Wildlife Trafficking Specialist - Promoting Tanzania’s Environment, Conservation and Tourism (PROTECT)

Application Deadline: 18-11-2016

Position/Title:               Wildlife Trafficking Specialist

Background

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 specific 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. PROTECT’s Wildlife Trafficking Specialist will 1) support the implementation of Component 4: Combat Wildlife Poaching and Trafficking;2) ensure that the other three PROTECT Components support anti-wildlife trafficking activities, 3) support the use of research, analysis and technology to combat wildlife trafficking, and 4) serve as PROTECT liaison with other USG efforts around CWT

Activities

The Wildlife TraffickingSpecialist supports the implementation and management of all Combating Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) activities under PROTECT. This will include providing direct support to the Component 4 Team Lead to implement the Component 4 activities. The Wildlife Trafficking Specialist will work closely with the Team Leads for Components 1, 2, and 3 to ensure that the other PROTECT Components are also supporting anti-wildlife trafficking efforts. S/he will also promote the use of research, analysis and technology to combat wildlife trafficking.  S/he will also be the primary link between the PROTECT CWT efforts and the multiple USG agencies engaged in CWT in Tanzania.  These activities include, but are not limited to:

·         Support the implementation of the  Activity 4 work plan including meeting all target deliverables,

·         In close collaboration with the COP and the other PROTECT Component teams, develop plans for PROTECT to:

o   Strengthen policy, research and advocacy agendas and actions around CWT (Component 1)

o   Strengthen institutions and build capacity of select organizations and institutions around CWT (Component 2)

o   Strengthen private sector engagement in CWT (Component 3)

·         In close collaboration with the PROTECT M&E Specialist, ensure that the PROTECT M&E plan adequately reports on Combatting Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) from across all of PROTECT components.

·         Expand and deepen the range of actors and methods involved in anti-poaching and anti-trafficking activities with an emphasis on promising technology, and proof of concept;

·         Ensure that new and appropriate technologies to detect trafficked wildlife products are included in all PROTECT trainings for government and non-government officials and workers including transportation, shipping, and customs agents;

·         Support interagency wildlife trafficking efforts to strengthen data collection and analysis tools to permit joint sharing of information, planning, and interdiction operations.

·         Liaise regularly with other USG agencies and ensure that PROTECT’s support is complementary to other USG efforts to provide technical assistance to the GOT.

·         Engage with other groups working in the area of anti-wildlife trafficking and wildlife crimes (national and international NGOs, researchers) to harmonize work plans and leverage efforts.

·         Develop and supervise consultancies, grants and subcontracts, to achieve program objectives

·         Complete any other duties/activities as directed by the COP in line with the Project’s objectives and the Employee’s abilities.

Reporting

The Wildlife Trafficking Specialist will report to the Chief of Party.

Qualifications

·         Minimum of 5 years of managerial and/or technical experience in wildlife crimes, wildlife trafficking.

·         Proven experience in undertaking research and analysis on wildlife trafficking

·         Experience with technology, data and analysis around combating wildlife trafficking

·         3-5 years of experience with institutional capacity building experience to wildlife law enforcement officials.

·         Ability to liaise and coordinate effectively with USG officials

·         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.