Community Engagement Coordinator – Okapi Wildlife Reserve At Wildlife Conservation Society

Position: Community Engagement Coordinator – Okapi Wildlife Reserve

Reports to: Community Conservation Manager, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (RFO)

Location: Epulu, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

National program: Democratic Republic of Congo

Start date: May 2024

Type of position: Full time (1 year renewable)

Deadline for submission of applications: March 4, 2024

Internal connections: All RFO departments, WCS DRC offices

Planned trips: Regular trips to villages in and around the RFO

About Us :

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a private, nonprofit American organization founded in 1895. Its mission is to preserve wildlife by understanding critical issues, developing science-based solutions, and taking action. conservation that benefits nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, a presence in more than 60 countries, and experience in creating more than 150 protected areas worldwide, WCS has accumulated biological knowledge , cultural understanding and partnerships needed to ensure wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. In collaboration with local communities and organizations, this knowledge is applied to solve problems in the management of species, habitats and ecosystems that are essential to improving the quality of life of poor rural populations on whose livelihoods depend direct use of natural resources.

Program summary:

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve (RFO) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to globally significant populations of wildlife, such as okapis, elephants and chimpanzees. As a reserve, it provides indigenous people and local communities with opportunities for sustainable use of natural resources. The reserve, however, faces threats linked to the illicit exploitation of natural resources, unsustainable economic development and immigration. WCS is currently working in partnership with the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) to implement a multi-pronged strategy to protect the RFO which covers governance and management systems of protected areas, community conservation, security and law enforcement, buffer zone land use management, and building external public support.

About the position:

The Wildlife Conservation Society is seeking an experienced and motivated professional to serve as Community Engagement Coordinator. The Community Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of activities aimed at involving indigenous people and local communities in the RFO in conservation. He will work proactively with his colleagues in the Community Conservation Department to ensure innovative community engagement, conservation awareness and literacy activities are implemented. In two years, success in this role will be defined by: community engagements lead to harmonious and collaborative relationships between communities and the RFO; awareness-raising activities lead to measurable improvements in community knowledge about biodiversity conservation; and literacy training leads to improved literacy and numeracy skills among indigenous peoples and local communities.

Responsibilities

Community engagement and collaboration

• Collaborate with colleagues in the Community Conservation Department to proactively build collaborative relationships with communities in and around the RFO to encourage conservation management.
• Support colleagues and development partners in the design and implementation of activities, such as dialogues, through which the RFO can resolve conflicts and challenges related to the use of natural resources.
• Support the implementation of mechanisms by which the RFO communicates with communities and other stakeholders (e.g. site coordination committee meetings).
• Design and implement innovative events and activities that bring RFO communities together through conservation, including those that involve indigenous populations.
• Encourage communities to participate in conservation, development and other activities.

Conservation Awareness

• Collaborate with partners to implement a conservation awareness and education program in and around the RFO that engages and inspires communities, particularly youth.
• Organize and facilitate conservation awareness activities in villages and towns.
• Collaborate with the RFO communications manager to design and produce awareness materials.
• Work with the RFO Communications Manager to build support for radio stations and design radio programs with conservation messages.
• Support the evaluation of the effectiveness of conservation awareness programs.

Literacy and education

• Design and ensure the implementation of literacy training activities (reading and calculation), particularly ensuring the participation of indigenous populations.
• Conduct research and monitoring to assess literacy levels in RFO communities.
• Identify the needs of communities in terms of literacy training infrastructure.
• Identify the educational needs of local communities and indigenous peoples and collaborate with education development partners to encourage the resolution of these issues.

Coordination and monitoring of projects

• Ensure the recruitment and hierarchical management of community facilitators and literacy trainers, including ensuring that community facilitators provide cross-functional support to all divisions of the Community Conservation Department.
• Plan monthly activities and participate in work planning and adaptive learning sessions.
• Prepare terms of reference and budget requests for field activities.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation and Learning (MEAL) team to ensure collection of MEAL data, production of MEAL reports and timely submission of information to the monitoring, evaluation, adaptation and learning (MEAL) team.

Experience required

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in biodiversity conservation with a specialization in education and/or community engagement.
• At least three years of experience in environmental education, teaching and local community engagement, particularly youth; experience working with indigenous populations is an asset.
• In-depth knowledge of protected area management and biodiversity conservation issues
• Knowledge of gender and conflict sensitivity, and experience in community conflict resolution (desirable)
• Proven ability to engage effectively with communities, with a track record of developing and implementing innovative community engagement activities.
• Have a proven track record of equitable engagement of women, youth and indigenous peoples.
• Proven ability to work in teams and with communities to organize events.
• Experience developing and implementing literacy programs (desirable).
• Proven ability to work in a team to successfully coordinate projects in rural contexts.
• Proactive, positive and responsible approach to carrying out work.
• Willingness to spend extended periods in the field with basic amenities and accommodations. Self-confidence, eloquence and clarity in oral and written communication.
• Fluency in French and Swahili, Lingala and English, an asset. Fluency in local RFO languages ​​(e.g. Lese, Bila) is an asset.