West Africa and Central Africa Counter Wildlife Crime (CWC) Coordinator

Panthera Corporation

Panthera is the only organization in the world that is devoted exclusively to the conservation of the world’s 40 wild cat species and their ecosystems. Utilizing the expertise of the world’s premier cat biologists, Panthera develops and implements global strategies for the most imperiled species. Representing the most comprehensive effort of its kind, Panthera partners with local and international NGOs, scientific institutions, local communities, governments around the globe, and citizens who want to help ensure a future for wild cats. Panthera Corporation consists of Panthera Corporation- USA and several foreign legal entities and foreign branch offices. For more on Panthera, visit www.panthera.org.

Overview

Panthera’s CWC program provides technical expertise and strategic input to regional teams across Asia, Africa and the Americas. The West and Central Africa CWC Coordinator will report to the Regional Director and work closely with Panthera’s global CWC team to counter the diverse threats facing wild cats. The Coordinator will oversee CWC activities in West and Central Africa in support of Panthera’s species and regional objectives and goals, ensuring that best practices and consistent approaches in CWC are implemented across project areas. The position holder will coordinate closely with Country Directors, Species Directors and Project Coordinators, as well as their counterparts in the other cross-cutting programs. This is a new position within the organisation and there is significant scope for growth.

Responsibilities & duties

Integrate CWC experience and best practices into West and Central Africa regional planning and implementation.

• Provide the main contact point between Panthera’s regional projects and the global CWC team;
• Line manage regional CWC staff, including Project Leads and Analysts;
• Support effective development and tasking of regional staff involved in CWC activities including site protection teams, information support teams, information collectors, analysts and technicians;
• Work with regional staff and the Hub Director to ensure that CWC expertise is fully integrated into project-level strategic and tactical planning, and harmonise overall CWC activity with the agreed strategy;
• Support development of CWC strategic, operational and case study documents;
• Promote effective collaboration among key stakeholders to bring about coordinated interventions to reduce wildlife crime;
• Promote sound strategic and tactical decision making, using timely and accurate information;
• Promote and implement effective risk management encompassing operational and project risks;
• Maintain a working knowledge of legislation, national standards, good practice and innovative approaches in CWC activities;
• Support regional staff to ensure CWC-led activities complement existing work with government entities and non-government organizations and ensure workplan and budget alignment;
• Promote cross-regional cooperation, staff exchanges and communication within Panthera;
• Support the development and tracking of effective metrics to enable monitoring and evaluation of CWC interventions.

Lead CWC-led contracts and identify opportunities for the expansion of Panthera’s CWC activities in support of the organisation’s regional and species strategies.

• Oversee implementation of Panthera’s global Big Trafficking Project in West Africa
• Support fundraising activities including proposal and report writing and budget development;
• Submit accurate and timely monthly programmatic and financial reports on activities in the region.

Support CWC capacity building in West and Central Africa.

• Identify and help fill gaps in personnel and capacity through recruitment of project personnel, specialist personnel, and training and mentoring of regional staff and partner agencies and;
• Ensure adoption of CWC best practices in data collection and management, analysis, site security, human rights, crime prevention and others;

Regional travel.

• Travel within, and occasionally outside, the region as appropriate.

Required Traits, Skills & Experience

• At least 6 years of relevant professional experience in wildlife conservation and protection, law enforcement, or crime prevention;
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills including fluency in verbal and written English and French;
• Experience working in the NGO conservation sector is advantageous;
• Demonstrable experience in adopting alternative or unfamiliar ways of working;
• Proven ability to train and mentor stakeholders including law enforcement or partner NGOs;
• Experience in international assistance projects or CWC projects, with a deep understanding of how to effectively manage multi-sector relationships is advantageous;
• Strong project management skills, with ability to multitask and work efficiently under deadlines;
• Experience in management of small teams both remotely and in person;
• Ability to operate under minimal supervision and remain focused on operational objectives;
• Experience with grant budgeting and reporting (technical and financial) and;
• Experience living in austere field conditions