The overall objective of the Regional Community Conservation Coordinator is to lead the region in the implementation of a rights-based approach to conservation while ensuring an enabling environment for strengthening the role of communities in conservation solutions. This position will work within the WCS regional framework, and under the guidance of the Regional Director, will closely collaborate with global thematic teams Right+Communities, Forests+Climate and Marine.

Leadership & Program Development

•  Provide leadership and guidance on the development and implementation of community conservation initiatives across the region using a rights-based approach
•  Encourage a culture of adaptive and innovative problem-solving in community conservation teams throughout the region
•  Contribute to project proposal development to reflect and advocate for initiatives that promote inclusive and rights-based community conservation approaches
•  Contribute to technical report writing to ensure community conservation activities are accurately and appropriately reflected
•  Build country program capacity on rights-based community conservation approaches, and support the involvement of community conservation teams throughout the region
•  Work with country program, regional and global staff to encourage new or refined approaches and research involving communities around protected areas that specifically address conservation threats

Technical Support & Program Implementation

•  Work closely with site managers and community conservation teams in the region in the development of community conservation strategies, or where strategies already exist, assess and update them as necessary
•  Provide technical support and guidance in key thematic areas, including but not limited to:
•  Natural Resource Management
  •  Support field teams in the development of NRM plans that are in alignment with sustainable conservation objectives and a rights-based approach that involves the full and meaningful participation of local communities
  •  Where relevant, assist site-based teams in implementing a step-by-step process to set up zoning and management plans in and around protected areas throughout the region, utilizing consent and FPIC principles as necessary
•  Governance
  •  Guide community conservation teams on designing, implementing and supporting inclusive and effective governance structures in the communities where we work
  •  Support teams to ensure that resource users are actively engaged in decision-making activities with the incorporation of local institutions, customary or traditional practices, and local knowledge systems
•  Livelihood and Socio-economic activities
  •  Work with site programs to incorporate a participatory and inclusive approach to livelihood and socio-economic activities, ensuring that livelihood programming reflects the diverse needs and interests of men and women from local communities, as stated by them
•  Social Science
  •  Develop action plans for effectively incorporating conservation social science into community conservation activities throughout the region
  •  Support community conservation teams in the application of qualitative and quantitative social science techniques to improve conservation outcomes, including data analysis
•  Lead on the development or facilitation of training materials, including providing input for the content of the training materials regarding the themes listed above
•  Strengthen the capacity of our field teams, including mentoring of site-based community conservation managers and regular training of staff