Reporting to: Technical Director,
Duty Station: Makokou, Gabon
Program: WCS Gabon
Contract Type: Full-time
Mobility: Regular travel to WCS intervention sites (national parks of: Ivindo, Lopé, Mayumba, Loango, etc.)
Organization overview:
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to conserve wildlife and its habitats. As the world’s leading wildlife conservation organization, WCS has a long track record of delivering groundbreaking results at scale. We conduct programs across the world’s oceans and more than 3 million square kilometers of biologically critical areas in nearly 60 countries. Our work is built on unique foundations: a global presence; cutting-edge scientific discoveries; protection through on-the-ground work in close collaboration with local and Indigenous communities; inspiration through our world-renowned zoos, aquariums, and educational programs; and the mobilization of our resources through partnerships and significant political influence. Our 4,000 diverse and passionate staff members, based in New York and around the world, work together to achieve our conservation mission.
Regional overview:
The Central Africa and Gulf of Guinea program is one of WCS’s largest of 13 global regional programs. It covers the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, and Gabon. This rapidly expanding program benefits from a diverse and growing portfolio of donors, partners, and projects. The region presents complex challenges in the conservation of biodiversity and its habitats. WCS’s field programs address these challenges through a range of initiatives, including protected area management, community engagement, improving sustainable livelihoods, supporting policy reform, and securing sustainable financing. WCS recently formalized its regional center in Kigali, Rwanda, which houses a growing team of technical specialists and regional managers to support our country programs and field offices.
Presentation of the program in Gabon:
WCS’s history in Gabon began in 1985 with the first national census of forest elephants, followed by a comprehensive assessment of conservation priorities. These groundbreaking studies bore fruit: WCS helped the government establish its network of 13 national parks in 2002, representing 11% of the country’s total land area, and by 2017, 20 marine protected areas covering 26% of the country’s exclusive economic zone. Today, WCS remains the largest and most influential international conservation non-governmental organization (NGO) active in Gabon. Strengthening its presence in Gabon, WCS and the National Parks Agency (ANPN) signed the country’s first partnership agreement in October 2025 for the implementation of delegated management agreements for the Ivindo, Loango, Lopé, and Mayumba National Parks. This memorandum of understanding establishes a two-year roadmap for concluding new long-term delegated management agreements between WCS and the ANPN for these parks. This signing is part of a new national policy aimed at diversifying national park management models, promoting innovative solutions for sustainable financing, and facilitating the sharing of technical expertise with conservation partners. This new partnership reflects the government’s renewed confidence in WCS, reaffirms its recognition of the fundamental role of WCS in the country, and reinforces the government’s commitment to the conservation and enhancement of national ecosystems.
Job Summary:
We are seeking a Technical Advisor in Protected Area Management to support the effective management of national parks, the coordination of anti-poaching operations, and the development of technological solutions to prevent current and future threats to the interior and buffer zones of national parks supported by WCS.
As a core government mission carried out under the supervision of the ANPN (National Parks Agency), the current national park protection strategy is based on several complementary components: strengthening patrols and their coverage; collecting, analyzing, and managing information in a structured manner using the SMART application; introducing pilot technological tools such as EarthRanger; training and equipping park rangers; monitoring criminal proceedings in coordination with the ANPN’s legal department; and networking and coordinating the various stakeholders involved in combating wildlife crime.
The primary responsibility of the Technical Advisor for Protected Area Management is to improve the effectiveness of these activities through strategic planning, the implementation of training opportunities, technical support, the introduction of new tools and technologies, and ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place.
A secondary role involves developing project proposals aimed at improving the management efficiency of protected areas, infrastructure, and operational systems to strengthen protected area protection and enhancement activities.
The successful candidate will be directly responsible for a small team of site-based assistants who contribute to the operation of park control and command centers.
Main responsibilities:
The Technical Advisor for Protected Area Management will be responsible for the following, in close coordination with the ANPN team at the site and general management levels:
- Supporting the ANPN in the design and implementation of management plans with a focus on the anti-poaching strategy adapted to the evolving threats to the parks, in close collaboration with park wardens, the ANPN national coordination and the technical support team.
- Supervise the implementation and development of coordinated anti-poaching monitoring and evaluation systems (SMART, EarthRanger) on a pilot basis in target sites, with a view to proposing their deployment on a national scale.
- Supporting the development of a platform to combat wildlife trafficking in northeastern Gabon, including: installation and operation of the control room, networking of stakeholders, logistical organization and training support.
- Manage the WCS technical support team (patrol tracking operators/SMART focal point, SMART coordinator and wildlife crime analyst) to ensure effective operational support to the ANPN.
- Conduct a thorough capacity assessment of ecoguards and partners, covering training, human resources, equipment, infrastructure, communications, organizational structure, field tactics and logistical support, and use this assessment to identify development needs, in collaboration with the Dr Alphonse Mackanga Missandzou Educational Complex (CEDAMM) and relevant ANPN units.
- Develop and oversee a capacity development plan for ecoguards and partners, ensuring that training, equipment, staffing, infrastructure, communication systems, field tactics, organizational structure and logistics — including procurement and maintenance — are aligned with operational needs.
- Liaise with public administrations, technical partners and local communities operating around target sites or WCS working area, particularly those based in northeastern Gabon, to strengthen coordination of management and protection actions among all stakeholders.
- Supporting park logistics in the planning and development of infrastructure projects related in particular to the fight against poaching.
- Collaborating with management teams to develop annual work plans and funding proposals aimed at strengthening activities and infrastructure, in order to improve the effectiveness of park protection and enhancement operations.
Required qualifications:
a) Experience in protected area management and/or conservation technologies
- Proficiency in a wide range of ICT tools (mapping, SMART, analysis tools).
- Prior experience in protected area management is highly desirable.
- Experience with field technologies (camera traps, GPS, communication equipment, VSAT, etc.) is appreciated.
- Experience in law enforcement is not mandatory, but may be an advantage depending on the profile.
b) Strong skills in technical and logistical project management
- Ability to effectively coordinate multiple resources, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, solve problems and propose solutions.
- “Operational” profile: autonomous, resourceful and pragmatic.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
c) Knowledge of conservation issues in Africa
- Master’s degree (or equivalent level) in conservation, natural resource management, or equivalent relevant experience in conservation in Africa.
- Proven experience working in Africa; experience in Central Africa is an asset.
d) Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to write and edit reports and other written documents.
- Fluency in French and an operational level of English are an advantage. Proven ability to live and work in a multicultural, isolated environment and in difficult field conditions.
How to apply
APPLICATION
Interested candidates who meet the criteria are invited to submit their application (CV and cover letter) via the WCS application portal
before March 31, 2026. WCS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting an inclusive, respectful, and diverse work environment.
WCS strongly encourages applications from Gabonese professionals for this position.