The PROTECT Project
is a five-year USAID-funded initiative implemented by International Resources
Group (IRG). The objective of PROTECT is to address the dynamics that threaten
biodiversity conservation and inhibit private sector-led growth in Tanzania’s
natural resource sector. PROTECT will achieve these objectives by implementing
activities in four specifi
c areas: 1) policy, research, and advocacy; 2)
institutional strengthening; 3) nature-based economic strengthening; and 4)
combating wildlife poaching and trafficking.
The illegal trade of
Tanzanian wildlife is a complex problem with many roots. These roots include
insufficient political will, conflicting policies, dysfunctional organizations
and institutions, poorly hatched economic schemes to incentivize best practices
in wildlife management, cultural antipathy toward wildlife, and inadequate
capacity in technical areas related to wildlife conservation. That heavily
armed militias are poaching wildlife with apparent impunity speaks to the poor
management and economic viability of the reserves, wildlife management areas
(WMAs), and other wildlife areas. And the frequent emergence of Tanzania’s
wildlife contraband in foreign consumer markets suggests collusion by private
and public sector actors from the wildlife area to all downstream points of
sale. Stamping out the illegal trade of Tanzania’s wildlife will therefore
require a clear-eyed understanding of the complexity of the problem and the
ability to address it at all levels working with all stakeholders at all
control points of the supply chain.
Objective
Recognizing the many
government agencies and levels of government that are implicated and complicit
in the illegal wildlife trade, the PROTECT project will take a
whole-of-government approach to implement anti-poaching and anti-trafficking
interventions. Project activities will stem from a “supply chain” understanding
of the problem. PROTECT’s Biodiversity
Conservation Biologist/Wildlife Trafficking & Poaching Specialist
will implement and oversee efforts under Activity
4: Combat Wildlife Poaching and Trafficking.
Activities
Biodiversity
Conservation Biologist/Wildlife Trafficking & Poaching Specialistwill be responsible for
implementing, managing and providing oversight to achieve the objectives of the
project – on time, on scope and on budget – and will specifically be
responsible for activities identified for Activity 4. These activities include,
but are not limited to:
- Adhere
to, and implement, the Activity 4 work plan and budget – meeting all
target deliverables (as referenced in the approved 18 month work plan and
GANT chart; the Monitoring and Evaluation plan, and TNZ PROTECT Task
Order) – over the life of the project. - Lead
efforts to map out the illegal wildlife supply chain, including the main
control points, transit routes, and financial flows, and prioritize
subsequent interventions. - Support
the Government of Tanzania, – in particular, the MNRT, TANAPA, and TAWA,
WMAs, game reserves, national police, customs, ports, airports, and courts
– to more effectively combat wildlife poaching and trafficking in Tanzania. - In
close collaboration with the COP and Institutional Strengthening Lead,
develop a plan to increase the capacity of select organizations and
institutions related to wildlife poaching and trafficking. - Liaise
regularly with other USG agencies and augment their work in providing
technical assistance to the GOT. - Engage
also with other groups working in the area of anti-wildlife poaching and
trafficking (other bilateral missions, BINGOs, national NGOs, private
sector, etc.) to harmonize work plans and leverage efforts. - Support
research in the area of biodiversity inventories. - Mitigate
the threat of poaching through a range of interventions with may include
increasing the number of game rangers, increasing the frequency of
patrols, increasing the enforcement capability of game rangers and WMA
officials, sniffer dogs, the use of appropriate tracking/monitoring
technologies, and the improvement of a more efficient fee collection
system. - Increase
the detection capacity of the Airport Authority, Port Authority, customs
and transport sectors to detect movement wildlife contraband. - Increase
the capacity of the enforcement, prosecution, and judiciary authorities to
detain, prosecute and appropriately sentence wildlife poaching and
trafficking offenders. Technical areas for capacity strengthening may
include, but are not limited to: - Training
judges and paralegals in laws and regulations on the illegal use and
trafficking of wildlife; - Training
enforcement personnel in wildlife crime forensics and investigation; and - Enhancing
coordination among and between legal entities engaged in supporting
wildlife enforcement. - Command
the respect of a diversity of stakeholders such as national level and
local level officials and people. - Comply
in a timely, compliant fashion with the achievement and reporting of the
expected results – within budget and across the applicable indicators – as
specified in the monitoring and evaluation plan. - Promote
interactions and cross-team exchanges through the mobilization of in-house
expertise. - Support
initiatives to promote effective project visibility. - Contribute
to the promotion of a collaborative work environment and team spirit. - Facilitate
effective orientation of new technical staff. - Complete
any other duties/activities as directed by the COP in line with the
Project’s objectives and the Employee’s abilities.
Reporting
The Biodiversity Conservation
Biologist/Wildlife Trafficking & Poaching Specialistwill
report to the Chief of Party.
Qualifications
- Minimum
of 10 years of managerial and/or technical experience biodiversity
conservation and combatting wildlife trafficking and poaching. - Proven
experience in undertaking activities aimed at improving wildlife
conservation, protected area management (including community-based
conservation), wildlife laws and policies. - Experience
working with protected area authorities and wildlife ministries. - 3-5
years of experience with developing and delivering training or other
institutional capacity building experience to wildlife law enforcement
officials. - Ability
to liaise and coordinate effectively with senior officials within the
Government of Tanzanian. - Bachelor’s
Degree or equivalent in environmental or ecological sciences,
environmental law, enforcement. - USAID
donor experience, a plus. - Must be
fluent in English with strong report writing ability.
Please send Resumes
and Cover Letters to biodiversity.experts@engilitycorp.com