Primatologist Specialist

November 19th, 2021 at 07:08 am

Job Description

Background

Tetra Tech ARD has been awarded the West Africa Biodiversity and Low Emission Development (WABiLED) under the Strengthening Tenure and Resource Rights (STARR II) IDIQ. WABiLED will be implemented with the support of five subcontracting implementing partners: Born Free USA, Winrock International, TRAFFIC, Re:Wild, and Dahlberg Associates.

WABiLED is a four-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with 3 core objectives: combating wildlife trafficking and enhancing great ape conservation; reducing deforestation, forest degradation, and biodiversity loss in key transboundary forest landscapes; and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing carbon sequestration from land use.

WABiLED is the successor project to the West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change (WA BiCC) program that was implemented by Tetra Tech and partners for five and a half years between 2015 and 2021.

To achieve these objectives, WABiLED will work with partners to strengthen the capacity of national and regional networks and institutions to enforce and prosecute wildlife laws across the region; implement regional and transboundary cooperation and biodiversity conservation strategies in the key forested countries of Guinea, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone; and improve capacity for economic planning and development of low emissions development strategies to reduce West Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to national and global climate commitments.

WABiLED’s targeted learning landscapes include three transboundary forest landscapes that were subject to interventions during WA BiCC and two proposed additional transboundary forest landscapes. All these landscapes are host to West African chimpanzee populations.

Landscapes continuing from WA BiCC:

Tai-Grebo-Krahn-Sapo (TGKS) between Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia Gola between Liberia and Sierra Leone, Ziama-Wonegizi-Wologizi (ZWW) between Guinea and Liberia

Proposed additional landscapes:

Mount Nimba between Guinea, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire Outamba-Kilimi-Kuru Hills/Madina-Oula + Soya-Pinselli (OKK-MOPS) between Sierra Leone and Guinea

Job Summary

The Primatologist Specialist is a core member of the technical team, and s/he reports to Tetra Tech’s Biodiversity Conservation Specialist who will collaborate closely with Objectives 1&3 leads.

Under the direct supervision of the Biodiversity Conservation Specialist, s/he is responsible for supporting the development and implementation of activities related to National Chimpanzee Conservation Action Plans (NCCAP) and implementation of the Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Western Chimpanzees (RAPCWC).

S/he will coordinate with the Re:Wild home office to develop SoW and identify STTA.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• Promote and coordinate chimpanzee conservation initiatives supported by WABILED at the regional and national levels, ensuring activities are aligned with and complementary to existing and upcoming projects.
• Ensure initiatives supported by WABILED are aligned with RAPCWC, its Implementation Committee, and NCAPs.
• Participate in transboundary management meetings.
• Help national institutions identify sources of additional funds and related activities for national and regional chimpanzee conservation.
• Provide input to NCCAPs in countries where a NCCAP has not yet been developed.
• Support the integration of a One Health approach in all aspects of primate conservation activities and work with existing One Health Platforms to integrate primate related components.
• Under the direction of the RAPCWC Implementation Committee, organize and coordinate Chimpanzee Working Groups and RAPCWC meetings.
• Work with government and implementing partners in achieving positive and sustainable Human Chimpanzee Coexistence programs where applicable.
• Work with government and implementing partners to support regional and national chimpanzee conservation action plans.
• Work with in-country experts to increase development of primate related research that will contribute to the conservation of wild populations in transboundary protected areas of the Mano River Union.
• Provide technical review of APS and grant applications related to chimpanzee conservation activities
• Introduce and coordinate use of A.P.E.S. in field projects with partners and other user groups where applicable.
• Support IUCN A.P.E.S. Database and Wiki’s team with information requests and other in-country projects as needed.
• Participate in IUCN ARRC Task Force and Primate WATCH Meetings as requested by the ARRC Task Force Lead.
• Contribute to the development or enhancement of guidelines for handling, care, rehabilitation and, where possible, reintroduction of confiscated wildlife in collaboration with existing rescue centers and in country wildlife rehabilitation experts, the CWT lead and BFUSA under objective 1 of WABiLED.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Biodiversity Conservation Specialist and the Chief of Party in coordination with Re:Wild and Objectives Leads.=

Required Skills or Experience

• Post-graduate degree in primatology or wildlife conservation related field.
• At least five years of relevant practical experience in interventions mainstreaming biodiversity surveys, monitoring and conservation.
• Experience in wildlife conservation, especially great apes, best practices in Sub-Saharan Africa/West Africa.
• Extensive experience in collaborating/networking with wildlife conservationists and decision makers at local regional and international levels.
• Fluent in both English and French.
  Excellent design, analytical and writing skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to interact with a wide range of stakeholders, including local communities, local and regional high-level government officials, wildlife and conservation experts, and donors.
• Experience working with multilateral or bi-lateral international donors such as ECOWAS, MRU, USAID, USFWS, USFS, GEF, EU, UNDP, UNREDD+, GIZ, SIDA, FIDA, FAO, AfDB, or the World Bank.

How To Apply

Submit your CV and cover letter to [email protected]

Deadline for Submission of Applications: 2nd December 2021