Project Officer

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) – Terms of Reference

FFI’s mission is to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, based on sound science, and which take into account human needs. FFI’s strategy to achieve this mission is to work with in-country organisations at all levels to support them in identifying and implementing country led sustainable solutions.

The FFI Programme in Vietnam is implementing projects to conserve Western black-crested gibbons at Mu Cang Chai Species & Habitat Conservation Area of Yen Bai province and Muong La Nature Reserve of Son La province, Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys at Khau Ca Species & Habitat Conservation Area and Quan Ba district of Ha Giang province, Cao Vit gibbons at Trung Khanh Species & Habitat Conservation Area of Cao Bang province, Cat Ba langurs at Cat Ba National Park of Hai Phong City, Delacour langurs at Kim Bang forest of Ha Nam province, Northern white-cheeked gibbons at Pu Mat National Park of Nghe An province, and Grey shanked douc at Kon Plong forest of Kon Tum province.

Fauna & Flora International - Vietnam Programme

is recruiting a

Project Officer – Pu Mat National Park

Pu Mat National Park (PMNP) is one of Vietnam’s largest protected areas at 94,804 ha and forms the heart of the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve. The national park is also transboundary to significant forest blocks in Laos, forming one of the largest, most important forest complexes in the region. Pu Mat is the highest priority site for conservation of the Critically Endangered northern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) in Vietnam. PMNP and its gibbon population face considerable and persistent threats. Authorities have been unable to meaningfully control access into the forest, which lies along the international border with Laos. The large size of the forest and its extreme topography afford it natural protection, but park managers admit that hunting, mainly snaring, remains a very serious issue. Hunting with guns and illegal logging are rarer, but are still reported. High rates of local poverty, demand for wildlife products in nearby towns and cities, and a number of recent roads, built into the park for national security/border patrols, only serve to exacerbate the problems.

Since 2016, FFI and the Park have been cooperating to increase forest patrols and provide a disincentive for hunting through direct apprehension of hunters, destruction of hunting camps and trap lines, snare removal and gun confiscations – as key strategies to control this threat (PMNP, 2013; 2018). Efforts to date have focused on improving and operating community-based patrolling within two ‘No Kill Zones’ (covering around 36,000 ha) though Community Conservation Teams (CCT)* , as way of piloting Zero Poaching in the most important, known areas for gibbons, with a view to replication in other zones in the park.Going forward, wildlife crime prevention will play a key role in PMNP with specific attention paid to drivers of commercial poaching, which are beyond (in every sense) local community/needs.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Start Date: As soon as possible
Duration: One year (with possibility of extension based on performance and available funds)
Location: Pu Mat National Park
Hours of Work: 40 hours per week
Salary: Package (inclusive) US$450 – US$550 gross/month dependant on skills and experience
Reporting to: Country Programme Manager
Line Manager of: N/A (indirectly line-managing two Community Conservation Teams)
Key Internal Relationships: Country Programme Manager
                                              Finance Manager
                                              Project Managers
                                              Programme Officers and Support Staff
                                              Community Conservation Teams (CCT)
Working with: The Project Officer will routinely liaise with project’s partners at site level, the National Park, conservation organizations working in Pu Mat, primarily the CCT(s), local communities, and staff and consultants from the FFI Vietnam Programme, representing the values and interests of FFI at all times.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Project Officer position is to coordinate and oversee, to the highest possible standards, conservation project field work in Pu Mat National Park, which focus on crime prevention / forest protection, research, baseline surveys, primate monitoring, awareness raising, and livelihood development support.

THE ROLE

The Project Officer will be a knowledgeable, early-to-mid-career professional, with experience in supporting and coordinating biodiversity monitoring and conservation actions. They will have specific experience of supporting forest protection (law enforcement and crime prevention) actions, and facilitating awareness raising supporting livelihood development for local communities. S/He will be responsible for implementing project activities in Pu Mat National Park, which concern the direct protection of northern white-cheeked gibbons, saola and other high biodiversity values. It is anticipated that the Project Officer will work full-time and be based in project site – Pu Mat National Park, Nghe An, with frequent trips to Hanoi.

The overall objective of this position is to coordinate and implement field activities for the effective conservation of CR/EN and/or endemic gibbons and saola, and other species of high conservation value.

