WCS recruits 01 Central Chari Basin Landscape Manager

Reports to: CAR Country Director

Location: Bamingui, CAR – Field Position

Country Program: WCS CAR

Start date: February 2022

Position Type: Fulltime

Application deadline: 31^st December 2021

Key Internal Relationships: Chad Country Director; CAR Field Operations Manager; Transhumance Manager; CAR Deputy Country Director / Political and Institutional Relations; Landscape Manager

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.

The Sudano-Sahel Region presents unparalleled opportunities for WCS to play a direct role in saving some of the last remaining intact wildernesses on the planet and contributing significantly to people and wildlife’s security. The region’s savannas, forests, and wetlands support key populations of endangered elephant, northern giraffe, lion, eland, chimpanzee, gorilla, bongo, and the second largest antelope migration on the planet. Hundreds of bird species occur in the area, including the shoebill and the crowned crane. Communities also depend on the land for their livelihoods through pastoralism, agriculture, fishing, and hunting. WCS has a significant presence in the Sudano-Sahel region, with a strong conservation history and proven success in protected area management. WCS currently has conservation initiatives in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, CAR, and South Sudan, including developing new program activities in Ethiopia. We work actively to support protected area management and wildlife law enforcement, local livelihoods, develop conservation-security partnerships, enhance anti-trafficking activities, and implement our policy and scientific programs.

Program Overview:

In CAR, WCS has recently launched a private-public partnership program with the federal government to manage the Northeastern CAR Protected Area Complex. This is a multi-faceted, long-term program entailing park management, law enforcement, and community engagement within the Bamingui-Bangoran and Manovo-Gouda St. Floris National Parks in Northeastern CAR.

WCS has recently launched the Chad program, the most recent of the Sudano-Sahel Region’s country programs, mainly focused on developing a landscape approach in the Chari Central Basin. WCS Chad works directly with the WCS CAR and WCS Cameroon programs to integrate the Chari Basin’s transboundary landscapes into a long-term multi-faceted program that includes park management, law enforcement, community engagement, and land-use planning and management.

The purposes of the Chari Basin’s transboundary landscape program are the land-use planning and management, the support for regulation, management and cross-border control to counter threats to Protected Areas, fauna and flora.

Job Summary:

The Landscape Manager plays the lead role in planning, coordinating, and managing the WCS implementation of the conservation of the Chari Basin’s transboundary landscape program. They are responsible for developing and overseeing a landscape-based strategy that focuses on transhumance pastoralism engagement, conflict resolution, and biodiversity protection.

This is a full-time position based in the CAR sector of the Chari Basin landscape with frequent travels and work throughout the northern CAR and southeastern Chad sectors of the landscapes.

Duties and responsibilities:

Coordinate and lead the Chari Central Basin Project, covering planning, management, and reporting duties.
Work with the WCS Chad and WCS CAR staff and directors to ensure high effectiveness and efficiency in work plans, reporting, budgeting, logistics, and accountability.
Supervise and manage the WCS staff and consultants hired for the Chari Central Basin landscape program.
Lead meetings and coordination with the Chari Central Basin Project stakeholders ensuring technical and financial parties’ involvement.
Organize local steering committee meetings between the Chari Central Basin Project and other EU partner projects.
Organize meetings with the technical representatives of conservation, transhumance pastoralism, and agriculture aspects of the Chari Central Basin Project and other EU partner projects.
Support for integrated and concerted territorial management in north-eastern CAR’s landscape and its cross-border areas, including the Chari Central Basin.
Support and supervise the development of management plans for the north-eastern CAR’s protected areas.
Support for regulation, management, and cross-border control to counter threats to Protected Areas, fauna, and flora in the north-eastern CAR’s landscape.
Analyse and identify opportunities for developing community-engagement schemes such as Payments for Ecosystem Services (including REDD+) in the north-eastern CAR’s landscape and cross-border areas.
Develop an environmental and socio-economic GIS model for the north-eastern CAR’s landscape, including the Chari Central Basin.
Coordinate and work with the transboundary transhumance pastoralism engagement and management program.
Design and implement community sustainable livelihoods programs (fisheries management and tree plantations).
Work with international, national, and local staff and organizations to raise awareness for wildlife conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and conflict resolution, and to strengthen WCS’s landscape approach.
Work closely with senior staff and advise on development priorities to frame WCS’s interventions in health, human rights, education, among other crucial components.
As a senior member of the WCS Chad and CAR Program Teams, participate in strategy meetings and required tasks to help ensure the program operations.

Expériences / Formation

More than 5 years’ experience working on land management, transhumance pastoralism, conservation, conflict resolution, and natural resource management issues in Africa, with experience in the Sudano-Sahel region desired.
Master’s degree or equivalent in natural resources management, environmental or conservation management, development studies, or in relevant fields.
Demonstrated ability and experience influencing policy, with ability to strategize, problem solve, and challenge diplomatically.
Experience leading a program, managing staff, and overseeing budgets.
Commitment for wildlife conservation.
Experience in coordination with donors and governments.
Capacity building of partners.
French language spoken and written fluency required. English language skills.
Ability to work in a multicultural environment in isolated areas, under difficult field conditions.

Preferred Qualifications:

Significant work experience in CAR, Chad, knowledge of Central Africa and Sudano-Sahel environmental and political issues.

Comment postuler

Interested candidates who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application letter together with their CV and the names and contact information of three references to: jbetsch@wcs.org

Deadline for applications: 31^st December 2021

Please include “Landscape Manager” in the subject line of your email.

In addition, please note that all candidates must also apply online via the WCS career portal 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 value.

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 an interview.

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