TRAFFIC Senior Programme Officer, Demand Reduction

TITLE: TRAFFIC Senior Programme Officer, Demand Reduction
LOCATION: Hanoi, Viet Nam
REPORTS TO: Coordinator, Greater Mekong Programme – TRAFFIC Southeast Asia
DURATION: 1 Year

Background:

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a strategic alliance of WWF, the conservation organization, and IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature. TRAFFIC monitors wildlife trade at international, regional and national levels – researching both domestic and international chains of supply and demand to identify interventions to increase the efficiency of management. TRAFFIC works closely with governments, providing critical information on the impacts of trade, motivating efforts to increase the ecological sustainability of trade in wild species, and helping to improve enforcement of international wildlife trade controls.

The organization was founded in 1976 and has grown into an international network, with 30 offices worldwide, organized in eight regional programmes. The TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme is a sub-programme of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (TSEA), which is the Southeast Asian regional office of the TRAFFIC network. The TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Programme was established in 1991 and continues to work with partners to address key wildlife trade issues in the region. This work is carried out in close collaboration with TRAFFIC offices in consumer regions such as East Asia, Europe and North America.

In July 2012 TRAFFIC and WWF launched a Global Illegal Wildlife Trade campaign in six Central African countries, Thailand, Viet Nam and China. Through the global campaign, TRAFFIC and WWF aimed to ensure governments and international institutions treat illegal wildlife trade as a serious crime, enact effective deterrents, and lead efforts to reduce demand for endangered species products. In Viet Nam campaign work focused on consumption of rhino horn and included consumer research to identify consumer groups and inform the development of an evidence-based demand reduction strategy using behavior change principles.

The approaches identified for this work include social marketing, behavioural economics and social psychology. These approaches have been successfully applied in public healthcare (e.g. wearing helmets, seatbelts), healthy lifestyles (eating 9 or 5 a day, smoking cessation, reducing alcohol intake), sustainable development (‘local to global' initiatives), and environment more specifically (climate change, water saving, air quality) and criminology (anti-gang work, anti-corruption drives, elements of human trafficking work). Much of the early work will be focused on developing an appropriate demand reduction strategy that is likely to involve engaging youth, government, corporate, Traditional Medicine practitioners and other cultural and society leaders.

I. Major Function

Design, coordinate and implement TRAFFIC’s Demand reduction work in Viet Nam through a behavior change approach targeting current and future consumers of endangered wildlife products including rhino horn, in conjunction with relevant TRAFFIC and WWF national, regional and international programmes, offices, and partners.

II. Major Responsibilities

The main tasks of the Demand Reduction Senior Programme Officer will include, but not be limited, to the following:

• Overall project management and lead the development and implementation of a Demand Reduction Strategy in regards to consumption of endangered species products in Viet Nam with a specific focus on rhino horn and work plans and interim milestones, to achieve the project objectives;
• Oversee and support implementation of the associated behaviour change communication and outreach strategy, jointly defining/refining tools and methodologies, and overseeing delivery of identified products and assets;
• Build and maintain alliances and/or support relationships with relevant groups, organisations, academic and professional groups, government agencies, private sector, NGOs and others as identified in stakeholder analyses, the DR Strategy and wider work planning;
• Develop and define basic tools and mechanisms that can allow for testing defined approaches and follow-up/measure impact of the Demand Reduction strategy;
• Learn, share, and apply expertise in behaviour change theories, frameworks, models and approaches to achieve project objectives, and adapting the application of these in line with an ‘adaptive management’ approach
• Assist in communication project activities and objectives to ensure wide ranging impacts including through international meetings, conferences and events, and with local and international media;
• Apply a working knowledge of advocacy and political frameworks relevant to behaviour change;
• Project management: deliver quality on time and within budget on this high profile project:

o Manage and coordinate the day-to-day implementation of project activities by partners and consultants (as and when required);
o Oversee and manage the project resources, ensuring that expenditures do not exceed available funds and that deliverables adhere to agreed timelines;
o Monitor the timely implementation and financial management of any sub-contracts to partners and consultants;
o Ensure project technical and financial reports prepared following TRAFFIC/WWF and other donor requirements in timely manner;

