Cameroon: Head of Policy, Central Africa Wildlife Crime Programme (WCP)
Country: Cameroon
Closing date: 15 May 2014
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the largest independent conservation organizations in the world. We are an international NGO committed to environmental protection active in almost 100 countries and have been working in the Congo Basin since 1978.
WWF has a focus on forest conservation through developing and managing protected areas, while promoting sustainable forestry practices and community conservation. WWF’s and IUCN’s wildlife trade programme, TRAFFIC, has also been working on wildlife trade-related priority issues in the region. One of the greatest current threats to Congo Basin ecosystems is poaching and illegal transnational trade in wildlife products, currently ranked as the 5th largest transnational illicit trade worldwide, after counterfeiting, drugs, people, and oil. Over the past two years, WWF & TRAFFIC ran a global illegal wildlife trade campaign, which included a Central Africa strand. As a result of this work, WWF and TRAFFIC are currently starting a global Wildlife Crime Programme (WCP).
WWF-Central Africa Regional Programme Office (CARPO) seeks a Head of Policy whose major functions will be developing and delivering the Central Africa strand of the WWF and TRAFFIC WCP, securing high level political and corporate commitments as well as programmatic impact delivery. S/He will do this through two primary functions:
- Develop and lead implementation of a political, partners and corporate engagement strategy (40%)
- Coordinate the overall programme in the Central Africa region (60%).
Location: The position will be based in Yaoundé, Cameroon (with frequent trips)
Duration: 2 years renewable.
Main responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Regional Conservation Director/GPP Leader, the Head of Policy has the following duties and responsibilities:
- Develop, coordinate and lead implementation of the Central Africa strand of the WWF / TRAFFIC wildlife crime programme, including working with regional and international communicators to use communications effectively and strategically;
- Support the implementation of negotiation, lobbying and outreach strategies of the programme, engage key external stakeholders;
- Support Country Offices and TRAFFIC Central Africa to engage more effectively with their governments, the corporate sector and the public, provide capacity development and programmatic oversight to teams;
- Identify and develop strategic partnerships and alliances around wildlife crime in Central Africa with key players, particularly in key donor countries or demand countries for illegal wildlife trade, to ensure effective achievement of programme objectives;
- Advise and oversee the development of a comprehensive system for the gathering and knowledge-sharing of information and developments relating to illicit trade (seizures, prosecutions etc);
- Ensure that the Central African work is fully integrated with -and supports the global WWF/TRAFFIC WCP.
What you need:
Required Qualifications
- At least 10 years’ experience in national and/or regional/international policy advocacy, including high level political negotiations, preferably within a Central African context;
- Minimum bachelor’s degree;
- Strong working knowledge of political and policy making processes within Central Africa;
- Proven track record in successfully developing, leading, and managing projects in the field of wildlife conservation or law enforcement.
Required skills and competencies
- Demonstrated ability to deliver high level policy outcomes;
- Strong ability to initiate, build and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders;
- Excellent organizational skills with ability to prioritize;
- Strong technical skills, ability to develop and co-ordinate conservation programmes and projects, and to work effectively with a wide variety of partners and disciplines.
- Good working knowledge of both English and French;
- Adhere to WWF’s values: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.
Please consult the attached job description for more information on the position.
How to apply:
Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are invited to send a cover letter and a detailed CV to the address recruitcarpo@wwfcarpo.org
The subject should read HPE.
Please note that only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted for follow up. If you have not been contacted six (6) weeks after closing, consider your application unsuccessful.
Deadline for applications: 15 May 2014.
WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce
