DRC: Deputy Chief of Party, Hearth Gorilla Coffee Alliance

Jun 27, 2021 | 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.


Position Summary:


The DCoP for the Hearth Gorilla Coffee Alliance will provide technical and coordination support to the Chief of Party on a multi-sectoral program focusing on economic resilience, coffee production, and gorilla conservation around the Kahuzi Biega National Park in eastern DRC. As the WCS lead on SA2 (Strengthen KBNP Landscape Constituency Building) and SA3 (Support enterprises incentivizing conservation action) of this program, the DCoP will provide technical oversight on the linkages of economic activities to conservation, ensure strong design of community conservation programs with KBNP buffer communities, and ensure strong coordination and alignment with the other Strategic Approaches of the program.


Core Responsibilities:

  1. Provide leadership to the design, implementation, and partnership strategy for interventions to improve the conservation linkages to market systems that are inclusive and increase community support to KBNP.
  2. Oversight of implementation on the conservation strategic approach, conservation contracts, and beneficiary identification for non-coffee livelihood programming.
  3. Facilitate joint activity design and planning, coordinated implementation, and learning between conservation, coffee productivity, livelihoods, marketing and nutrition teams.
  4. Build capacity of technical and other project staff, partners, and stakeholders for implementing multi-sectoral agriculture system strategies for increasing food production and diversifying incomes.
  5. Co-facilitate regular Pause and Reflect sessions to capture learning, introduce improvements, and achieve meaningful results;
  6. Understand and manage to expected project results, including monitoring and evaluation of ongoing activities as part of a collaborating, learning, and adapting approach;
  7. Work closely with the field team and project staff, including regular field visits, to develop annual workplans aligned with annual and life of project targets;
  8. Build and maintain constructive relationships with government officials, project partners, conservation sector leaders, donors/collaborators, and others as appropriate.

Qualification Requirements

WCS is looking for a candidate who has:

  1. Advanced degree (masters) in a natural resource management, conservation, development, agronomic studies or comparable
  2. At least 5-7 years’ experience in natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, or socio-economic related interventions
  3. Demonstrated knowledge of USAID project management including USAID rules and reporting requirements
  4. Experience working and collaborating with diverse sets of stakeholders, such as local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives and the private sector a distinct advantage.
  5. Experience with conflict sensitivity and management is a key advantage
  6. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, working capabilities in French; knowledge of Swahili or other local languages are a distinct advantage

Application process



Interested candidates who meet the above criteria should submit their application (combined CV and cover letter in a single attachment with the contacts of three references) to africaapplications@wcs.org by 31 July 2021. 
Please indicate "Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) Hearth Gorilla Coffee Alliance " in the subject line of your email. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.