Background

The Wildlife Conservation Society Ruaha-Katavi Landscape Program is seeking to hire an Assistant Wildlife Corridor Coordinator to play a leading role in the next phase of development for two national priority wildlife corridor areas.

The Wildlife Conservation Society has been engaged in priority setting for wildlife corridors in Tanzania for more than two decades. In recent years, the WCS Ruaha-Katavi Landscape Program has helped lead activities to bring under improved management two of the most important wildlife corridor areas identified through national planning. This work focuses on solutions that engage local communities, maintaining land ownership in community hands, while securing community rights to manage and benefit from the improved management of connectivity habitat.

With land formally designated for the above, the Assistant Wildlife Corridor Coordinator will help strengthen and develop new community structures and wider partnerships that will further build the resilience and wider support for this approach. The role will involve building the capacity and mentoring various community platforms, encouraging other land management partners to embrace their role in managing wildlife connectivity as well as strengthening engagement with those that threaten the future of the wildlife corridors.

The position will be based in Mbeya but with a substantial field component.

Responsibilities

Wildlife Corridor Management

• Build the capacity and mentor the management of three Joint Village Land Forest Reserves, including their committees and CBOs.
• Assure effective communication and the engagement of three district authorities for the management of the three Joint Village Land Forest Reserves, and the wildlife corridors at large.
• Assure effective communication and engagement with TANAPA, TAWA, TFS and Ipole WMA related to their role as wildlife corridor landscape partners.
• Provide oversight to the activities of 19 Village Forest Guards related to the maintenance of their capacity, mobility, operations, and equipment.
• Track and support the continued adoption of social safeguard standards and maintenance of grievance redress systems already in place through monthly assessments of each.

Wildlife Corridor Monitoring

• Ensure that the use of SMART in ecological monitoring, reconnaissance surveys and patrol activities is maintained and that a monthly system of adaptive wildlife corridor management feedback is maintained using SMART data.
• Support the coordination and implementation of one annual reconnaissance survey conducted by local communities in each wildlife corridor area.
• Provide support to other wildlife, habitat and threats monitoring programs as needed, including supporting aviation related monitoring.
• Help target communities maintain wildlife corridor boundaries – providing planning support and implementation oversight each dry season.

Wildlife Corridor Outreach

• Help guide the development and delivery of community outreach activities in target communities and schools adjacent to wildlife corridors. Help develop, pilot, and disseminate suitable outreach materials.
• Develop media materials and success stories for wider WCS dissemination in collaboration with the WCS Communications Manager and others.
• Support the development of a program of active engagement with agro pastoralists, based on an understanding of needs, existing societal structures and through defining potential areas of collaboration.
• Support engagement with livelihood and carbon-based wildlife corridor partners as directed.

Other Duties

• Secure feedback from VFG activities (SMART reports, high quality images, other reports) each month and support WCS reporting requirements as needed.
• Plan and coordinate with other technical WCS staff as directed - including contributing to the development of training courses, developing, and managing training budgets and ensuring that training plans have been properly scrutinized and approved internally before they are put into action, engagement in training delivery and evaluation. Be prepared to work under pressure, meet deadlines and remain flexible regarding other work requests.

Required Qualifications

• A graduate of Wildlife Ecology/ Wildlife management OR International Development Studies/ Human Rights/ Gender Studies/ Human Geography/ Conflict Mitigation, Natural Resource Management).
• At least 3-years’ experience working with communities and their typical partners.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and proven ability to work as a team player.
• Fluent in English and Swahili
• Legally eligible to work in Tanzania.
• Strong desire to conduct fieldwork and develop/apply pragmatic field solutions to typical conservation challenges.
• Ability to operate in a multicultural environment and with minimal supervision.
• Ability to drive and operate motor vehicles, including 4x4 experience.
• Results-driven work ethic.
• Working knowledge of SMART law enforcement monitoring system an advantage.

Work Duration

The position will be hired initially on a Specific Task Contract to the end of June, with renewal being possible.

Project Location / Workstation

The Employee will be based in Mbeya. No reallocation allowance will be provided.

The position will involve frequent travel within Chunya, Itigi and Sikonge Districts in villages, especially in villages engaged in managing wildlife corridors.

How to Apply:

Qualified candidates should send 1) Cover letter, 2) CV and 3) name, phone, and email for 3 referees. Applications should be sent via email to WCS Tanzania, Country Director at wcshrtanzania@wcs.org by February 25th, 2023.