Senior Policy Advisor At Wildlife Conservation Society

Position Title: Senior Policy Advisor

Location: Kinshasa, DRC

Reports to: WCS Democratic Republic of Congo Country Director

Direct Reports: WCS DRC GCF Coordinator, WCS DRC GIS and Spatial Planning Specialist

Liaises with: WCS DRC Deputy Country Director for Programs, Africa Director of Policy and Partnerships, Regional Policy Advisor for 30×30, Global Conservation Planning Team, WCS Strategic Partnership Teams in Europe

Start date: Immediate

Contract: Full-time (minimum 2 years)

Background

The Wildlife Conservation Society is an international NGO headquartered at Bronx Zoo in New York City, USA, working to save wildlife and wildlands and to meet global challenges in over 60 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the world’s oceans. WCS believes that conservation of nature and natural resources is essential to life on earth, the future of humanity, and the wellbeing and cultural identities of Indigenous Peoples and traditional and local communities.

Job Description

The WCS Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Program is looking for an experienced individual to provide leadership in the Program’s development and engagement in a series of innovative community, climate, and biodiversity initiatives that align with the country’s commitments to the global Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF), including Target 3 (30×30), and other international frameworks such as CITES and UNFCCC.

Under the supervision of the Country Director, the position will work closely with government agencies, national delegated authorities (NDA) and the WCS DRC GCF, regional and global teams to ensure the development of these initiatives, including but not limited to supporting the Green Climate Fund readiness grant portfolio, the IPLC Forest Facility (IFF) and the People, Forests and Nature: Partnership for the New Climate Economy (Country Package) are fully aligned with DRC government priorities and strategic commitments to national and international conventions and agreements. The position will also ensure strong alignment and coordination with other WCS-supported national-level initiatives on biodiversity conservation, protected areas, forest governance and IPLC engagement in forest management.

Responsibilities

30×30

• Support stakeholder analysis and development of stakeholder engagement plans for the implementation of Target 3 (30×30) to ensure all key stakeholders are included at local and national levels.
• Coordinates/guides the review of legal and policy frameworks to ensure government’s international commitments to biodiversity and climate change are well aligned with national policies, strategies, and plans.
• In coordination with the WCS regional and global teams, supports countries in defining/identifying potential areas for Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECM), particularly Concessions Forestières des Communautés Locales (CFCL), that maximize co-benefits for biodiversity conservation, climate mitigation, and adaptation of both ecosystems and vulnerable people in priority countries.
• Working with the WCS DRC country program, and WCS global and regional science and policy teams, ensure the DRC government has sufficient information with which to make informed decisions on nature-based solution programming that align with 30×30 commitments and integrate them as appropriate to guide decision-making.
• Facilitates and/or manages consultancies, partnerships, and relationships, in support of the Green Climate Fund readiness grant portfolio and associated 30×30 efforts.
• Works with the WCS regional and global Right & Communities team to identify potential impacts (positive and negative) of recognizing OECMs on Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) as well as mitigation measures.
• Works with WCS regional and global teams as well as the Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) secretariat to advocate for the recognition of priority sites as OECMs.
• Contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice within WCS’s regional and global field programs on nature based solutions (NBS).

Conservation Finance and Partnerships

• Establish and maintain excellent liaison and communications between WCS and relevant government agencies, technical partners and bilateral/multilateral development agencies on developments related to innovation and climate financing for protection of high integrity forests.
• With technical and government partners, oversee the development of the IP&LC Forest Facility (IFF) including supporting the creation of governance structures, the implementation of granting and financing mechanisms, and ensuring the presence and effectiveness of social and biodiversity safeguards.
• Act as the principal focal point for all partnerships related to the IFF ensuring that activity between partners is coordinated to secure the success of this fund, and that it results in positive impact for biodiversity protection in DRC.
• Working with local and international partners, and in close coordination with the WCS DRC and Central Africa regional team, support the creation of an ‘enabling environment’ whereby relevant local civil society organizations are equipped with the resources and capacity to access the IFF fund.

Climate Policy

• Map and maintain a current and comprehensive understanding of DRC climate and strategic priorities (including NDCs, ERP, CAFI, etc).
• Map and maintain an excellent understanding of other stakeholders’ initiatives engaged in climate and nature-based solutions (including forest protection and IPLC engagement and forest management) in DRC.
• In close coordination with the WCS country program, identified partners, and WCS’s global and regional technical teams, lead stakeholder coordination and dialogue in climate-related project development.
• Support the WCS DRC program and government agencies where possible, to access international public funding from bilateral and multilateral sources; support proposal development and related reporting as needed.
• Represent WCS science, field conservation and policy positions in nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in international forums.

Management

• Leads the development, and where appropriate, oversee work-plans, activities, and outputs to ensure timely completion of deliverables and achievement of program goals and stand-alone project grants.
• Represent WCS at meetings, conferences, and events related to, but not limited to, 30×30 and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in general.
• Support the Government of DRC in reporting on its obligations to national and international commitments to nature-based solutions to climate change.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in large-scale project development in the environmental or climate sector.
• Master’s degree in environmental or political science, environmental policy, or another relevant field.
• Demonstrated experience in government relations, specifically in negotiating complex high profile or sensitive agreements.
• Experience working with an international and culturally diverse team.
• Experience and familiarity with international climate policy, international conventions, climate financing frameworks and with bilateral and multilateral climate and nature-based funding agencies (e.g., GCF, GEF, CAFI).
• Experience of project implementation and stakeholder coordination in Africa.
• Project management experience including coordinating the work of other professionals inside and outside an organization.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and French.
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication and presentation experience.

Other attributes that will help you stand out

• Excellent team player and networker, with experience working in multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural groups, using influence and interpersonal skills, listening, diplomacy and tact to build strong relationships with governments, partners, donors, and all levels of staff.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, oral and written, particularly with explaining complex issues to diverse audiences.
• Experience of working across public, private and non-profit sectors
• Experience of project implementation and stakeholder coordination in the Democratic Republic of Congo or Central Africa
• Commitment to WCS’s mission and values and the ability to represent these within the organization and to external stakeholders