Technical Specialist, Biodiversity & Conservation Monitoring, Eastern Africa

Overview

Start Date: As soon as possible

Duration of contract: Two-year fixed term contract.

Probation Period: Six months

Salary: Circa USD 38,000

Location: Kampala, Uganda with frequent travel to South Sudan and elsewhere in East Africa.

Benefits: National appointments – benefits according to local labour law

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 working days, plus national holidays observed in Uganda.
• Medical insurance coverage.

Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours, Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job in the field.

Other: This position is open to: Ugandan Nationals; applicants with work permits to work in Uganda valid for an initial 2 years; applicants willing to process Ugandan work permits at their own cost, especially from the East Africa community and from countries where work permit costs are waivered.

The Technical Specialist, Biodiversity & Conservation Monitoring, Eastern Africa will represent FFI with East Africa Regional and National government agencies, communities and community-based organisations; international and national partner NGOs and for-profit entities, academic institutions, regional, national and international scientists, funders and donors, representing the values and interests of FFI at all times. This role will support FFIs engagement with IGCP on technical aspects.

Purpose:

Working with the Technical Specialist, Biomonitoring, Africa the Technical Specialist, Biodiversity & Conservation Monitoring, East Africa will:

• Ensure that FFI and our partner organisations are able to make adaptive management decisions for conservation impact, through providing scientifically robust monitoring data
• Ensure work is aligned across the East Africa Region in an efficient manner ensuring biodiversity and ranger-based monitoring methods are harmonised, fit for purpose and knowledge and skills are shared among sites
• Ensure FFI and partners are taking an appropriate science-based approach to influence decision makers, policy makers and other stakeholders

Responsibilities

Main responsibilities

• Ensure that biodiversity monitoring design and methods are comparable across the East Africa sites
• Undertake, lead and enable high quality analysis of data for conservation decision-making
• Ensure that all biomonitoring and ranger-based monitoring work is designed, planned and coordinated with East Africa landscape managers (or equivalent roles) and partner organisations
• Ensure FFI and partner biomonitoring and ranger-based monitoring approaches are designed and implemented to global best practice including the highest ethical standards, and aligning with FFIs wider work, including activities, timelines and budgets committed to in projects
• Ensure all biomonitoring and ranger-based monitoring data is collected, processed, analysed, and reported on efficiently, to ensure that FFI and partners are able to use the information effectively in decision making
• Keep up to date with latest biodiversity monitoring, and ranger-based monitoring methods, approaches and tools, including developments in conservation technology
• Identify knowledge and capacity gaps and adapt/develop training materials and programmes related to: survey design; biomonitoring and ranger-based monitoring data collection; data processing; analysis and reporting
• Provide mentorship and ongoing training to FFI staff, rangers, partner organisations, students, and interns to enable them to design biodiversity surveys, collect, process, and analyse data, and produce reports on biomonitoring and ranger-based monitoring data
• Ensure long term planning for biodiversity monitoring is in place through ongoing development and review of biomonitoring plans for FFI supported sites (aligning with FFI’s strategic planning process and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks)
• Ensuring long term plans feed into and align with Conservation Area Management Plans and key documents such as National or Regional Species Conservation Plans
• Ensure that FFI teams, civil society and government partners contribute to and are aligned with long term biomonitoring plans
• Ensure ranger-based monitoring plans feed into and align with Conservation Area Management Plans, and that data are reported on in a timely manner that can be used for adaptive management of patrols
• Ensure all data is appropriately stored, backed up and managed and all outputs are stored using FFI SharePoint systems, and enable FFI staff and partners to manage data appropriately, acknowledging appropriate data ownership and sharing
• Work collaboratively with FFIs Analytics Team to ensure GIS and spatial data is processed and accessible to FFI staff
• Contribute to wider FFI and donor reporting as requested and appropriate

External Engagement

• Represent FFI on relevant fora ranging from communities to governments and East Africa regional bodies, as agreed with Technical Specialist, Biomonitoring, Africa and the wider FFI Eastern Africa team
• Identify opportunities and coordinate the development of increasing FFI’s profile on biodiversity monitoring, species conservation and conservation technology
• Lead and enable FFI and partner involvement in any National or Regional Species Action Plans and relevant working groups
• Where relevant, input into processes such as Environmental Impact Assessments and biodiversity elements for meeting relevant third-party standards (for example those required to meet REDD+ and biodiversity offset criteria), where Nature Based Solutions are being proposed by both FFI and external work
• Under the direction of Technical Specialist, Biomonitoring, Africa, ensure data sharing and storage agreements are in place with relevant partners

