JOB DESCRIPTION
Position title: Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Advisor – Nigeria
Reports to: WCS Nigeria Country Director
Location: Calabar, Nigeria
Country Program/Sector: Nigeria/Wildlife Crime
Position Type: Full Time
Internal liaison: WCS Nigeria staff, Counter Wildlife Trafficking Coordinator, Africa
Start Date: as soon as possible
Expected travel: Some national travel in Nigeria
Duration: 2 years (renewable)
Organization Background:
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit organization founded in 1895. Its mission is to preserve wildlife and wilderness by understanding critical problems, developing scientific solutions and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, a presence in more than 60 countries, and experience in the creation of more than 150 protected areas around the world, WCS has accumulated the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships needed to ensure that wild places and animal species thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct use of natural resources.
Job Summary:
The Counter Wildlife Trafficking Advisor will provide support to relevant field programs in Cross River State and Calabar, conducting collection, assessment, evaluation and analysis of information to develop an in-depth understanding of wildlife trafficking of our priority species and illegal logging to guide interventions by state partners, law enforcement and counterparts.
Major Responsibilities:
- Following training, identify and manage potential sources of information regarding illegal logging and wildlife trafficking in the region;
- Following training, implement and manage a system of information management;
- Following training, regularly update the WCS Case Management System with actions and interventions, including – but not limited to – any impending prosecutions or court casesd explicitly linked with WCS CWT activity;
- Following training, and in close collaboration with regional CWT staff, to support and advise country program offices on staffing, systems, and protocols to ensure our information and intelligence work is conducted to a high quality, ethically, transparently and safely;
- Produce regular information and intelligence reports about wildlife trafficking to support the WCS interventions, government counterparts, inter-governmental bodies, and the private sector;
- Identify, develop and manage new partnerships with relevant law enforcment agencies and NGO partners to strengthen and support our research and intelligence priorities on CWT in the region;
- Provide inputs to assist fund-raising efforts for WCS’s programs on wildlife trafficking, identifying and enhancing support from existing and new sources, assisting in development of proposals and reports, building relationships with funders;
- Maintain and apply understanding of wildlife trafficking features and context, patterns and trends for WCS priority species and strongholds in the region;
- Coordinate and consolidate information gathering and analysis across WCS Nigeria programs on priority species commodity flows and/or themes.
Required skills and experience
- Experience and/or interest in research, analysis, and/or targeting of crime, and/or wildlife crime, policing, intelligence or criminology.
- Knowledge and understanding of criminal judicial processes in Nigeria.
- A very clear ability to communicate with a wide variety of individuals, to show empathy, and to be able to make rapid assessments of various character traits and emotions to enable accurate reporting and effective management of sources of information.
- The capacity to acquire and use new, complex skills in a short space of time.
- An assertive attitude, combined with strong diplomatic skills are obligatory – applicants must be at ease liaising with a wide variety of law enforcement and governmental personnel with whom they will be expected to develop strong, trusted working relationships.
- Ability to communicate effectively within cross-cultural teams of varied capacity, both orally and in writing, in working out solutions to problems or questions related to the work, writing clear and concise intelligence products, and delivering written and verbal presentations;
- Familiarity with usual software systems, and familiarity with mobile communcations, internet communications and messaging applications of all types is essential.
The position is available for Nigerian nationals only.
The applicant shall provide his/her expected salary in the application.
Application process
Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, skills and experience, should apply by emailing a detailed application/cover letter and CV together with the names and contact information of three references to: nigeriaapplications@wcs.org. Please include “Nigeria CWT Advisor” in the subject line of your email. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
Application Deadline: 1 October 2022
About WCS
The Wildlife Conservation Society is an international NGO headquartered at Bronx Zoo in New York City working to save wildlife and wild lands and to meet global challenges in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americans, and the world’s oceans. The Africa Program is the largest of WCS’s field programs, with approximately 1,100 staff in 12 country programs focused across four major regions (Central Africa, Sudano-Sahel, East and Southern Africa, and Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean). Our MISSION is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education and inspiring people to value nature. Our VISION is a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. Our GOAL is to conserve the world’s largest wild places in 16 priority regions, home to more than 50% of the world’s biodiversity. Our VALUES are Respect, Accountability and Transparency, Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion, Collaboration, Integrity. WCS is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value.