Posted on February, 01 2018
WWF-GM is seeking an experienced Illegal Wildlife Trade Program Manager who will lead and co-ordinate our advocacy and political efforts to galvanise regional governmental action focusing on closing some of the most insidious wildlife markets left on the planet.
The Greater Mekong (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam) is one of the global hubs of wildlife trade – a perfect storm of a source, transit route, and final destination for many of the world’s most valuable and threatened wildlife products. Trade routes through, and demand originating from, the Mekong countries threaten the persistence of some of the planet’s most charismatic species including tiger, Asian and African elephants, and all rhino species. Co-ordinated inter-governmental action is therefore required to leverage global commitments for cracking wildlife trade into effective action on the ground across the Greater Mekong.
WWF-GM is seeking an experienced Illegal Wildlife Trade Program Manager who will lead and co-ordinate our advocacy and political efforts to galvanise regional governmental action focusing on closing some of the most insidious wildlife markets left on the planet.
Base location: Yangon (Myanmar), Vientiane (Laos) or Hanoi (Vietnam)
Major Functions:
The Program Manager will lead and co-ordinate our advocacy and political efforts around, and beyond, the Hanoi Conference, and other relevant inter-governmental forum including CITES Convention of the Parties (CoP,) to galvanize regional governments for closing the wildlife markets of the Golden Triangle.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
The Wildlife Trade Program Manager will be responsible for implementing initiatives under the WWF Greater Mekong ‘Big Win’ to ensure international wildlife markets in the Golden Triangle and other centers of illegal wildlife trade are closed by 2020. Key activities will include:
- Collating data and information on current extent of illegal wildlife trade within Golden Triangle wildlife markets including organising and implementing additional undercover surveys of key and emerging trade hubs.
- Serving as the lead WWF GM manager of the cooperative project supported by the US State Department, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement affairs with Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and the partner organization TRAFFIC.
- Leading the implementation of an effective multimedia campaign and political advocacy strategy in the build up to the Hanoi Conference to raise awareness of, and generate inter-governmental support for, effective action for closing Golden Triangle wildlife markets.
- Coordinating and providing technical support to inter-governmental dialogue between China, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam for identifying and agreeing key actions required for closing transboundary wildlife markets in the Golden Triangle.
- Supporting China, Laos, and Myanmar governments with initiation of law enforcement activities (including identifying training needs and delivering targeted training) aimed at closing Golden Triangle wildlife markets.
- Ensuring coordination and collaboration with all WWF and TRAFFIC wildlife trade work, particularly under the Wildlife Crime Initiative, and with other international forum and organisations combatting wildlife trafficking including relevant international NGOs, the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (WEN), regional environmental justice bodies, UNODC, and CITES.
- Ensuring technically and financially accurate reporting with all supporters of WWF GM’s supporters of its Wildlife Crime Initiative.
Key requirements for the role includes:
- Degree in conservation, environmental policy, or relevant fields
- At least 5 years experience in environmental advocacy, policy, and/or political campaigning related to natural resource management
- Knowledge of wildlife trafficking and trade issues ideally in Asia
- Understanding of political and environmental context in China, Laos, or Myanmar ideal
- Spoken Mandarin an advantage
- Experience of advocacy and negotiating with Government and donors at all levels
- Proven track record in successfully managing inter-institutional relations involving government and international NGOs
- Excellent understanding of development partnerships, fund-raising, donor strategies, functions and international relations
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