Website Kasanka Trust LTD
The Kasanka Trust (the Trust) has been in existence since 1986 with biodiversity conservation as its raison d’être. The Trust has a long-running co-management agreement with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW). The Trust currently manages the Kasanka National Park and supports the Kafinda Game Management Area and Mpumba community area. Management responsibility covers an area in excess of 400 km2 with national park status and a further 4,000 km2 of designated or planned community conservation area. The area lies within the David Livingstone memorial zone and the Kasanka National Park is the destination of the world’s largest annual bat migration.
These protected areas are primarily representative of the central African plateau miombo, high canopy woodland biome, but include a diverse assemblage of rivers, lakes, swamp, wet and riverine forest, dambo, grassland and rocky ridges. These areas possess a diverse list of large and small animal species and a high floral diversity. The avian species diversity has been best studied of all the animal orders and the Kasanka National Park hosts the second highest bird list of all Zambia’s protected areas.
The Trust operates like a business guided by a 5-year strategic plan with 9 programmes. It employs approximately 90 individuals allocated to law enforcement, park habitat and infrastructure management, community outreach and administration. The Trust also operates its own tourism operations in both national parks, comprising lodges, a tented camp and campsites. Revenues from tourism are ploughed back into park management and community outreach. In the next 5 years the Trust intends to significantly increase its impact and sustainability.
The Trust’s operating areas are remote. The Kasanka National Park is in Chitambo District some 120 km north-west of the town of Serenje and about 6 hours from Lusaka. The Mpumba area is approximately 70 km south of the town of Mpika and approximately 3 hours by road from Kasanka. Rural clinics and hospitals are within a two-hour radius by road. The only educational facilities nearby are a kindergarten school at Kasanka conservation training centre. There is a bush air strip in the Kasanka National Park.
Kasanka Trust Limited (KTL) has adopted a 5-year Strategic Plan 2017-2021, defining a statement of objectives for the period towards its vision. The Strategic Plan, which was adopted in early 2017 by the KTL Board, also newly organized KTL’s mission into a set of nine programs. With the adoption of the strategic plan, the Trust is now paying greater attention to planning and measuring activities and outcomes as well as science-based conservation. An M&E system and manual has been designed as well as a Research and M&E strategy. KTL now seeks to fully implement these tools and significantly upgrade the quality and scope of its planning, M&E and science-based conservation performance.
Position, Location, Reporting
The Trust is now looking for an Ecologist, Planner and Monitoring and Evaluation Manager or Knowledge Manager. This is a full-time three-year position based at the Trust headquarters in the Kasanka National Park. The Knowledge Manager would report to the Trust General Manager.
Qualifications
Required qualifications
1) Degree: At least a Masters, preferably a PhD, in the field of ecology or natural science;
2) Experience: At least 2 years working as an ecologist in a protected area or a research station or similar;
3) Experience: At least 1 year exposure and work on planning, including budget planning, and monitoring, including outcome reporting, of a project or similar operation;
4) IT software: Proficiency with the mainstream software of Microsoft Office as well as prior exposure to biostatistics and GIS-based software;
5) Language: Excellent written and spoke English (additional language will be considered a plus);
6) Skills: Team leader and builder; Very organized problem-solver
Optional but Desired Skills, Qualifications or Experience
1) Experience in Zambia protected area system
2) Prior knowledge of Kasanka and the Trust
Important Additional Requirements
1) Willingness to live in a remote area in less than optimal living and working conditions
2) Driving license
Key competencies
1) Integrity: Upholds high moral standards, personally and professionally
2) Teamwork: Co-operates with others in order to meet organisational targets
3) Flexibility: Receptive to new ideas, able to adapt to changing circumstances
Scope of work
The Knowledge Manager shall be responsible for implementing the Trust’s Research and Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy including dissemination.
Core responsibilities (add subsections if necessary)
1) Operation Planning. In close collaboration with the GM, prepare annually and update quarterly (or more often as needed) the Annual Work Plan and Budget of the Trust;
2) Trust Strategic Planning. Update once a year the Trust 5-year strategic plan based on the evaluation included in the Annual Report;
3) Area planning. (a) Update as necessary the area general management plans for the areas under the Trust accountability, (b) lead,or closely support, efforts outside the parks to address emerging land grabbing and watershed issues;
4) Monitoring. Establish a M&E system, using a variety of Trust human resources, and coordinate the monitoring of the Trust operations (activities), results (output) and impact (outcome) including data collection for various indicators and analysis; this include the completion of the design and establishing the baseline for several indicators;
5) Reporting. Prepare, with input from the Section Managers, (a) the Trust quarterly reports, 2 weeks after quarter end, and annual reports, 3 months after year end, following agreed templates and using information from monitoring as well as accounting and include a solid section on evaluation to improve the Trust operation in subsequent years, (b) for the general public and the web site, a short version of the Annual Report in coordination with the communication officer ;
6) Research mobilization and coordination. (a) Mobilize and coordinate research partners, projects and institutions to implement the Trust Research Strategy, (b) in case of sudden ecological crisis or increased threat, if applicable, mobilize rapidly resources and expertise to advice a course of action to the Trust Management and Board;
7) Advising. Provide just-on-time advice to the Trust Management and Board on all matters related to ecology, research, planning and M&E.
8) Team contribution. Contribute, as needed, to various activities as requested by the General Manager, such as procurement committees, organization of events, Board meetings, representing the Trust at workshops or conferences, etc. as well as carry out other functions and tasks as may be legitimately requested from time to time, or which may be required to achieve the Trust’s objectives.