Job Description

Position Type: Fulltime

Application deadline: 23 February 2020

Internal liaison: WCS Eastern Africa, Madagascar & Western Indian Ocean Regional Director, WCS Conservation Solutions

Expected travel:Approximately 30%. As required within the region and to donor/technical meetings as needed/possible.

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Organization Background:

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 helpingto 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.

Program Overview:

WCS seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of carbon projects across a set of three landscape programmes in East Africa. Two landscapes have been pre-selected based on opportunities for a blend of forest protection (avoided deforestation)
and restoration activities that can generate carbon credits. In each case, WCS will commence pilot activities in a small portion of the landscape at the same time as it evaluates the potential for cost-effective generation of verified emissions reductions.The final product of this work will be to prepare the studies and documentation required to have the projects validated against the appropriate methodologies of the Verified Carbon Standard.

Job Summary

The position will oversee feasibility assessments covering project activities in two WCS landscapes in East Africa. The objective of the feasibility work is to create a fact base that will facilitate an investor decision on the potential for cost effective credit generation over the long term i.e. to establish whether each project can deliver carbon credits at scale and at a cost below that of the revenue generated by sales of the carbon credits. A feasibility assessment in each country will investigate the potential for carbon sequestration and determine the costs of proceeding with a full project.

Major Responsibilities:

• Baseline data: Working with WCS country teams and other independent experts, review the existing baseline information and update the emissions and sequestration baselines for each landscape in light of each proposed activity. This will include a re-assessment of the historical drivers of deforestation and, possible additional future drivers. Determine the project area for each project, the reference area, and relate the drivers and agents of land use change to carbon stocks the start date for all activities

• Activities and methodologies: For each landscape, review the selected project activities against the appropriate verification methodologies. Determine the data and knowledge gaps that need to be filled through pilot tests and field implementation, to quantify accurately the true emissions reduction potentials of the chosen activities when taken to scale.

• Pilot activities: For those activities where data is insufficient to build an investment case, work with WCS field teams to design and implement activities fill these data gaps – through field measurements or other studies, over a period of 12-18 months.

• Develop carbon crediting mechanisms & consultations: Working with WCS in country staff, determine the optimum pathway to quantification, verification and sale of the carbon credits. This will require consultations with government and community stakeholders accurately to determine carbon ownership rights and appropriate benefit sharing structures. The position will identify potential regulatory barriers to the project producing and selling carbon credits, for example possible requirements for nesting the projects in an emerging national REDD+ system. The position will not be required to undertake marketing or finding buyers for the credits.

• Project document synthesis: For each project in each country, write up the final feasibility assessment as a project document, ready for submission to a Validation and Verification Body, compiling all relevant baseline data and pilot test results, and providing a final,realistic assessment of the credit generation potentials. The position will be employed on a fixed-term contract (2 years) with the expectation that the project will be extended through future funding to support the scaling up phase through credit sales.

• Oversee the work of technical consultants, hired to conduct specific studies in each country towards the overall project aim (for example, carbon baseline establishment, socio-economic assessment)

• Work with the WCS country programme directors, and designated landscape leads to coordinate the field activities to be conducted in each landscape

• Design and implement a data collection and monitoring framework to be implemented alongside the pilot activities, accurately to quantify costs and assess scale-up feasibility

• Oversee the preparation of project documents (the synthesis of feasibility work) for each landscape, in collaboration with technical consultants and the WCS Conservation Solutions.

Qualification Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

• An advanced degree in conservation, environmental studies or other related advanced degree

• At least 5 years’ organization/project management experience, including budget and financial management

• Demonstrated experience working on REDD+ related to sustainable finance in a global context

• Demonstrated experience in the convening of networks and multi-stakeholders engagement

• Experience working on field based implementation of avoided deforestation, reforestation, woodlots, or natural regeneration projects

• Excellent written and oral language skills are required in English; the ability to function in another language (e.g. Spanish, French) is a plus

• Excellent skills in representation, outreach and partnerships building

• Excellent skills in mediation, communication and animation of multi-stakeholders initiatives

Application Process:

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by emailing an application letter and CV together with salary requirements and the names and contact information of three references to: africaapplications@wcs.org by 23 February deadline. Please include “Regional Forest Carbon Advisor” in the subject line of your email.

In addition, please note that all candidates must also apply online via the WCS career portal at: http://www.wcs.org/about-us/careers

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are 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 The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status,  or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations

Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

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