Programme Manager – Species, Forest and Freshwater

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Programme Manager – Species, Forest and Freshwater, WWF-Laos

Join one of the world's largest and most respected conservation organisations!

WWF has been a strong, credible and recognized global force in the world of conservation for the past half-century as we have strived to deliver on our mission of building a world where people thrive in harmony with nature. WWF has been working in Laos in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry since the late 1980’s and opened the country programme office in Vientiane in 2001. Since then, our team has grown to over 40 Lao and international staff, with offices in Vientiane, Savannakhet, Champassak, Salavan and Sekong provinces. WWF-Laos is part of the Regional Office of Asia-Pacific and works closely with the other countries in the Greater Mekong region (Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia).

With our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, we aim to increase our conservation impact by focusing on direct threats to wildlife, forests, and freshwater ecosystems, and by ensuring conservation initiatives eventually benefit the livelihoods of local and indigenous people. Our vision for Laos is that the human footprint stays within the country’s capacity to maintain the full spectrum of biological diversity and ecosystems, and the key services they provide, in order to enhance Lao people’s livelihood resilience and contribute to the sustainable conservation of the overall ecological integrity of the Greater Mekong region.

What does the Programme Manager – Species, Forest and Freshwater do?

The Programme Manager – Species, Forest and Freshwater (PM-SFF) is responsible for coordinating the implementation of WWF-Laos’ projects under the Wildlife (species), Forest and Freshwater Practices so that they deliver the results that WWF-Laos has committed to in its contractual agreements with project beneficiaries in Laos and to its donors. He/she will work with the Senior Conservation Team to prepare funding proposals and support the implementation of the strategic plan. He/she will also work in direct support of Project Managers and relevant Project Officers with regard to endangered species conservation.   As a member of the Country Management Team (CMT), the CPM shares responsibility for the overall performance of the Country Programme.

• Provide supervision and guidance to Landscape Managers, Practice Coordinators, and Project Managers under direct supervision, so that the programme delivers on conservation strategic objectives (as per the Strategic Plan of the Country Office) and WWF-Laos’s various contractual agreements;
• Ensure WWF-Laos projects under the Wildlife (species), Forest and Freshwater Practices act in accordance to policies and procedures to drive improved conservation and operation efficiency and effectiveness;
• Provide technical support to all WWF Laos projects or programmes involving endangered species conservation (including primates, Asian elephants, bears, saola, etc.), including guiding/advising research required to support conservation;
• Prepare project results and information on target species status to be shared with Government counterparts in an efficient and timely manner;
• Coordinate project implementation together with the Programme Manager – Combatting Illegal Wildlife Trade and develop synergies;
• Contribute to project proposals to raise funding for conservation work in Laos;
• Provide input to and review project technical project reports from the conservation programme and project teams;

Desired profile of applicants:

• Master’s degree or PhD in natural resources management, wildlife ecology, conservation biology, conservation management or in relevant fields;
• Qualification in project management, and/or in monitoring and evaluation is preferred;
• Credentials in conducting species conservation research is preferred.
• Proven experience in the fields of biodiversity conservation and/or species-specific research;
• At least 5 years of practical experience in managing programmes or large projects, of which at least 2 should be in Laos;
• Thorough understanding of socio-economic, conservation and development issues in Laos;
• Knowledge of the policy/institutional context related to conservation and Government agencies, development partners, donor institutions, and the not-for-profit sector in Laos
• Very good written and spoken English; Lao language skills is an added advantage;
• Proven capacity to work efficiently with senior Government officials, local authorities and technical agencies, local communities and donor representatives;
• Adhere to WWF’s values: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.
• Essential WWF behaviours: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaboration openly and innovation fearlessly.

For more information about WWF-Laos you can find out at http://www.wwf.org.la/.

The detailed job description is posted at http://www.wwf.org.la/about/work_with_us/ and available upon request. Interested candidates should apply by sending a cover letter and CV, in English language, to [email protected]. Applicants are requested to mention the name of the position applied for in the email subject.                                

Closing date: 10th July 2020

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

WWF does not charge or accept a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce.