National Coordinator of the Green list Project in Zambia

Website FRANKFURT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY ZAMBIA

1.     Project:

Trilateral Cooperation (Germany, China, IUCN): Fair and effective protected area management for sustainable development – working together towards global standards (November 2020 – March 2023)

2.     Background:

Zambia is participating in the Trilateral Cooperation Project, which includes Germany (BMZ), China (NFGA), Zambia (MoTA, DNPW) and Namibia (MEFT), which aims at improving the quality of protected area management and governance through the implementation of the ‘IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas’. The project is implemented by IUCN. An Expert Assessment Group for the Green List (EAGL) will be established to implement this certification process at national level, which will benefit protected and conserved areas in Zambia.

Against this background, we seek to recruit a National Coordinator to support the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) with the coordination of this Green List Project in Zambia.

This position will be hosted by Frankfurt Zoological Society Zambia (FZS).

3.     Major responsibilities:

3.1.  Support DNPW to establish, implement and coordinate the Green List activities and related projects in country.

3.2.  Accompany the introduction, adaptation and implementation of the Green List Standard in Zambia (e.g. backstopping, knowledge management).

3.3.  Coordinate and support the operations of the national/regional EAGL.

3.4.  Support DNPW to advocate the Green List within political structures.

3.5.  Advocate for the alignment or where appropriate development of any necessary policies and legislative amendments.

4.     Specific duties:

National Coordination:

4.1.  Assist DNPW and IUCN with national coordination:

4.1.1.     Engage with and maintain the repour of the Green List Programme with relevant State agencies.

4.1.2.     Provide DNPW and partner organizations with the necessary support, capacity and technical coordination of tasks to reduce project burden on state officials.

4.1.3.     Prepare, participate in and report on monthly technical meetings and bi-annual implementation group meetings.

4.1.4.     Actively manage and implement the workplan (phase 2), and propose actions towards effective project management and communication (incl. e.g. evaluation of working/planning documents).

4.1.5.     Ensure good project progress by covering the tasks of project coordination that falls with DNPW: proposing to DNPW focal point(s) actions and carrying out projectrelated tasks on behalf of DNPW.

4.1.6.     Track implementation of project plans and commitments, and provide reports and updates on activities and events to DNPW and associated partners (GIZ, IUCN) on a bi-weekly basis.

4.1.7.     Coordinate with the Zambian sites, mentor and EAGL members to facilitate their participation in at least two virtual exchanges with international partners.

4.1.8.     In coordination with the mentor, organise and facilitate site manager training on the IUCN Green List Standard and on related management and governance skills development needs.

4.1.9.     Contribute to the technical reporting of activities, as requested.

4.1.10.  Organise monthly meetings for the Project Management Team, and compile meeting minutes.

4.1.11.  Support and facilitate exchanges between site managers.

4.1.12.  Liaise and coordinate closely with IUCN and DNPW.

4.2.  Knowledge management on behalf of DNPW: track progress, synthesize and systematize lessons learnt and good practices, collect and systematize (learning) resources for institutional memory.

4.3.  Assist DNPW to identify opportunities to align policies and practice with the Green List.

4.4.  Support DNPW to integrate the project activities and Green List into their strategies and annual work plans, to ensure sustainable implementation.

4.5.  Support of coordination of the Zambian EAGL and organize all the activities including the logistics for the evaluation of the sites and the support to the mentor.

4.6.  The National Coordinator will work closely with and report to the IUCN Green List Regional Coordinator based in South Africa.

5.     Position Requirements:

5.1. Education

Good academic profile (degree in a relevant subject; MSc level preferred, but not essential provided the candidate has strong relevant skills and experience).

5.2. Work Experience

8+ years nature conservation-related work, including protected area management, or 5+ years in conservation with other relevant related natural resource management experience.

5.3. Language Proficiency

Fluency in written and spoken English is a must, fluency in another national language is an added advantage.

5.4. Core Competencies

  • Transparency: Able to build trust and contribute to informed and responsible decision making by carrying out his/her work in a transparent manner; provides clear guidance to ensure that objectives and desired measurable results are understood by members of the team;
  • Inclusiveness: Understands and accepts cultural diversity, and provides a tolerant, positive and supportive working environment that fosters respect for diversity, demonstrates ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds;
  • Professionalism: Promote the organization’s interests, objectives and values in a diligent and professional manner;
  • Accountability: Takes responsibility of individual and collective actions

6.     Required Experience:

  • At least 5 years in the management and administration of projects in the field of biodiversity conservation, natural resources or environmental management, including management of donor grants and donor relations, technical and financial reporting, monitoring and evaluation;
  • Previous experience engaging and working with a wide range of conservation and natural resource management practitioners – from field to senior government manager levels, and other key stakeholders including communities;
  • Ability to coordinate workplans, facilitate collaboration across multiple organisations, and organise and manage workshops and meetings;
  • Strategic planning and programme development experience;
  • Excellent writing skills;
  • Direct experience working in and on protected / conserved areas or a related field (social engagement and participatory management processes would be a bonus), preferably in the region;
  • Excellent understanding of the trends and latest developments, priorities, challenges of and opportunities for protected area management and the different protected area management models, including of national parks, Natural World Heritage sites, community conserved areas and conservancies, nature reserves, PPPs etc., and the direct and indirect links with the wider landscapes;
  • Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team and communicate in a cross-cultural environment;
  • Experience in capacity building activities related to biodiversity conservation and protected and conserved area management;
  • Experience with sustainability standards / certification an advantage;
  • Good computer skills, including use of databases and CRM (working knowledge of salesforce.com a bonus);
  • Excellent English writing skills
  • Practical field experience in protected area management in the region will be considered as an added advantage.

7.     Position details:

  • The position will be based at the DNPW offices in Chilanga, Zambia.

Application closing date and time

Applicants must submit their applications including their most up-to-date CV and a cover letter to IUCN no later than Midnight CET time on March 28,  2022 by e-mail to: [email protected]

The subject heading of the e-mail should be ‘National Coordinator of the Green List Project in Zambia’. Electronic documents are to be submitted in PDF format.

This project has been realised with support from the “Conservation of Biodiversity on Land” and “Climate Change and Inclusive Use of Natural Resources (CCIU)” Projects of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ, implemented on behalf of and in close coordination with the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).


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