Afghanistan: Country Director

Jun 11, 2018 | Wildlife Conservation Society
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Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. With a commitment to conserve the world's largest wild places in 16 priority regions, which are home to more than 50% of the world's biodiversity, WCS addresses four of the biggest issues facing wildlife and wild places: climate change; natural resource exploitation; the connection between wildlife health and human health; and the sustainable development of human livelihoods.

WCS began working in Afghanistan in 2004 and opened a full country program in 2006. With a staff of over 50 full-time national and international experts, the program has helped to draft many of Afghanistan’s environmental laws and regulations; trained thousands of Afghan community members, rangers, and government staff in natural resource management; built new community governance institutions; performed ground-breaking studies on a suite of wildlife including snow leopards and Marco Polo sheep; implemented cutting-edge disease, rangeland management, and conflict mitigation projects in their two key landscapes (Wakhan and Bamyan); and helped design and support management in Afghanistan’s first and second official protected areas, Band-e-Amir National Park (2009) and Wakhan National Park (2014).

Country Director, Afghanistan

The Wildlife Conservation Society has retained SRI Executive Search (www.sri-executive.com ) to assist with their search for dynamic individual with significant experience with conservation country program management to oversee management of the WCS Afghanistan Country Program.

The WCS Afghanistan Country Director will be responsible for planning and supporting implementation of conservation projects and activities; managing and overseeing staff and program finances; fundraising and grant oversight; coordination with government and non-government partners; and providing vision and leadership for the WCS Program in Afghanistan.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The selected candidate will be responsible for the following tasks:

  • Ensure program adheres to and achieves outputs and outcomes that directly support overall organizational strategy (e.g. WCS 2020) and country program strategy toward conservation of wildlife and wild places.
  • Coordinate and support all program initiatives while ensuring proper collection, analysis and publication of field data.
  • Hire, train, and supervise program staff; promote teamwork and provide feedback to staff.
  • Oversee financial management of the program.
  • Produce reports and other required documents (e.g., work plans, implementation plans, quarterly and annual reports, budget reports) for WCS, government partners and donors on schedule.
  • Work with WCS New York to identify opportunities for further funding for conservation work in Afghanistan
  • Work with WCS colleagues, the Afghan government, and international agencies to promote biodiversity conservation and influence policy in Afghanistan through attendance at conservation events, written outputs, interviews, and general communication. Direct international attention to important sites and species for conservation, and influence policies promoting their conservation.
  • Ensure that reports and other materials are accessible to the international community through publications, web sites, etc.
  • Ensure program implementation and outcomes are monitored and regularly evaluated. Ensure training and technical assistance to project personnel in implementing the framework and in promoting an adaptive management approach at site and project level
  • Provide oversight on project security, logistics and operations. Monitor the status of all field teams and ensure the maintenance and effective allocation of resources and equipment.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

Education

The ideal candidate will hold a Ph.D. or a Masters degree and equivalent experience in a field related to the conservation of biological diversity, preferably in an Asian context.

Relevant Experience

  • Minimum of ten years program management experience in conservation
  • Ability to foster teamwork within the program
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
  • Ability to work in a range of cultural contexts
  • Significant and diverse fundraising experience
  • Commitment to WCS’s values of respect, accountability and transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.

Terms of Appointment

This is a full-time position with the successful candidate being contracted on a three-year basis. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Key Steps in the Selection Process

  1. If you wish to be considered for this position, please forward a copy of your CV and a supporting letter in Microsoft Word format, along with any relevant documentation to Ms. Prysleen May Pabon at ppabon@sri-executive.com. All information will be in the strictest confidence as we pride ourselves on our professional service. We will revert to you as soon as feasible when we have reviewed your application.
  2. During the recruitment process, SRI Executive Search will require your cooperation in completing a Competency Profile. You will also be required to participate in a number of telephone or Skype conversations with the team to ensure there is a clear understanding of the Terms of Reference and also an appropriate “fit” for you and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
  3. We will require that you provide us with full details of three people who are willing to act as a referee. We will not contact these referees without your express permission. Please note that reference checks may be conducted prior to your face-to-face interviews.
  4. Once we have the details of all those interested in going forward for this role, we will evaluate all applicants against the requirements of the role as outlined above. SRI will conduct a number of interviews with interested parties.
  5. Should both the parties wish to proceed, two interviews with the Selection Committee will take palce. Please note a meeting with SRI Representatives may be required prior to this. You may be asked the terms and conditions that you would require for an offer to be acceptable to you.
  6. After you meet with the Selection Committee, we will advise you of the Committee’s decision as soon as possible. At the selection stage should you be the preferred final candidate, our client will likely extend a verbal offer to you. Please note that the successful candidate will be required to furnish us with original copies of their qualifications prior to an offer being extended.