WAP Security Coordinator (re-advertisement) At African Parks

ABOUT AFRICAN PARKS

African Parks is a non-profit organization that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. We currently manage 19 national parks and protected areas in 11 countries covering over 14.1 million hectares in: Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Since 2017, Benin Government has entered into a long-term agreement with African Parks to revitalize, rehabilitate and develop both Pendjari and W National Parks. Together, these two Parks form a significant portion of the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex, a globally significant transboundary landscape representing the largest intact wild ecosystem in West Africa.

African Parks is seeking a full-time Security Coordinator for W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) region. This position is to be shared between parks in the region and represents an exciting opportunity to work with a unique conservation organization, dedicated to protecting Africa’s wildlife and remaining wild places. We are looking for a highly organized, self-motivated and passionate individual to coordinate security operations across the WAP complex. The position will be primarily based in the field and will require frequent travel in between the parks under AP management in WAP as well as regional capitals. This individual will support the work we are carrying out to help secure the future of wildlife and the people living around the protected areas. This is a special opportunity to work with an organization that is carrying out some of the most impactful conservation work across Africa.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The WAP Security Coordinator is responsible for providing operational coordination of AP Parks’ Law Enforcement (LE) entities across the WAP complex including technical support for its security requirements. Expected Key Performance Areas to achieve are as follow:

• Ensure liaison and coordination with National Defence and Security command of any joint security operation within WAP.
• Ensure liaison and coordination with international security stakeholders operating within or around the WAP.
• Conduct ongoing regional threat evaluation for the area of operation.
• Provide regular written operational updates and verbal briefings to management on the current and future threat picture.
• Provide supervision and coordination of CONOPs, LEO and annual budget of WAP parks.
• Provide oversight and coordination of park security operational planning. (Park HLEs)
• Supervise operational readiness of park teams. (Park HLEs)
• Ensure that park security planning across the WAP is coordinated and complementary.
• Ensure unit joint operations liaison and interoperability between WAP parks.
• Ensure unit operations liaison and interoperability between WAP and adjacent FDS units.
• Ensure AP SOPs with regards to LE, Human Rights and Intelligence are in place and permanently evaluated within AP operations in the WAP.
• Coordinate all J2/J3/J5 entities across the WAP complex to ensure all force elements operational readiness and capability is coordinated and maintained in line within agreed parameters.
• Identify, consult with, coordinate and implement the advice of appropriate experts from various fields to meet the scale and scope of requirements presented by the need.

QUALIFICATIONS

We are looking for someone who is passionate about conservation and wants to be part of a growing, dynamic team who is responsible for security coordination in African Parks. This person sees this position as an exciting opportunity to help save wildlife and wild places across the continent. Ideally, the candidate has the following or comparable qualifications:

• Military background – middle ranking officer with operational experience
• Demonstrated conservation understanding/experience
• Significant Africa experience, ideally in West Africa.
• Significant leadership experience with proven successful team building ability
• Multidisciplinary exposure
• Fluency in French and English is a requirement
• Resourceful, resilient and reliable.
• Able to achieve mission success working autonomously or with little support in low-resourced environment for extended periods
• Ability to work well within a team and accept constructive criticism;
• Goal-oriented, self-motivated, creative, highly flexible and adaptable to change
• Strong willingness to and experience living in a remote location
• Adhesion to African Parks values.