CAR: Bamingui-Bangoran Site Manager

Sep 5, 2022 | Wildlife Conservation Society
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The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources. 
 
The Sudano-Sahel Region presents unparalleled opportunities for WCS to play a direct role in saving some of the last remaining intact wildernesses on the planet and to contribute significantly to the security of people and wildlife. The savannas, forests, and wetlands of the region support key populations of endangered elephant, northern giraffe, lion, eland, chimpanzee, gorilla, bongo, and the second largest antelope migration on the planet. Hundreds of bird species occur in the area, including the shoebill and the crowned crane. Communities also depend on the land for their livelihoods through pastoralism, agriculture, fishing, and hunting. WCS has a significant presence in the Sudano-Sahel region, with a strong conservation history and proven success in protected area management. WCS currently has conservation initiatives in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, CAR, South Sudan, with new program activities developing in Ethiopia.  We work actively to support protected area management and wildlife law enforcement, local livelihoods, develop conservation-security partnerships, enhance anti-trafficking activities, and to implement our policy and scientific programs. 
 
CAR Program Overview:  
WCS has recently launched a private public partnership program with the government of Central African Republic (CAR) for management of the northern CAR protected area complex. This is a multi-faceted long term program entailing park management, law enforcement and community engagement within the Bamingui-Bangoran and Manovo-Gouda St Floris National Parks in Northeaster CAR.  The CAR program is funded through various high-level donors with multiple ongoing projects overlapping, notably from the EU and UNESCO. 
 
Job Summary:  
The Site Manager will be responsible for the operational and logistical management of the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and its surrounding protected areas, including infrastructure development & maintenance, fleet (vehicle/aircraft/boats / etc.) management, logistics, law enforcement, and conservation activities. This job is a full-time position based in the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park. 
 
Duties and responsibilities include: 
 
Personnel Management:  

• Provide leadership to the Bamingui-Bangoran landscape team, especially leadership team, and collaborators, fostering staff motivation and high-quality performance to ensure the team achieves impact and promotes an inclusive work environment. 
• Lead the aviation, conservation, operations, and administration (including human resources) needs of the Bamingui-Bangoran landscape. 
• Manage and support the development of technical and financial reports related to the Bamingui-Bangoran landscape, ensuring compliance with WCS SOP, donor's requirements, legal contracts, and budgets. 
• Train and manage a leadership team that will command and control anti-poaching and law enforcement operations (including the Control Room and ranger patrols). 
• Coordinate operations with the Transhumance and Socioeconomic Development team. 
• Facilitate communication between landscape leadership team, across projects, and with headquarters in Bangui to keep the management team updated. 
• Oversee personnel movement, flight itineraries, and communications with aerial staff. 
• Build and maintain collaborative relations and platforms with the local authorities. 

• Lead the Bamingui-Bangoran landscape regarding park and infrastructure management including aviation, conservation, operations, and administration (anti-poaching, monitoring, human resources, budgeting, reporting, etc.). 
• Oversee that all field operations activities are conducted according to WCS policies and Standard Operating Procedures. 
• Develop and implement an integrated, systematic field operations plan and budget aligned with the Northeastern CAR Protected Areas Program. 
• Maintain basic operational base well suited for warehouses, communications equipment, control room, a small workshop, accommodation facilities, offices, and additional areas as needed. 
• Maintain all-weather access roads connecting the existing park road network to the operational base, and ensure the logistical backbone, particularly throughout the wet season. 
• Any other duties as requested by the CAR Country Director. 

• Professional Training and Qualifications in protected area management or equivalent experience. 
• >5 years working experience in Protected Area Management in Africa. 
• Proven experience managing a dynamic team across different departments. 
• Experience in wildlife law enforcement required. 
• Practical skills and experience in developing infrastructure and monitoring systems. 
• Initiative – must be able to get things done and solve problems with minimal support. 
• French language fluency required.  English and/or Sango skills also desired.    
• Good communication skills and strong team leadership. 
• Proven experience in capacity building relationships with partners. 
• Proven ability to live and work in a remote multicultural environment under difficult field conditions.   
• Excellent computer skills and various office applications. 
• Piloting qualifications with ULM or Cessna 182 a potential advantage but not required.