CAR: Commercial Development Manager

Nov 13, 2021 | African Parks
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African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes full 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, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.


Chinko's mosaic of ecosystems at such a latitude on the African continent makes this region incredibly rich and unique in biodiversity. The Chinko Conservation Area (ACC) is an important area for threatened wildlife as well as a large ecosystem with complex interactions and is the only managed protected environment in the remote eastern part of CAR.

More recently, a “functional landscape” of approximately 64,645 km2 that the CAR government has designated as a mandate for APN to develop a comprehensive conservation strategy and land use plan. It will have to be protected. JOB

Overview:

African Parks - RCA, committed to the protection and rehabilitation of CCA in the Central African Republic, is seeking a dynamic Business Development Manager who will be responsible for the design and implementation of the most suitable revenue streams, sustainable and efficient which are essential to ensure the long-term viability of the park.

Main Roles and Responsibilities:

Tourism

  • Negotiate and oversee all relevant tourism agreements with third parties.
  • Manage, develop and maximize our current partnership with tourism operators in the Central African Republic.
  • Design, implement and manage the first tourism products, with the aim of targeting the national and international niche market and developing innovative offers, drawing inspiration from and capitalizing on successful and exceptional offers developed in other parks APN such as Zakouma, Chad or Akagera).
  • Design and implement a marketing and communications plan in conjunction with APN Headquarters to enhance Chinko's visibility as a premier nature and wildlife destination in Central Africa.
  • Coordinate with operations and research and surveillance departments to expand existing facilities and co-create gorilla and research related tourist attractions
  • Recruit, train and manage staff, with a focus on local workforce and the development of field guides.
  • Establish and manage key relationships with tour operators, travel business partners and other key tourism players, while ensuring synergies and economies of scale with other APN parks.
  • Manage and coordinate all guided tourism activities, with emphasis on quality, safety and customer satisfaction.
  • Manage and ensure the collection of tourist receipts as well as the associated administrative requirements such as compensation forms, entry and exit permits, etc.
  • Monitor and manage the efficiency of all tourism operations to maximize the bottom line
  • Manage and maintain appropriate customer feedback and market research mechanisms
  • Maintain and develop key information for park visitors, eg newsletter, Facebook page, Trip Advisor, web pages, road signs and media publications.
  • Report performance (visitor statistics, revenue, P&L, etc.) on a
    monthly and annual basis Business development
  • Implement and manage case studies (in partnership with research and surveillance, community development and human wildlife conflict departments) to identify the most suitable income-generating activities to develop throughout the park , with an emphasis on sustainable bushmeat, fish harvesting, honey production, small-scale logging and other plant-based operations in the ecological development area of ​​the park as well as its periphery.
  • Investigate and, where appropriate, implement carbon sales in coordination with APN Headquarters Business Development.
  • Identify financial partners as well as private or institutional investors.
  • Design, develop and manage memoranda of understanding with implementing partners.
  • Identify and exploit synergies with regional partners (WCS, WWF, etc.) in order to develop sustainable value chains at the national level.
  • Ensure and maximize market access and distribution.
  • Ensure the quality of monthly and annual reports to the fleet manager.
    Other ad hoc tasks
  • Be aware of the wider implications of the project, working effectively with other African park functions in the country and sometimes at the regional level.

Education and Experience:

  • 5 years of experience in business development in Africa with proven exceptional results.
  • In-depth understanding of African markets and tourism markets.
  • Strong marketing, management and administration skills with one or more previous successful experiences.
  • Demonstrable experience in project management.
  • Strong analytical and organizational skills.
  • Very good communication skills and ability to defend a project.
  • Proven ability to innovate.
  • Results oriented with a strong ability to work independently.
  • Team player with the ability to work with multicultural and multi-background teams.
  • High adaptability and ability to work in remote areas.
  • Strong personal integrity and reliability.
  • Computer skills (Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Good report writing.
  • Ability to produce professional written materials in English and French for promotional and information purposes.
  • Any formal tertiary qualification relevant to tourism or business management is a plus

How to apply

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to centralafrica.hr@africanparks.org before Friday, November 5, 2021. Please mention the name of the position in the subject line of the email.

If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, it means your application has not been successful.