem services for their livelihoods through pastoralism, agriculture, fishing, and hunting. Emerging out of the past five years of armed conflict, protected area management and natural resource law enforcement will be key for helping to secure the remaining wildlife resources, improve security, and stabilize the country.

WCS is the main international conservation organization working in South Sudan, with a more than 10 years conservation history and proven success in protected area and natural resource management in the country. WCS has field sites in Boma, Badingilo and Southern National Parks, working with local stakeholders to ensure effective conservation of key wildlife species and habitat, improve security and mitigate conflicts, enhance sustainable and resilient livelihoods for local communities and build partnerships with other programs and initiatives to multiply positive impacts for people and wildlife. Funding partners include USAID, GEF, USFWS, Elephant Crisis Fund, the Lion Recovery Fund, and private donors. USAID support focusses on the Boma-Badingilo landscape program, which has transboundary connections with neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya.

Job Summary:

This is a full-time position responsible for ensuring the effective day-to-day operational management of Boma and Badingilo National Parks; supporting South Sudan National Wildlife Service law enforcement efforts; facilitating the implementation of program research and monitoring, (climate change resilient) livelihood, natural resource management, conflict resolution strategies and activities, and community conservation initiatives, e.g. community conservancies, and community conservation-security partnerships; training, building capacity and providing oversight of WCS field staff; and working as a senior staff member of the WCS South Sudan Program team to advance WCS conservation, natural resource management and research programs in South Sudan.

The position will be based at Boma National Park with frequent travel to Badingilo Park and throughout the landscape.

Major Responsibilities

• Manage the protected area management and wildlife law enforcement components of the project in collaboration with associated WCS and South Sudan National Wildlife Service staff.
• Oversee the following project activities: infrastructure and assets maintenance and operations, wildlife protection operations and other activities in accordance with program principles to promote management of the Boma, Badingilo National Parks and surrounding landscape.
• Coordinate with the WCS Country Director regarding project activities, development, operations and strategies, and with other senior staff regarding personnel management, logistics, administration, accounting, and reporting, according to WCS procedures.
• Promote collaboration between the government officials, local NGO partners, WCS and local communities.
• Assist in the recruitment, training, mentoring, and management of project staff.
• Manage WCS field program staff (guards, drivers, cooks, logistics assistants) based in Boma and Badingilo Parks Landscape.
• Assist and provide logistical support to the program teams and WCS senior staff to undertake surveys for park management, planning, and monitoring programs.

• Assist the WCS Country Director with the timely preparation of work plans, activity reports, budgets and reports to donors.

• As a senior member of the WCS South Sudan Program Team, participate in strategy meetings and the tasks identified to help ensure sound operations of the program.

• Assist in fundraising for the WCS South Sudan Program.

Minimum Requirements:

The successful candidate must have strong interpersonal skills and display evidence of good protected area management and wildlife law enforcement leadership, be pragmatic and result-orientated. S/He must have excellent written and oral communication skills. S/He must be well organized, self-motivated, resourceful, flexible, effective and efficient at coordinating multiple resources to get things done; can work on multiple tasks at multiple levels and switch between them; can foresee and plan around obstacles, i.e.:

• Master degree (or higher education level) in a relevant study of conservation, natural resource management, wildlife management, etc..
• Commitment for wildlife conservation.
• Proven experience with international organizations in Africa (5+ years) in project/program management, wildlife conservation, natural resource management, and wildlife law enforcement.
  Experience with working in South Sudan and/or neighbouring countries is considered a benefit.
• Proven experience and comfortable with living and working in a multicultural environment in isolated areas.
• Effective “roll up the sleeves” work ethic; ability to get things done.
• Self-motivated, diplomatic, able to work with limited supervision.
• Creative, solution oriented with excellent leadership and interpersonal skills.
• English fluency required.

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by sending an application letter and CV together with the names and contact information of three references to the addresses below not later than 24 December 2018. Please include “Protected Area Management and Wildlife Law Enforcement Expert, South Sudan” in the subject line of your email. Send to: jkilonzi@wcs.org with a cc to aschenk@wcs.org.

Candidates must also apply online via the WCS career portal by searching job title at: http://www.wcs.org/about-us/careers.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same values. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted for interview.