Assistant to the Country Director

CONTEXT

The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF) is an international NGO working in four West African countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. WCF has been in operation since 2000 for the conservation of chimpanzees and other biodiversity in West Africa and opened its office in Liberia in 2013. WCF is working closely with the Forestry Development Authority and other local government and NGO partners. WCF’s main target area in Liberia is the Southeast, in particular the Grebo-Krahn and Sapo National Parks, and the Proposed Kwa National Park, located in Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Sinoe, and Rivercess Counties. WCF runs 3 offices in Liberia; in Monrovia, Zwedru, and at Sapo National Park. Major donors for WCF are the European Union, Rainforest Trust, USAID, UKAID, the Great Ape Conservation Fund of the USFWS, and other smaller donors.

WCF’s long-term mission focuses on enhancing the survival of the remaining wild chimpanzee populations and their habitat, while ensuring sustainable benefits for local communities. It covers conservation programs that include biomonitoring, law enforcement, environmental education, research, land-use planning, alternative livelihood schemes, ecotourism, infrastructure development, and capacity building. Emphasis is placed on using an evidence-based approach to the program and supporting transboundary collaboration between stakeholders in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Coordination

• Works closely with the Country Director, the WCF representation in Abidjan, and the European representation.
• Develops and improves the project management and planning tools, integrating the plans of each of the Protected Areas, notably the Annual Work Plans, the annual budgets, the internal regulations, the Development and Management Plan, etc.
• Implements the Annual Work Plans and annual budgets.
• Ensures the recruitment of priority posts and management unit staff.
• Ensures effective project management and implementation, in particular the daily organization of work, resting days and holidays, etc.
• Observes and advises on operational context (legislation, land use planning projects, political, regional, etc.) that may have an impact on the management of the landscape; participates in the revision of the documents if necessary.
• Assists the WCF Country Director with various tasks including reporting, tendering, or others to ensure the continuity of operations.
• Ensures compliance with the provisions and commitments of the different donors, as well as the specific partnership agreements for each of the partner structures in Liberia.
• Keeps track of reporting deadlines.
• Develops and maintains positive and trustful relationships with institutional, technical, and financial partners and stakeholders of the project sites, including local communities and decentralized government services.
• Represents Country Director in meetings and workshops, as appropriate

Fundraising and communication

• Leads the coordination and development of competitively strong proposals and concept notes in coordination with the Country Director, West Africa office, and WCF Headquarters;
• Oversees the creation of necessary promotion materials across multiple platforms, including, but not limited to presentations, social content, video, photography, website content, email, external reports, and press releases.
• Supervises the WCF communications and PR team
• Contributes to the visibility and image of the projects, WCF and its partners in Liberia, through communication actions at local, regional, and national levels.
• Assists with communication, organization, and coordination of workshops, meetings and events as needed.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Supervises the WCF Monitoring & Evaluation Team
• Prepares monthly, interim, final and other required reports, including working with the M&E team as required
• Analyze grant progress, assists proper budget follow up, analysis, projections and budget realignments where needed.
• Organizes t least one formal evaluation per year on the work accomplished and the perspectives to come.

Experiences and skills REQUIRED

• Master’s degree in management, development or environment
• At least 4 years of professional experience in project management, (including reporting and fundraising), preferably in the conservation and development sector;
• At least 3 years of professional experience in Africa, including Anglophone Africa.
• Experience in managing EU-funded projects;
• Good knowledge on Monitoring & Evaluation
• Proven interest on communication
• Proven skills in managing and working with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, involving partners in two countries;
• Proven skills in logistics, operations management, procedures and administration;
• Proven skills in partnership management and relations with local authorities;
• Ability to adapt, to live in isolated conditions and to be autonomous is essential;
• Ability to suggest solutions and to take initiative;
• Excellent English language skills (both written and spoken), French is a plus.