Location: Libreville, Gabon.
Reports to: Program Manager, Gabon.
Collaborates with: WCS Project Managers, Central Africa Regional Team, implementing partners, and communities.
Position Type: Full-time
Organization overview:
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1895 in the United States. Its mission is to conserve wildlife and wilderness areas by understanding critical issues, developing science-based solutions, and implementing conservation actions that benefit both nature and people. With over a century of experience, a long-term commitment to dozens of landscapes, a presence in more than 60 countries, and having helped establish over 150 protected areas worldwide, WCS possesses the biological expertise, cultural understanding, and strong partnerships to ensure the sustainable coexistence of wilderness areas and local communities.
Working with communities and local organizations, this knowledge is used to address the challenges of managing species, habitats, and ecosystems, with the goal of improving the quality of life for poor rural populations whose livelihoods depend directly on natural resources. WCS’s history in Gabon began in 1985 with initial studies on forest elephants, followed by a national assessment of conservation priorities. These pioneering studies bore fruit when WCS assisted the government in establishing the National Parks system in 2002, comprising 13 parks representing over 11% of the country’s total land area. Today, WCS remains the largest and most influential international conservation NGO active in Gabon. The organization has strengthened its commitment to two major landscapes: the Gabonese coast and ocean, and the forested interior. WCS supports capacity building in Gabon for wildlife and marine resource management and monitors the results of conservation activities.
Project context:
Gabon is the second most forested country in the world, with over 88% of its territory covered by resilient tropical forests, and is among the few countries to have a positive carbon footprint. Between 2018 and 2020, a non-invasive survey technique applied by WCS, Gabon’s National Parks Agency (ANPN), and Vulcan Inc. confirmed that Gabon remains the primary stronghold of the critically endangered forest elephant. While the protection of forests and wildlife represents a significant success for Gabon’s conservation and climate change mitigation policies, it has also had unintended consequences for local communities. These include an increase in crop destruction incidents, growing food insecurity, and, in some cases, direct human-elephant conflicts resulting in loss of life. Faced with this situation, Gabon is seeking to refine its conservation and climate change mitigation policies to ensure they are not only environmentally effective but also socially equitable, with tangible positive impacts for rural communities. The government’s vision is to establish mechanisms to mitigate the negative effects of conservation activities, such as increased human-elephant conflict, while fostering the conditions necessary for harmonious and sustainable coexistence between nature, people, and wildlife.
In 2015, Gabon signed the Joint Declaration of the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), which aims to mitigate climate change, reduce poverty, and contribute to sustainable development. As part of its participation in CAFI, Gabon has developed its National Investment Framework (NIF), which defines the programs eligible for CAFI support. To address human-elephant conflict, a new project entitled “Peaceful Coexistence Between Humans and Elephants in Gabon” will be implemented, with WCS as the implementing agency. This project proposes an integrated approach to human-elephant conflict (HEC), aiming to reduce negative interactions between humans and elephants while improving the food security of rural communities, strengthening their physical safety, and reducing deforestation caused by smallholder farmers. The project builds on the successes of an existing electric fencing project, combined with the development of smart farming practices to optimize food production in fenced fields.
It also includes the implementation of multidisciplinary assistance for populations affected by human-elephant conflict, through an intensive awareness and education campaign, as well as an innovative insurance system to cover damage caused by elephants.
Job Summary:
WCS is recruiting a Project Coordinator to work closely with government departments and implementing partners to ensure the achievement of project results and impacts over the next two years. The Project Coordinator reports to the WCS Gabon Country Director and is responsible for overseeing the planning, daily operations, and monitoring of the project from start to finish. This includes communicating with the government and implementing partners, coordinating schedules, allocating resources, and ensuring that all deliverables are completed on time and within budget. Specific responsibilities may include developing project plans, coordinating team meetings, and documenting project progress.
Based in Libreville, the position involves frequent travel to field sites to support implementing partners and team members in the field.
Responsibilities:
The Project Coordinator must demonstrate excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills, as well as the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Their primary objective will be to ensure the smooth running of the project and that all implementing partners and team members work effectively to achieve the project’s results and impacts.
Tasks:
- Develop and maintain project plans, schedules and budgets, in collaboration with implementing partners.
- Coordinate project resources and assign tasks to implementing partners and team members
- Draft the Terms of Reference (ToR) for consultants/experts recruited on a short-term basis, ensure the proper execution of technical services and the delivery of deliverables (technical and other), and manage the consultants.
- To ensure the administrative and human resource management of the project, including operations and data collection
- To act as the interface with the central public administration in Libreville as well as with its decentralized services at the local level
- To liaise with implementing partners and ensure the provision of resources and the achievement of results according to planned targets.
- Monitor project progress and identify potential problems or risks
- Communicate project progress updates to stakeholders and internally
- Ensure that project deliverables meet quality standards and are delivered on time.
- Facilitate team meetings, write meeting minutes, and ensure follow-up on action items.
- Manage project documentation and ensure that all information is up-to-date and accessible
- Ensure compliance with WCS policies and procedures
- Provide guidance and support to implementing partners and team members to ensure the success of the project
- Coordinate the drafting of technical reports with implementing partners; lead the drafting of interim and final reports, ensuring their timely submission and high quality.
- Ensure that narrative reports comply with the Project Document, WCS policies, and the Steering Committee framework.
Job requirements
- Master’s degree in one of the following fields: conservation biology, ecology, forestry, sociology, anthropology, economics, with proven qualifications in project management
- Candidates must have at least 5 years of professional experience in project management, working with governments, multilateral or private donors; experience in program coordination, monitoring and evaluation, donor reporting and capacity building is an asset.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Experience in resource allocation and program management
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Ability to work independently while integrating effectively into a team
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
- Fluency in French and English, both written and spoken
- Work experience in a developing country context
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, as well as strong analytical skills
- Proven managerial skills and ability to work in a team within an organization
- Proven knowledge of Gabon’s sustainable development strategy
- The candidate must demonstrate autonomy, professionalism, as well as listening and communication skills.
- Ability to interact with various actors at different levels
- Good experience in preparing and facilitating workshops
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 13, 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.