Lac Tele Community Reserve Program Manager.

Position: Lac Tele Community Reserve Program Manager.
Reports to: Lac Tele Community Reserve Director (Administrative); RoC Program Manager (Technical).
Position Managed: Community conservation coordinator, Program officer, other specific project staff.
Location: Epena, Likouala Department
Country Program/Sector: Republic of Congo Country Program
Capacity: Country-Level
Position Type: Full-time
Coordinates with: Site’s finance, administration, logistics and law enforcement teams; Technical Advisor and other WCS Congo Senior Management and Technical teams; WCS regional technical support teams

Job Purpose:

The LTCR Program Manager will work closely with the LTCR Project Director, the LTCR team and WCS Congo country leadership to ensure that the Reserve’s conservation programme is effectively planned, coordinated and implemented in line with the LTCR Management Plan. The Program Manager will support integration across LTCR’s technical programmes and projects, strengthen program quality and adaptive management, and ensure that financial and human resources are effectively directed toward agreed conservation and community outcomes. This broader programmatic role will include oversight and coordination of major grants and projects, including the Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Livelihoods Project (ProClimat Congo), as part of the wider LTCR programme.

Major Responsibilities: (10 Main responsibilities)
Program Management and Business Development (50%)

• Manage LTCR program planning – including annual work plans and budgets , grants – to ensure alignment with LTCR Management Plan and agreed conservation priorities.
• Working closely with the LTCR Director, country program and technical team, ensure a high quality of implementation through the development and dissemination of standard tools, procedures, methodological guidelines, etc. in relevant technical/programmatic areas (Social and Environmental Safeguards, Livelihoods, Health, Education, Natural Resource Management, etc.)
• Write funding proposals and annual reports for review by Project Director, Country program manager and Senior Technical Advisor, following project reporting requirements and timelines;
• Ensure the recruitment, onboarding and quality control of LTCR staff, grants consultants and partners
• Ensure adherence to WCS program management processes and guidelines at the national and global levels and vice versa
• Provide specific, direct support in the organization of community engagement strategic activities, LTCR board of directors meeting, site Coordination Meeting, etc.
• Support finding and delivering solutions for any capacity gaps identified within the team.
• Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team to ensure project documentation is archived, data collection and analysis to improve decision-making and adaptive management.

Grants Management and Reporting (40%)

• Manage the project/grant cycle from effective and timely start-up to clean and clear close-out of LTCR awards, especially the Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Livelihoods Project (ProClimat Congo).
• Ensure respect for donor rules and regulations, ensure the compliance of ProClimat related activities to World Bank’s administrative, financial, and procurement requirements.
• Manage LTCR-focused grants to ensure effective, efficient and transparent budget management.
• Participate in various project evaluation activities.
• Coordinate grant reporting to ensure high quality, timely submission of grant technical/narrative reports.
• Build capacity of the technical departments on quality reporting and donor compliance.

External Relations and Communication (10%)

• Ensure that internal and external LTCR partners are kept regularly up to date on project activities, deliverables and events.
• Represent WCS and LTCR with donors, government counterparts, partners and other stakeholders as appropriate and as delegated by the LTCR Director.
• Work with WCS communications staff and LTCR technical teams to support the development of accurate and appropriate communications materials concerning LTCR activities and results.

Minimum Requirements and Job Skills (Required):

• Either an advanced degree (Masters) in the fields of natural resource management, conservation, development, social sciences or similar, or a first degree (Bachelor’s) with appropriate experience.
• Demonstrated on-the-ground experience (>5 years) in project management in the field of community conservation or natural resource management
• Experience working in the project/program cycles of design, implementation, M&E, reporting, work planning and budgeting, with knowledge of bilateral donors a distinct advantage
• Experience working, coordinating and collaborating with diverse sets of stakeholders – especially the World Bank.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in French, with English a distinct advantage
• Demonstrated experience of working in remote areas under challenging conditions and as an effective member of a multi-cultural team, with experience of working in Central Africa or ROC an advantage
• Energetic, flexible, adaptable, creative and ambitious, with a drive to get things done
• Interest in conservation and committed to the mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society