WildAid
Forestry and Wildlife Programme Coordinator, Gabon
JOB DESCRIPTION
WildAid is seeking a Forestry and Wildlife Programme Coordinator to work on our new project in Gabon, which has the objective of raising public awareness of the effects of illegal fishing and logging, and encouraging the community of Gabon to act against these detrimental practices. The goals of the campaign are to:
1. Raise public awareness: The primary goal is to educate and inform the people of Libreville, Port Gentil, and Gabon in general about the detrimental effects of illegal fishing and logging. We will increase public understanding of the environmental, economic, and social consequences associated with these activities.
2. Behaviour change: Encourage individuals to take a stand against illegal fishing and logging by adopting sustainable practices. Motivate citizens to report illegal activities, support conservation efforts, and promote responsible fishing and logging practices.
3. Community engagement: Foster a sense of ownership and responsibility amongst the people of Gabon. Encourage active participation in events, workshops, and seminars that promote environmental conservation and sustainable resource management.
4. Advocacy and policy support: Generate public support for stronger regulations and enforcement measures against illegal fishing and logging. Advocate for policy changes that enhance the protection of marine resources and forests in Gabon.
5. Partnerships and collaborations: Establish partnerships and collaborations with local organizations, government bodies, press and influencers to create a united front against illegal activities. Leverage collective efforts to maximize the campaign's impact and sustainable outcomes.
6. Long-term awareness and behaviour shift: Create a lasting impact by instilling a sense of responsibility and understanding of the importance of preserving marine resources and forests. Lay the foundation for long-term behaviour change and sustainable practices among individuals and communities.
WildAid is a global pioneer in promoting human behaviour change to reduce demand for wildlife products and increase awareness for environmental conservation. Since our founding, we have become the premier conservation organisation focused on facilitating behaviour change through world-class communications campaigns and in-country capacity building, while leveraging our funding’s impact through pro-bono media partnerships. WildAid’s communications and educational initiatives, featuring trusted influencers, annually reach hundreds of millions of people around the world.
In Africa, our focus is on Cameroon, Gabon and Tanzania. WildAid works to increase local support for conservation, support efforts to end the trafficking of illegal wildlife products and significantly reduce the bushmeat trade.
Job role
• Act as WildAid’s representative on the ground in Gabon
• Manage relationships with key institutions (e.g. Gabon Ministry of Forests), project partners (e.g. NGOs), the media (e.g. TV channels) and donors
• Take the lead role in implementing project activities, ensuring that they are completed on time and in line with the budget
• Oversee the timely collection of data to measure and monitor project impact
• Co-design and produce campaign media content, including recruiting influencers and organizing filming trips
• Ensure the effective distribution of materials (e.g. printed, video, social media) to target audiences
• Manage the social media manager/content creator to create and post regular output on social media channels
• Manage relationships with implementing partners
• Build relationships with the media and journalists and implement an environmental media awards scheme
• Build WildAid’s fundraising network in Gabon
Direct reports: 1 - Social Media Manager/Content Creator
Key Competencies and Ideal Profile
We seek an entrepreneurial, outgoing person with strong communication and organizational skills. Experience in journalism, either in television, radio or print, would be a considerable asset. A passion for wildlife conservation is essential. Contacts within the media and government are highly desirable.
The successful candidate will be confident developing close relationships with government, other conservation organizations, and communities, while also recruiting and maintaining relationships with celebrities and opinion leaders to act as wildlife ambassadors. They will be willing to travel within Gabon and comfortable spending time in rural areas conducting filming, radio production, and hands-on training in communities. They will be inspired by the opportunity to play a pivotal role in WildAid’s efforts to promote a sustainable model of human-wildlife coexistence.
All WildAid staff members must be comfortable in an entrepreneurial culture. Strong project management skills and the ability to prioritize multiple - often competing - demands are critical. The successful candidate must be able to work independently when needed, but also communicate and work closely with colleagues when required. They must also have excellent interpersonal skills to influence and collaborate with partners.
Minimum Qualifications & Skills
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations, journalism, communications, conservation, development or a related field
• Five years related work experience in Gabon
• Five years demonstrated experience of managing project budgets, workplans etc.
• Immaculate financial record-keeping
• Excellent writing and editing skills in French and English
• Strong verbal communication skills in French and English
• Competence and familiarity with MS Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.)
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Highly-organised multi-tasker
• Legal right to work in Gabon
Desirable Experience
• Experience of creating communications content, e.g. video, radio, written
• Experience of organising events
Location: Libreville
Contract length and remuneration: 18-month contract. WildAid pays competitive rates aimed at attracting high-quality candidates.
To apply: Please send your CV and a one-page cover letter to Simon Denyer, Africa Program Manager at WildAid at denyer@wildaid.org by Sept 24, 2024, No phone calls please. Due to the high volume of applications, only those chosen to interview will be contacted.