[OSGeo-Jobs] WWF Conservation Director - Vamizi Island, Mozambique

[Anne Ghisla]

JOB DESCRIPTION 
 
Position title     :                       WWF  Conservation Director 
Reports to        :                       WWF-MCO Conservation Manager 
Location           :                       Vamizi Island, Mozambique
Start Date        :                       01 July 2010
 
Background
 
Vamizi Island (xx ha) is part of a commercial conservation concession in
northern Mozambique, managed by Cabo Delgado Biodiversity and Tourism
Company (Mozambique) - CDBT. It includes the adjacent island of Rongui,
and some 100+ km to the south lie Macaloe Island and Quiterajo (30,000
ha) on the mainland. Vamizi Island is the focus of an international
eco-tourism development, comprising a lodge and plans to build 50
holiday houses. It Quiterajo there has been little tourism development,
but substantial ecological surveys and community liaison work.. 
 
Vamizi ecotourism development focuses on sea sports, including coral
diving and sport fishing, and therefore depends on maintaining excellent
quality reefs and marine conditions. The company also needs to work with
local communities fisheries groups to regulate fishing to ensure
sustainable benefits. In addition, Vamizi and Rongui are vulnerable to
off-shore oil / gas exploration and production – and they depend on the
oil industry to follow best international practice to avoid ecological
and social damage.  
 
WWF has developed the Coastal East Africa regional marine programme,
stretching from Kenya to Tanzania and Mozambique, and has identified the
Vamizi regional as an important ‘conservation hot spot’, with high coral
species diversity, and an important zone for trans-frontier marine
conservation work with Tanzania. There is therefore WWF interested to
work with CDBT to build a conservation and development programme that
delivers high quality tourism, ecological and social outcomes, and to do
this will require an integration of effective conservation management
and sound conservation science
 
Although the focus of development is on Vamizi Island, it is important
to appreciate that the impact of the CDBT company activities, such as
use of building timber and reliance on much international air travel,
needs to be mitigated as much as possible through habitat restoration
and maintenance in Quiterago.  
 
 
Job Purpose
 
Improve the health and ecosystem productivity of the Vamizi and Rongui
Islands for the benefit of tourism development, community fisheries, as
the intrinsic value of the ecosystem and its species. This needs to be
achieved in the context of national and regional conservation
initiatives, and as an integral part of the ecotourism development
activities on Vamizi Island.
Major Functions:
 
·        Take on management responsibilities for all WWF activities on
Vamizi and Rongui Islands, and Quiterajo area, including financial,
administrative and personnel management, and delivery of annual
workplans. This includes contract management of 20 Vamizi turtle
monitors and 20 Quiterajo wildlife monitors, and over-sight of the
Conservation Science Manager.. 
·        Be a member of the Vamizi Island Management team, feeding into
the Environmental and Social planning processes and plans. 
·        Maintain good relations with local government and local
communities, as an integral part of part implementing a conservation
plan for Vamizi and Rongui Islands, and liaise with WWF-MCO on project
development in Quiterajo. 
·        Establish, and act as Secretary for, the WWF-CDBT Steering
Group which convenes (physically and via telecom) twice a year to
monitor delivery of annual workplan targets and budgets. 
·        Establish a regular and effective reporting regime with
WWF-MCO, for montly monitoring of progress and road blacks, and to
ensure the the work on Vamizi / Rongui supports and is supported by
national and regional conservation activities.
 
Major responsibilities
 
a.       Produce a conservation plan for Vamizi (marine and
terrestrial), with clear zoning for different uses: protection or
management of species / habitats (e.g. turtle nesting beaches), no take
zones, diving, fishing (local and sport). This needs to be done on
consultation and collaboration with Vamizi, feeding into the EIA /
Environmental Management plan for the property development. It also
needs to build on existing socio-economic data about fisheries
activities in Vamizi and Rongui.  
 
b.      Strengthen local fisheries management institutions, as part of a
positive engagement with local communities (and local government);
·       Strengthen CCP (local fisheries association) to control ‘no
take’ fish sanctuary, and define annually fishing quotas for all
fishers;
·       Train and manage an effective and efficient community guard
force with support from Quirimbas National Park;
·       Make the connection with Navy so they patrol, to support legal
fishing activitities and remove illegal fishermen from Island.
·       Engage with Social Impact Assessments of the development,
provide input to decisions relating to community
 
c.       Develop and implement a programme communications plan to
explain, and support, the collaboration between WWF and CDBT Ltd.  
 
·  A press statement and Q&A sheet, explaining the activities of WWF and
CDBT on Vamizi Island
·  Clear communication / briefing sheets on issues and their avoidance /
mitigation, such as environmental impacts of property development,
community engagement, international travel impacts etc
·  Information for policy and decision makers: Mozambican Government,
corporations, civil society. 
·  With the Conservation Science Manager, produce interpretation
materials  for easy understanding of conservation issues, research
activities and results, for use in the Vamizi Marine Conservation
Centre, as well as on WWF websites etc. 
 
d.      Ensure liaison with WWF-Mozambique marine programme, especially
the Conservation Manager MCO. It will be important to build strong links
with Quiribas National Park, and to become an integral part of the
Coastal East Africa Network Initiative.
 
·     Lesson learning exchange;
·     Training opportunities and exchanges;
·     Linking local activities with national and regional initiatives.
·     Contribute to the processes for declaring a marine reserve in the
region
 
Required Qualifications 
·        Advanced degree in environmental management, park management,
conservation science,  mining,  engineering or geology with particular
relevance to petroleum resource development. 
·        Technical proficiency and experience in the field of
conservation and natural resource management.
·        At least ?ten years professional experience in management or
leadership role related to conservation areas in the region, and a
proven ability to work in teams, and with diverse stakeholders.
·        Experience with high-level advocacy work in eastern Africa
region.
 
 
Required Skills: 
·        Proven ability to work independently as well as in a team. 
·        Ability and interest in working closely with local communities
and civil society organizations to empower them in relation to oil and
gas development.
·        Strong interpersonal and networking skills, experience from
working with international organizations and successfully working
closely with local and central government agencies on complex issues. 
·        Exposure to or experience related to marine conservation and/or
ecotourism development. 
·        Excellent oral and written communication in English and
Swahili / Portuguese. 
·         Computer literate, be familiar with GIS applications.
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