Private Sector Engagement Advisor - Tenders Global

Private Sector Engagement Advisor

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Line manager:  Technical Director, WCS Congo

Workplace: Ouesso
Country/Sector Program:   Congo

Type of position:         Full-time.

Planned travel:      Regular travel to WCS Congo’s areas of operation in northern Congo

Context   

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is an American non-profit organization founded in 1895. Its mission is to preserve wildlife by understanding critical problems, developing scientific solutions and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With over a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, a presence in more than 60 countries and experience in creating more than 150 protected areas worldwide, WCS has accumulated the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships needed to ensure that wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, this knowledge is applied to solving species, habitat and ecosystem management issues, which are essential to improving the quality of life of rural populations whose livelihoods depend on the direct use of natural resources.

Program overview

For the past 30 years, WCS Congo has been the government’s main conservation partner, helping the Ministry of Forest Economy (MEF) to manage wildlife and its habitat in several of the country’s national parks, reserves and protected area buffer zones. In these sites, WCS develops and implements actions for effective wildlife protection, community-based natural resource management, ecological monitoring, scientific research and environmental education. The program is one of the largest in WCS’s global portfolio and reports to the regional program for Central Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. WCS Congo’s current program portfolio includes management of the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (PNNN) through a public-private partnership with the Government of Congo, wildlife management in the park’s important buffer zones, co-management of the Lac Télé community reserve, a national program to support reform of marine resource conservation and management, and a major policy support program for the central government in Brazzaville.

In northern Congo, WCS is engaged in long-term partnerships with various private sector stakeholders, each with a different level of maturity. WCS is formally engaged with a Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forestry company called Congolaise Industrielle des Bois (CIB) through a tripartite agreement for the management of the government-led surveillance teams in their concessions. In the sector of tourism, WCS is working closely with Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, a Congolese tourism company, to develop high-end tourism activities in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park; as well as working with park communities to develop a community-led tourism operation with other local companies. In the last four years, WCS has also been supporting the development of a poultry production value chain in northern Congoa in collaboration with the World Poultry Foundation, with a view to providing an alternative protein source than bushmeat. In this project, we are entering the final ‘scale-up phase’ in which investments from the private sector are needed to make the value chain sustainable. The tourism and poultry projects are both funded principally by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Job summary   

The Private Sector Engagement Advisor will lead WCS Congo’s private sector engagement to deliver conservation outcomes in northern Congo. The role encompasses managing USAID-funded projects, developing investment opportunities, and fostering partnerships across key sectors, including forestry, tourism, and agriculture.

Main responsibilities 

WCS Chief of Party to USAID

  • Act as the WCS Chief of Party (COP) to USAID for tourism and poultry projects. Working closely with the respective Project Managers, this part of the role will include, but not be limited to, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality reports, preparation and monitoring implementation of Annual Work Plans and Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plans (EMMPs), and ensuring that all activities are implemented in compliance with US Government regulations.
  • As COP, the Private Sector Engagement Technical Advisor will serve as the primary WCS Congo focal point for USAID, representing WCS in related meetings and discussions.

Attract investment in the northern Congo poultry sector

  • Conduct a market analysis that identifies potential investors in the northern Congo poultry sector.
  • Develop investment proposals that catalog investment needs and priorities for the poultry sector.
  • Engage with potential private sector investors, with a view to securing investments that will sustain the northern Congo poultry value chain.

Provide technical advice and support to other private sector related activity in northern Congo

  • Working closely with the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park team, support the development of new partnerships with local or international tourism operators to develop tourism opportunities in and around the park.
  • As requested by project teams, contribute to providing training and technical support to local staff, partners, and communities to foster their capacity to engage with and benefit from private sector partnerships.
  • As requested by project teams, facilitate stakeholder consultations to align private sector activities with local community needs and conservation objectives.
  • Assist with the development of funding proposals targeting private sector co-investment in WCS projects.
  • Support the development of sustainable value-chains that encourage nature-positive behavior of farmers and fishers.
  • In close coordination with the Regional Conservation Finance Lead, contribute to the development of innovative financing mechanisms (e.g., carbon credits, sustainable commodity certification) to leverage private sector investment in conservation in northern Congo.
  • In close coordination with the Regional Conservation Finance Lead, explore possibilities to develop a conservation enterprise in the Lac Télé Community Reserve with the aim of developing zero-deforestation cacao production.
  • In close coordination with the Regional Forestry Advisor based in Kigali and the WCS Congo team, contribute to the development and the implementation of a framework of cooperation with northern Congo forest concessionaires.

    Minimum requirements 

  • Degree in Business Administration, Economics, Natural Resource Management, or a related field.
  • At least 5 years of proven experience of working in or with the private sector in Central Africa, in Congo an advantage. Experience working on an international scale will be an advantage.
  • Experience of working with USAID funded projects will be a significant advantage.
  • Strong grant management skills, including proposal and report writing in English.
  • Professional proficiency in French and English. Fluency in one or both languages will be an advantage.
  • Excellent computer and systems skills, especially with MS Office applications.
  • Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines.
  • Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse team. You must be solution-oriented and have strong problem-solving skills and analytical skills.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, comfortably participating as a contributor, leader, and effective listener in group settings.
  • Understanding of conservation issues in Congo is an advantage.

How to apply

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, skills and experience, should apply through the application link  before February 28th , 2025.
All qualified persons are welcome to apply. Persons who identify as Indigenous, Afro-descendant, or are from traditional local communities and women from these communities are strongly encouraged to apply. WCS is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value.

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