Program Officer (Researcher and Analyst)

Vacancy Announcement

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 nearly 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.

WCS Viet Nam Program Overview

WCS has been working in Viet Nam since 2006, focusing on strengthening the commitment, capacity and actions of the government of Viet Nam to combat wildlife trafficking. Through support and cooperation with the executive and judiciary sectors, including the Ministry of Public Security, Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuracy, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the National Assembly, it has provided and shared intelligence on criminal wildlife networks which help generate well-informed decisions in enforcement operations. WCS Viet Nam has generated a wide range of reliable data on a number of related issues on illegal wildlife trade, trained and briefed about 4,000 law enforcement officers, policy makers, journalists, researchers and managers nationwide in investigation and enforcement techniques, legal barriers and distributed a series of technical handbooks and guides. It has assisted central agencies to review and propose necessary changes to national legislation, criminal intelligence analysis systems, and inter-agency cooperation. WCS has also facilitated Government to Government dialogue through multilateral and bilateral collaboration efforts, between Viet Nam and Asian, African and Latin American countries, to detect and respond to illegal wildlife trade networks. Its wildlife health expertise has been leveraged to address unregulated wildlife trade and mitigation of pandemic threats, through collaborative research, training, and policy development. Recently, WCS Viet Nam has also expanded to species conservation, with a focus on finding and protecting Rafetus Swinhoei in the wild.

Job Summary

The Program Officer (PO), Researcher and Analyst works under the supervision and closely with the LEA Team Leader to achieve objectives of effective law enforcement. S/he is responsible for collecting, managing appropriate information and data from open sources and other official channels, and producing intelligence products. S/he uses experience in information researching, analytic writing, intelligence analysis, criminal/threat network analysis, and target development to compile and aggregate information and intelligence concerning wildlife trafficking; to package these into defined formats for action by relevant enforcement partners and stakeholders in Viet Nam.

Responsibilities

A.      Data collection and management

1. Conducts research from all sources including field trips to gather information about wildlife trafficking activities (trading patterns and network, locations, trends, and seizure incidents etc.);
2. Maintains and enrich databases of subjects of interest, using provided tools and in accordance with relevant standards, regulations and professional best practice;
3. Maintains and enrich a professional wildlife case management system and intelligence analysis system;
4. Manages daily import and extract information from field data.

B.      Analysis and report production

• Develops intelligence products of wildlife trafficking cases (narrative description, timelines, network analyses, target dossiers, data sheets and visualization etc.) based on given templates and formats that can be shared internal and external audience;
• Produces analysis-driven outputs such as situational analyses/reports, assessment of risks arising from illegal wildlife trade (IWT); information alerts, IWT briefings, IWT risk indicators, IWT typologies and potential red flags, etc.; 
• Maintains an intelligence analysis system and dissemination log of intelligence products.

C.       Networking and Partnership

• Builds and maintains partnerships with key government agencies at the central and local levels, and influential individuals in Viet Nam to maximize the value of the shared analysis products;
• Promotes the engagement of research/academic institutions, CSOs, NGOs…in monitoring the situation of wildlife trafficking in key locations;
• Contributes to the management of partner databases.

D.      Grant development and implementation

• Develops and executes all activities in charge;
• Provides IWT analysis and inputs to the fund-raising activities and proposals;
• Provide data and relevant IWT analysis for grant reports and programmatic updates.

E.       Others

• Supervises and liaises with consultants as appropriate;
• Acts as WCS’s representative at meetings and workshops as required;
• Performs other tasks as assigned by the direct supervisor.

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced/University degree in criminology, statistics, criminal laws, political sciences, international relations, forestry or other relevant fields;
• At least 3 years of professional experience working as an analyst in the relevant areas, experience in countering wildlife trafficking, and other illicit activities would be an advantage;
• Highly skilled in conducting research including data collection and management; synthetization,  analysis and generalization;
• Significant experience in addressing IWT issues by producing intelligence analysis products and other forms of information reports targeted at audiences in the law enforcement and criminal justice sector;
• Proficient in written and verbal communication skills in English language; knowledge of other languages a definite advantage;
• Have critical thinking and attention to detail;
• Computer skills mandatory, proficient in Microsoft Office Applications;
• Knowledge of data analysis software or intelligence gathering tools, data visualization is an advantage;
• Concern for wildlife conservation & environmental issues is an asset.

Application Process

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply via this link https://forms.gle/xqZSduTqFNmbRCc66  by 23:59 of 18 December 2022.

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.