Reports to: Programme Manager, Coastal Forests Programme
Supervises: Staff on site
Grade: A3
Duration Two years, renewable
Date: March 2014
I. Mission of the Department:
The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the World's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. It’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. The Coastal Forests Programme (CFP) contributes to this global mission by ensuring that the coastal forest ecosystems of Cameroon are ecologically functional, key flagship species populations are thriving and contributing to the local and national economy, and the forest ecosystems are contributing to global climate stability. In pursuit of this mission, the WWF signed two memoranda of understanding with the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources – South West Region (PSMNR-SWR), which is a development program of the Republic of Cameroon. The programme is co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW in cooperation with GIZ. The first memorandum covered the period 2006-2011 (Phase I), and the second MoU started on October 1, 2011 and is expected to run through to September 30, 2016 (Phase II). The goal of Phase II is to contribute towards the preservation of high-value ecosystems in South-West Region, thereby contributing to improved livelihoods of the surrounding communities in a sustainable manner. The purpose is sustainable forest and wildlife management by affected stakeholders for their benefit, with special emphasis on the poorer segments of the local populations. The Programme has the following results:
• RESULT 1 : TOUs assume their role as a platform for consultation, planning and mitigation
• RESULT 2 : Responsible management of FMUs, council forests and community forests is promoted
• RESULT 3 : Conservation Development Agreements are elaborated and Village Development Measures implemented
• RESULT 4: Effective Collaborative Management of Protected Areas
• RESULT 5: Sustainable financial mechanisms for PAs Management developed and implemented.
• RESULT 6 : The Program is coordinated effectively
Within the context of the current MoU, WWF-CFP is the partner responsible for Result 4 at the regional level and at the levels of Mt. Cameroon National Park, Korup National Park and Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary and to contribute to the achievement of Result 3. Initially, the Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary was not listed for implementation of the full-fledged programme approach, notably Result 3. As a result, WWF`s intervention at the site mostly focused on delivery of Results 4 with support to strengthen VFMCs, organize protection of the Sanctuary, implement NTFP collection and commercialization and to elaborate a management strategy. The PSMNR recently acquired additional funding and is considering implementing the full-fledged programme approach at Banyang-Mbo with additional responsibilities for WWF that necessitate the recruitment of a PTA.
The PTA is expected to lead delivery of Result 4 and contribute to achievement of Result 3. The key areas of performance are as follows:
• Protection of the Banyang-Mbo Wildlife sanctuary is assured through improved surveillance and combating of illegal exploitation of forest resources within the context of collaborative management;
• Collaborative management is effectively rolled out.
II. Major Duties and Responsibilities:
II.1.Administrative
• Develop semester and annual work plans and budgets for approval by the PSMNR-SWR;
• Draft quarterly and semester technical progress reports using standard WWF reporting format;
• Under the supervision of the Programme Manager ensure programme compliance to technical and financial reporting, monitoring and evaluation, for all relevant donors.
• Develop the monthly work plans and confirming financial cash requests to facilitate disbursements for implementation;
• Supervise and monitor the implementation of approved activities and budgets
• Ensure the adequate timely technical and financial reporting of activities and budgets
• Ensure regular monitoring of Result 4 activities according to PSMNR M/E system
• Develop the ToR for service providers or consultants to assist with implementation of the approved activities;
• Prepare requisitions for the purchase of BMWS equipment as agreed upon in work plans and budgets;
• Ensure the functioning and maintenance of BMWS equipment, including vehicles;
• Draft job description for site staff and regularly assess their job performance
• Ensures regular needs assessment for the office, staff, and intervene accordingly where and when necessary;
• Make arrangements for events such as visits, workshops, surveys, etc. as required
II.2.Sanctuary management
• Provide assistance in the implementation of sanctuary protection and surveillance plans within the context of collaborative management;
• Provide assistance in patrol data analysis and reporting, and introduction of SMART
• Monitor and evaluate regularly patrol effectiveness and propose adaptive management measures
• Collaborate with the Conservator, GFA/DFS short term expert in evaluating annually the management effectiveness of BMWS;
• Lead the implementation of the wildlife monitoring strategy;
• Provide assistance in organization of actions against poaching, illegal logging, and unsustainable NTFP collection and encroachment ;
• Provide assistance in the supervision, monitoring and evaluation of the technical performances of sanctuary personnel and plan for specific internal and external training programmes to meet the needs of the sanctuary;
• Establish an education and awareness campaign in the villages in and around BMWS;
• Provide assistance in the realization of basic research and tourism infrastructure Provide assistance in the revision and implementation of the BMWS management plan and business plan;
• Coordinate and implement where applicable systematic biological and socio-economic monitoring activities in the BMWS landscape.
• Develop key research projects to address conservation management issues for key species and habitats to address the highest priority conservation management questions faced by management.
• Coordinate the collection of good quality data as well as their management, analyses, transformation into reports and communication with other managers;
• Facilitate the liaison with other institutions and organizations in Cameroon and abroad, with a view to furthering CFP research objectives.
II.3.Collaborative management
• Provide assistance in the conceptualization and implementation of the new collaborative management strategy in close collaboration with BMWS conservation services and others;
• Provide assistance in negotiation of Conservation Development Agreements (CDA) between concerned communities and Sanctuary services, including agreeing with villages on user rights and commercial harvesting rules for the sustainable harvesting of NTFPS (collection rules, carrying capacity, monitoring...)
• Supervise the negotiation and establishment of clearly defined and locally well-accepted Cluster Control Zones (CCZ), and prioritize and map conservation objectives/activities within the CCZ
• Propose a work plan for collaborative activities (men days/activity/location) and supervise each of the planned activities
• Provide assistance in the supervision and implementation of Conservation Credit/bonus concepts.
• Provide assistance in building the capacity of local populations for effective participation in co-management of the PAs and sustainable use of natural resources;
III. Profile:
Required Qualifications
• Minimum of Bachelor degree or in one or more of following domains: forestry and wildlife, natural resource management, environment, rural geography, or any related specialization;
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the area of wildlife and protected area management or sustainable management of forest resources.
Required Skills and Competencies
• Strong technical skills in wildlife and protected areas management
• Strong bio/socioeconomic monitoring skills
• Good overview of legal and institutional framework in the area of forest and wildlife resources management in Cameroon.
• Strong technical, communication and organizational skills;
• Ability to work and interact with people of different backgrounds;
• Good team member and familiarity with the functioning of local and international organizations;
• Computer literate, knowledge of data analysis and GIS software, cybertracker, etc.
• Fluency in English and familiarity with French
Required Behavioral Skills
• Accountable, Persevering & Delivering Results;
• Willingness and ability to work in a remote area with low supervision.
• Proactive approach to meeting deadlines and delivering results with limited supervision
• Adhere to WWF’s values: Knowledgeable, Optimistic, Determined and Engaging.
IV. Working Relationships
Internal: WWF staff
External: Conservator, PSMNR coordination, GIZ TAs, external auditors, NGO’s, Local administrative and traditional authorities…
This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from PTA. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.
Contact Information:
Joel Kolokosso,
jkolokosso@wwfcarpo.org