Fund Management

• As agreed with Technical Specialist, Biomonitoring, Africa, undertake specific fund management responsibilities where appropriate including:
  • Ensure all funding proposals and resulting contracts and grant agreements are appropriate to, and comply with, FFI operating standards, the Delegation of Authority (DoA), and implementation context within the region
  • Work with in-country project managers to deliver grant funded projects within timeframes and budgets
  • Manage procurement processes, identifying and negotiating with contractors and suppliers for materials and services, in accordance with institutional and donor requirements
  • Coordinate inputs from relevant staff, consultants and implementing partners, ensuring appropriate contracts are in place
  • Lead FFI and fund report writing and editing, coordinating the inputs of team members, cross-cutting teams, specialists and partners, ensuring accurate and timely reports as per FFI and donor requirements
  • Be responsible for fund finances and financial records with specific attention on tracking and forecasting expenditure to ensure fund delivery is on budget and compliance with donor requirements and FFI regulations, and the DoA
• In collaboration with Country and Landscape Managers (or equivalent roles), ensure smooth start up or integration into existing work of fund activities, including ensuring that agreed work plans are in place to meet aims, objectives and timelines
• Collaborate with relevant regional staff members to ensure the delivery of fund activities against the workplan, targets and budgets, coordinating the inputs of regional and cross-cutting teams and partners as necessary and appropriate, considering other programme commitments to ensure effective and timely completion of deliverables
• Proactively disseminate lessons learnt both internally and externally as agreed and appropriate

Other

• Perform any other tasks that may be requested from time to time that are appropriate to skills and experience
• Undertake international travel to project sites, relevant conferences and international meetings as required
• If required, provide strong and motivational line management to staff through objective setting, continuous performance management, annual appraisal, training provision and personal development planning
• Contribute to FFIs community of practice on conservation and biodiversity impact monitoring
• Work as an active member of the East Africa and wider Africa team and attend Africa team meetings as required

Additional education

• A Master’s degree in conservation biology, ecology, natural resources management, or other relevant discipline or equivalent work experience in a relevant field

Experience

Additional experience

• Experience in providing technical oversight of work related to biodiversity conservation monitoring
• Knowledge of global best practice guidelines related to the monitoring of biodiversity and ranger-based monitoring
• Experience of identifying knowledge or capacity, and developing and implementing training materials
• Experience of using or implementing ranger based monitoring tools such as SMART for adaptive conservation area management
• Experience of using conservation technology tools such as eDNA, camera traps, Earth Ranger etc.
• Demonstrable experience of using GIS and data analysis software such as ArcGIS, QGIS, SPSS, R, DISTANCE or other relevant software
• Experience working in Uganda and/or the wider East African Sub-region
• Knowledge of the Albertine Rift in Uganda or Western Equatoria in South Sudan
• An understanding of key issues affecting the conservation status of threatened species such as pangolins, mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, elephant and landscape level biodiversity conservation.
• Experience of publishing scientific articles in peer reviewed journals.
• Valid driver’s license

Additional skills

• Outstanding communicator with ability to ensure effective communication flows within and between different teams and individuals
• Commitment to FFI’s mission and values Builds positive personal and organisational relationships, working and communicating effectively across teams, partners and disciplines, showing commitment to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity
• Willingness to regularly travel to and work in remote locations with limited resources and amenities for extended periods of time
• Applies sound judgement under pressure
• Approachable, and adopts a proactive and pre-emptive approach to work

• Self-motivated, independent and resourceful, as well as a team player

Terms and conditions

Right to work in Uganda or willingness to apply and cover the costs of a work permit.

HOW TO APPLY.

Applications, consisting of a covering letter explaining why you feel you should be considered for this post, a full CV (tailored to the role as advertised, highlighting relevant experience and achievements) and contact details for two referees (who will not be contacted without your permission) should be sent to africajobs@fauna-flora.org.

Please mark your application ‘Technical Specialist, Biodiversity & Conservation Monitoring, Eastern Africa’.

The closing date for applications is 20 November 2022. Interviews are likely to be held during the week commencing28 November 2022.Candidates selected for interview will be contacted by email or telephone – please specify your preferred method of contact in your covering letter and indicate where you saw the position advertised.

Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.

APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES

FFI encourages applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the post. If you have special needs in relation to your application, please contact Jade Bedwell, HR Adviser, FFI, on Tel: +44 (0)1223 749044 or Email: jade.bedwell@fauna-flora.org.