Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor - Nairobi, Kenya

Company Description

ProSidian is a Management and Operations Consulting Services Firm focusing on providing value to clients through tailored solutions based on industry-leading practices. ProSidian services focus on the broad spectrum of Enterprise Solutions for Risk Management | Compliance | Business Process | IT Effectiveness | Energy & Sustainability | Human Capital. We help forward-thinking clients solve problems and improve operations.
Launched by former Big 4 Management Consultants; our multidisciplinary teams bring together the talents of nearly 190 professionals nationally to complete a wide variety of engagements for Private Companies, Fortune 1,000 Enterprises, and Government Agencies of all sizes. Our Services are deployed across the enterprise, target drivers of economic profit (growth, margin and efficiency), and are aligned at the intersections of assets, processes, policies and people delivering value.
ProSidian clients represent a broad spectrum of industries to include but are not limited to Energy, Manufacturing, Chemical, Retail, Healthcare, Telecommunications, Hospitality, Pharmaceuticals, Banking & Financial Services, Transportation, Federal and State Government Agencies. Learn More About ProSidian Consulting at www.ProSidian.com.

Job Description

ProSidian Seeks a Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor - East Africa headquartered near Nairobi, Kenya focused on the management of public lands and minerals, national parks, and wildlife refuges and to uphold Federal trust responsibilities for endangered species conservation and other environmental conservation efforts.

The organization's activities span the globe, having worked in more than 60 countries and specializing in deployment of applied technical expertise, domestic and international experience as well as in‐country coordinators, to foster direct and sustained government‐to‐government professional exchanges with their counterparts in other countries. 

This is achieved through partnership with local and international NGOs as well as private contractors, lending unique government‐to‐government expertise to technical assistance projects while leveraging resources.

This Exempt | Full-Time position currently best aligns with the Wildlife Conservation Advisor Labor Category. Ideal candidates exhibit the ability to visualize, analyze, and convert data and experiences to meet performance challenges while confidently engaging in productive “Jugaad” and dialogue targeting mission success.

Specific Requirements For Leadership: provide critical leadership to advance the U.S. Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking (CWT), the U.S. Eliminate, Neutralize and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act, the U.S. Presidential Executive Order on Enforcing Federal Laws with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing International Trafficking 2017, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Biodiversity Policy in East Africa.

This includes, but is not limited to, leadership and direction on CWT matters as they concern U.S. government representatives, field partners, regional and host government officials, etc. Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills and ability to work independently and as part of a team. Self-starter with a flexible nature who knows when to seek direction. 

This work includes leading regular meetings with relevant representatives in the USG, host country governments, and nongovernmental organizations in the region and coordinating activities to avoid duplication.

• provide direction and oversight for a regional portfolio of U.S. government-funded conservation activities including tracking their implementation and monitoring and evaluating their impacts.
• serve as the principal interlocutor on these activities with governmental and non-governmental partners in the region.
• be called upon to provide written and oral briefing materials to a variety of audiences, including U.S. Ambassadors in East African countries, and plan for and staff official USG visits to Kenya.
• provide expert representation within the broader USG anti-trafficking effort and will engage with high-level technical and political stakeholders within regional governments and relevant intergovernmental organizations such as the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, the nascent Horn of Africa Wildlife Enforcement Network, and the East African Community (EAC).
• effectively coordinate and leverage resources for greater impact and facilitate a community of practice on CWT and biodiversity conservation.
• lead interagency coordination amongst the USG in Kenya and regionally, including but not limited to USAID, Department of State, Interior, Justice, Commerce, and Homeland Security.
• actively engage in the global CWT coordination effort through regular conference calls and relevant meetings to influence USG thinking, strategy, and action on CWT from a field perspective, and will co-chair the Kenya U.S. Embassy CWT working group.
• actively engage in the Development Partners Wildlife Issues Group, as well as engage civil society and the private sector, to foster strategic coordination for better impact, and to advance and leverage strategic support through a broader consortium.
• negotiate with and influence colleagues across development sectors, regional USG representatives, and with other donors and partners in the region to effectively integrate CWT into strategies and programs.
• participate in regional strategy discussions, participate in regional field visits, and make presentations to persuade diverse audiences, from the highest decision-makers to the average citizen, to influence and provide leadership during the planning and program implementation.
• provide leadership and guidance to junior team members on developing project management skills, providing technical resources, and developing contacts. Although the advisor has no supervisory responsibilities, a strong mentoring relationship among the team of junior staff is desired.

Specific Requirements For Project Management:  assume Assistance Officer Representative (AOR) and task management responsibilities of CWT projects, and other activities related to CWT, as needed and lead the development of CWT activities in Kenya and East Africa.

• lead efforts to integrate CWT into Kenya community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) programming and strategic plans.
• work with the Strategic Communications Manager and Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) advisor to support effective monitoring and evaluation of CWT activities and to ensure that evidence-based approaches for conservation are prioritized, captured, and shared through a learning network.
• provide technical support to budget and performance planning exercises as they pertain to CWT and broader conservation work.

Specific Requirements For Technical Advisory: provide technical guidance in the design and implementation of bilateral and regional program strategies and funding agreements.

• provide technical analysis on existing and new bilateral and regional policies, strategies, and laws related to biodiversity conservation and CWT in the Kenya and East Africa region.
• identify and promote synergies and strategic linkages in bilateral and regional activity implementation by various implementing/ development partners including private sector entities.
• work to strengthen the capacity and commitment of local organizations to lead, own, and manage their development pathways.
• act as a relationship manager for private businesses and companies interested in biodiversity conservation and CWT.

