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WWF 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;
  • Work  with  external  partners  on  implementing  innovative  technological  solutions  and  adaptive management on anti-poaching and mentor local staff accordingly
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 related field and conflict studies;
  • 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;
  • Experience in post-conflict environment and control of natural resources and wildlife trafficking;
  • 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;
  • Knowledge or experience of technological applications to conservation
  • 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;
  • Bilingual in French and English;
  • 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 address recruitcarpo@wwfcarpo.org The subject should read TAC 2015.

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: 20 June 2015.

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