MAIN DUTIES

Under the supervision of the Country Programme Manager, but working closely with the CCT/MART Coordinator, Biodiversity/Technical team, and where appropriate the Country Director, support and/or lead on the following activities:

  • As FFI’s project focal point, communicate daily with local staff of the National Park and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (NGO) to ensure project activities are aligned, harmonized and as effective as possible;
  • Work with CCT/SMART Coordinator to undertake the designed patrol plan and oversight the CCTs. This includes producing the monthly patrol plans, supervising the CCTs, collecting data from the CCTs, and entering monthly data into SMART database;
  • Work with the National Park’s technical staff to ensure that monthly SMART reports are being used to support adaptive PA/patrol planning etc.;
  • In collaboration with Park staff, conduct project field activities including village/commune level consultation meetings/workshops, awareness raising events, and local sustainable livelihood development support;
  • Support Biodiversity/Technical team in related surveys/research and biodiversity monitoring such as gibbon surveys, camera trapping, and biodiversity monitoring;
  • Participate in feasibility studies of habitat corridors to connect or expand the protected areas, as appropriate;
  • Conduct the capacity assessment and support build capacity for project’s partners and CCT members;
  • Implement field activities including logistical preparation and data collection for workshops, meetings, research and field trips.
  • Support the monitoring and evaluation of project activities.

Other Duties

  • Maintain good working relations with all project partners, including National Park / rangers, other conservation organizations working in Pu Mat, district, commune and community partners to ensure effective implementation of the projects;
  • Provide logistical, technical and capacity building support to project partners, as appropriate;
  • Working with partners and through coordination of consultants, ensure activities are well implemented and in accordance with high environmental and conservation standards;
  • Lead and/or support field visits and field work by visitors (e.g. FFI UK staff or donors), advisors and consultants.
  • Translate documents between English and Vietnamese;
  • Undertake tasks in support of the FFI Programme in Vietnam that may reasonably be requested by Senior Management Staff and with approval of the Country Programme Manager;
  • Ensure that project office and field operations are conducted to a high level of health, safety, integrity, environmental good practice and cultural sensitivity. This includes ensuring that field medical kits are in good order and taken out on every field trip;
  • Ensure that FFI policies and guidelines are followed within the implementation of the FFI Programme in Vietnam;
  • Programme Support: As for all staff members of the Vietnam Programme, the Officer will be expected to participate in ad hoc technical meetings, support the planning and implementation of field work activities (including time spent in the forest) and provide reasonable and appropriate support to the programme, in general, as requested by his/her line manager, Country Programme Manager or Country Director;
  • Translate documents between English and Vietnamese if/where appropriate;
  • Support development of concepts for biodiversity conservation projects and monitoring;
  • Other duties as reasonably required as a Biodiversity Coordinator.

Required outputs:

  • Monthly work plans and summary reports on implementation;
  • Monthly CCT / ranger planning meetings (minutes);
  • Monthly CCT / ranger performance data (for payment);
  • Mission Terms of Reference(s) (MTOR) before and Back to the Office Report(s) (BTOR) after field trips/visits;
  • Technical / activity reports of field surveys and research to the Country Programme Manager in accordance with reporting cycle.
  • Delivery of activities in accordance with agreed monthly work plans;

PERSON SPECIFICATION

 

Essential

Desirable

Skills

  • Ability to communicate technical information effectively to project counterparts;
  • Ability to work independently, setting targets and managing time;
  • Ability to design and support protected area (forest) patrols and monitoring;
  • Good GPS and related ‘forest’ skills like navigation and field craft;
  • Good verbal communication skills;
  • Good report writing skills;
  • Good presentation skills;
  • Good administration skills;
  • Medium spoken and written English skills.
  • Good understanding community-based conservation is an advantage;
  • Good English skills would be preferable.

Knowledge and experience

  • University degree in one of the following fields: Forestry, Natural Resources Management, Nature Conservation, Biology or related fields;
  • Knowledge on wildlife, ecology and conservation or related fields;
  • Knowledge on wildlife, biodiversity or similar monitoring / M&E;
  • Knowledge of forest law enforcement or other kinds of patrolling, or similar forms of compliance;
  • Basic knowledge (at least) of Vietnam’s protected areas and FPD rangers, including forest protection activities;
  • Basic knowledge of databases.
  • Experience of primate conservation is an advantage.
  • Knowledge of community-based conservation and forest management skills is an advantage;
  • Experience working with INGOs is an advantage;

Behavioural qualities and traits

  • Passionate about biodiversity conservation and forest protection;
  • Ability to work well in a team, with the ability to build positive personal and organisational relationships;
  • Self-motivated, with ability to demonstrate initiative;
  • Able to work alone and still manage priorities and time well

 

Other

  • A commitment to FFI’s mission;
  • Committed to protect wildlife and the natural environment;
  • Able to comfortably work in remoted and mountainous areas, with the ability to effectively engage with ethnic minority and other local communities for conservation outcomes.

 



HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates are invited to send a cover letter and CV in English to Ms. Le Hong Viet via email [email protected] no later than 20th June 2019.

 

Only shortlisted candidates are contacted for interviewing.

For more information please visit www.fauna-flora.org

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* FFI is supporting two CCTs in Pu Mat with 12 members who are local people living adjacent to No Kill Zones

Job Details
Organisation Name: 
FFI
Location: 
Hanoi
Application Deadline: 
Thu, 2019-06-20