• Regularly report on progress of the demand reduction campaign to the Coordinator of TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme, and ensure co-ordinated communication with WWF-Viet Nam, global WWF/TRAFFIC Wildlife Crime Programme (WCP) team and wider network, and take responsibility to ensure goals and
• objectives are met;
• Coordinate closely with all key stakeholders (national and international organisations) and government agencies to achieve the targets of the DR Strategy, advocate for and ensure implementation of project activities and create synergy and cooperation among project activities;
• Develop effective working relationships within the TRAFFIC/WWF network, with a focus on partners and alliances that can amplify TRAFFIC/WWF’s campaigns and activate target audiences;
• Document lessons learned and success factors, so that these can be shared internally with other staff delivering demand reduction initiatives in other countries (notably China and Thailand);
• Support Wildlife Crime Programme communications and fundraising activities, in coordination with relevant staff;
• Develop and assist in preparation of project proposals and funding applications;
• Undertake other tasks relevant to the project as determined by the Coordinator of the TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme.

III. Working Relationships

1. Internal

• Coordinator, TRAFFIC Greater Mekong Programme; Communications Staff, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia; WWF-Viet Nam team including corporate engagement staff; WWF-Greater Mekong focal point; TRAFFIC/WWF-International global Wildlife Crime Programme team and supporting offices; TRAFFIC Co-ordinator, Behavioural Change
• TRAFFIC and WWF networks: Liaise and contact with relevant network teams related to the campaign to provide inputs and seek support when required.

2. External

• Interacts with project partners and stakeholders, relevant government agencies, private sector, donors, academic institutions, the media, other NGOs and community organizations, primarily in the country when necessary to deliver the agreed outputs of the project.

IV. Requirements

1. Education and Qualification

• Masters Degree or equivalent experience in any of the following: social science, behavioural economics, psychology, sociology, media, marketing, communications, public relationships or related fields;
• Demonstrated excellent project management skills;
• Excellence in influencing and negotiation skills;

2. Knowledge

• Knowledge of behaviour change models and frameworks and their application and the drivers that influence behavioural change
• Knowledge of the realities of government agencies, development partners, donor institutions, and how they interact with the private and not-for-profit sectors in the project
• Knowledge of conservation and issues related to wildlife trade, including governance in Viet Nam, will be an asset.

3. Experience

• At least five years proven experience working in the field of behaviour change devising, formulating and implementing strategies within a national, international or high-profile organisation;
• Proven experience as a successful behaviour change leader, preferably but not necessarily in regards to conservation or sustainable lifestyles issues, e.g. demand reduction;
• Experience in the design and delivery of high-impact social marketing campaigns, targeting identified groups;
• Experience in multi-disciplinary teams and in building consensus, optimism and confidence in the face of challenges and pressure;
• Understanding of campaigning techniques, strategies, target audience analysis and impact;
• Experience with the private sector and specifically aligning or developing CSR policies with conservation related messaging would be an advantage.

4. General Skill

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and ability to communicate complex issues in a clear manner to a wide variety of audiences across diverse channels;
• Excellent networking and teamwork skills;
• Excellent skills in planning, organisation, time management, facilitation, and coordination;
• Fluency in written and spoken Vietnamese and English supported by good computer and online skills.

5. Technical Skill

• Demonstrated expertise in social marketing and social psychology, campaigns, models, strategies, target audience analysis, structure and impact;
• Strong interpersonal and partnership development skills, and the ability to develop relationships with a wide range of audiences and stakeholders;
• Long-term planning and analytical skills, as well as demonstrated ability to multi-task, and work effectively to tight deadlines without compromising quality;
• Good skills in report writing in both Vietnamese and English;
• Good skills in monitoring and evaluation are preferred.

6. Ability

• Willing and able to work under pressure;
• Work effectively with people from different backgrounds, cultures and nationalities;
• Work effectively on own initiative with minimum supervision and staying on task;
• Willing to travel at short notice.

Interested candidates should email a cover letter and CV in English by email to Ms. Minh Nguyen at [email protected].

Closing date for applications: 3 April 2014

Only short-listed candidates will be notified.