#TechnicalCrossCuttingJobs #WildlifeConservationJobs #WildlifeConservationEastAfrica #Jugaad

Qualifications

The Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor - East Africa shall have consecutive employment in a position with comparable responsibilities within the past five (5) years, Must be able to use a computer to communicate via email; and proficient in Microsoft Office Products (Word/Excel/PowerPoint) and related tools and technology required for the position. 

Language Proficiency: Fluent English and proficiency in Kiswahili is desired.

Skills and Abilities: Ability to maintain and expand a network of high-level contacts in the U.S. government, governments of the region, civil society, academia, development partners, and local community organizations.

- Strong written, verbal, and analytical skills – including the ability to prepare well-written reports. Experience coordinating with USG agencies on CWT issues, including USAID, Department of State, Interior, Justice, Commerce, and Homeland Security.

• Experience working with donor coordination and collaboration on CWT programming.
• Experience supporting Congressional and Ambassadorial UGS delegations through written memos and oral briefings.
• AOR experience leading a USG program.
• Familiarity with the END ACT (including implementation) using a whole government approach. Familiarity working with local and bilateral CWT organizations to build their capacity on their Journey to Self-Reliance.
• The Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor must be able to write syntheses and explain results in a readily understandable way to non-technical/biodiversity specialists and audiences.
• Skills in computer applications, teamwork (complex institutional and multi-cultural settings), policy analyses, and institutional relations are necessary.
• Incumbent must obtain, analyze, and evaluate complex information and prepare precise, accurate, factual, and analytical sound reports. The ability to quickly and objectively render advice is required.

Education: Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Social Sciences, and/or related field or equivalent terminal degree in conservation biology, environmental science, environmental policy, public policy, or another field that is directly relevant to the conservation of imperiled species.

Job Knowledge: The ideal candidate will have a working knowledge of international sustainable development principles and be able to understand and fully articulate U.S. foreign and development policy objectives. The Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor must have an extensive range of high-level contacts in the East Africa region, including representatives of the U.S. government, governments of the countries in the region, civil society, academia, development partners, and local community organizations.

Specifically, The Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor must already possess the unique working relationships essential to the successful continuity of operations including those with key Government of Kenya personnel (e.g., Kenya Wildlife Service Director of Strategy and Change and International Affairs Coordinator), FWS law enforcement attaches, and USAID mission counterparts in East Africa.

• working knowledge on conservation and CWT issues and interventions in the East African region, obtained through direct experience working on these issues at the project management level.
• knowledge of politics, conservation climate, and development context in the East African region is required. Knowledge of domestic and international best practices in wildlife protection and counter-trafficking in order to provide strategic advice and direction.
• knowledge, as it pertains to CWT, of stakeholders incentives/engagement from professionals in the following fields: natural resource management, wildlife management, resource economics, wildlife-based tourism/hunting, community-based conservation, program performance monitoring/evaluation, and environmental crime.
• knowledge of monitoring and evaluation as it pertains to CWT and broader conservation, specifically reporting on the END ACT.
• experience with science and policy matters involving endangered species conservation at state wildlife or federal natural resource agency or department is helpful.
• an equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific education and experience listed above.
• excellent research, writing, and communication skills. Proven ability to quickly and accurately analyze environmental policies and communicate the assessments clearly and concisely for non-technical audiences in plain English.

Prior Work Experience: At least ten years’ experience designing, directing, and monitoring natural resource management and biodiversity conservation initiatives, including CWT activities for the USG in East Africa. At least ten years’ experience with USAID Missions in the East Africa Region, setting direction and goals of USG priorities. At least fifteen years’ working with USG, foreign governments, NGOs, and the private sector to achieve international development objectives in East Africa. Must have been stationed in Kenya with fully established local, national, and regional CWT professional networks. The Senior Wildlife Conservation Advisor must have experience working with various professionals from fields that include natural resource management, wildlife management, resource economics, wildlife-based tourism/hunting, community-based conservation, program performance monitoring/evaluation, and environmental crime. Prior work experience with USG agencies, particularly DOI, is preferred.

TRAVEL: Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings, events, site visits, or other training requirements. Travel is coordinated with the technical point of contact and approved in writing by the Contracting Officer in advance, is allowed, in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations.

Additional Information

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork – ability to foster teamwork collaboratively as a participant, and effectively as a team leader
• Leadership – ability to guide and lead colleagues on projects and initiatives
• Business Acumen – understanding and insight into how organizations perform, including business processes, data, systems, and people
• Communication – ability to effectively communicate to stakeholders of all levels orally and in writing
• Motivation – persistent in pursuit of quality and optimal client and company solutions
• Agility – ability to quickly understand and transition between different projects, concepts, initiatives, or work streams
• Judgment – exercises prudence and insight in decision-making process while mindful of other stakeholders and long-term ramifications
• Organization – ability to manage projects and activity, and prioritize tasks

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OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Business Tools – understanding and proficiency with business tools and technology, including Microsoft Office. The ideal candidate is advanced with Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word, and proficient with Adobe Acrobat, data analytic tools, and Visio with the ability to quickly learn other tools as necessary.
• Business Tools – understanding and proficiency with business tools and technology, including Microsoft Office. The ideal candidate is advanced with Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word, and proficient with Adobe Acrobat, data analytic tools, and Visio with the ability to quickly learn other tools as necessary.
• Commitment - to work with smart, interesting people with diverse backgrounds to solve the biggest challenges across private, public, and social sectors
• Curiosity – the ideal candidate exhibits an inquisitive nature and the ability to question the status quo among a community of people they enjoy and teams that work well together
• Humility – exhibits grace in success and failure while doing meaningful work where skills have an impact and make a difference
• Willingness - to constantly learn, share, and grow and to view the world as their classroom