Position: Regional CWT Technical Advisor

Reports to: Regional Director/Senior Technical Advisor, Central Africa

Liaises with: Africa Protected Area Management Unit, Global CWT Team, National Technical Teams.

Expected travel: Frequent travel in the region

Location:  Kigali, Rwanda

Country Program/Sector: Central Africa / Counter Wildlife Trafficking

Scope: Central Africa

Position Type: Full-Time

Start date: Immediate

Organizational 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/seascapes, and presence in more than 60 nations across the globe, WCS has amassed the scientific knowledge, cultural understanding, and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local people. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat, and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of rural people whose livelihoods depend on the utilization of natural resources.

Program Overview:

The Central Africa and Gulf of Guinea program is one of the largest of WCS’s 13 Global Regional Programs, spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, and Gabon. This is a rapidly growing program with a diverse and expanding portfolio of donors, partners and projects. The region presents a set of complex conservation challenges to biodiversity and their habitats and WCS field programs are addressing these through a number of initiatives including protected area management, community engagement, sustainable livelihoods, policy reform and sustainable financing. WCS recently formally established its regional hub in Kigali, Rwanda which hosts a growing team of technical specialists and regional management to support our country programs and field offices.

Job Purpose:

The CWT Technical Advisor will provide specialized technical assistance to support law enforcement capacity building, enhance intelligence sharing, acquire cogent information around the trafficking of wildlife, understand the trafficking networks involved, and develop appropriate strategies to support successful investigations and judicial outcomes. This position will work directly with WCS field programs in Central Africa in close coordination with the African Protected Areas Management Unit and the Counter Wildlife Trafficking Thematic Program.

Major Responsibilities:

• Provide technical guidance and coordination to Central Africa field programs to identify and prioritize information needs, mobilize the collection of information and analyses on the trafficking of WCS priority species (including African elephant, pangolins, and African grey parrot) in Central Africa to develop a detailed understanding to identify prevention focused interventions.
• Provide technical review of research and information collection plans and analytical products produced by country and regional programs.
• Provide technical support to and facilitate information and intelligence sharing where appropriate to government and international law enforcement agencies to tackle identified wildlife trafficking networks using the requisite legislation and tools
• Monitor and provide oversight and regular training to WCS information collectors, researchers and analysts to ensure they are operating at the highest professional standards of ethics, safety, and security in line with WCS Global policy and strategies.
• Support efforts to standardize, harmonize and centralize our CWT information systems through close engagement with our global, regional and country program staff, IT and conservation technology teams.
• In coordination with WCS field programs, APAMU, Safety & Security and the CWT thematic program to ensure data-sharing protocols, standard operating protocols and risk management protocols are implemented.
• In coordination with global Wildlife Crime Leadership Initiative coordinator, provide technical support and lead specific modules in efforts to enhance law enforcement capacity of our government partners in Central Africa.
• Foster partnerships and promote shared objectives on CWT with regional governmental and intergovernmental partners as needed through participation in relevant national and regional events and meetings, particularly those directly related to wildlife trade and crime such as CITES, INTERPOL, LATF and UNODC in Central Africa
• Provide inputs to assist fund-raising efforts for WCS’s programs on wildlife trafficking, identifying and enhancing support from existing and new sources, assisting in development of proposals and reports, building relationships with funders.

Job Qualifications:

• Minimum of five-year experience in a relevant sector or position e.g. law enforcement, criminal justice, investigations, CWT, and/or capacity building
• Experience working in Central Africa and an understanding of the geo-political context of the region.
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective relationships with police, prosecutors, or customs and within the NGO sector.
• Familiarity with analytic software and presentation tools, preferably iBase and Analyst Notebook,
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from mixed culture and capacity teams, both orally and in writing, in working out solutions to problems or questions related to the work.
• English and French language and proficiency (oral and written) required.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders and international organizations.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently and as part of a team.
• Strong commitment to the mission and values of the Wildlife Conservation Society.