Socio-economic Coordinator for the Ituri Forest Conservation Project

Job Title
Socio-economic Coordinator for the Ituri Forest Conservation Project

25-May-2018

Department
GLOBAL CONSERVATION

Location
DRC

Job Description
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
République Démocratique du Congo

Seconomic Coordinator for the Ituri Forest Conservation Project (IFCP)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

 Position
Title: Socio-economic Coordinator for the Ituri Forest Conservation Project (IFCP)
Division: WCS Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Program
Location: Epulu, Ituri Province, DRC
Contract duration: 1 year full-time, with possibility of renewal
Application deadline: Sept. 30th, 2018
Reports to: WCS IFCP Manager as well as WCS Regional Socio-Economic Team

 Background
The Ituri Forest Conservation Project (IFCP) is implemented as part of the activities' program of the Ituri Landscape, which covers approximately 40,000 km2 in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It constitutes one of the largest intact tracts of lowland rainforest in the Congo Basin and encompasses the World Heritage Site, Okapi Faunal Reserve (OFR). The Landscape supports the world’s largest remaining population of Congo’s endemic rainforest okapi, the largest remaining forest elephant population in DRC, and the largest remaining population of eastern chimpanzees.
It also has the highest diversity of primates of any landscape in Africa (17 species), over 300 species of birds and 500 species of butterflies. Besides, the nearly 4 million hectares of forest hold a stock of 7 billion tons of CO2 and provide a livelihood to a diverse mix of people among which the Mbuti and Efe. The main biodiversity threats are the deforestation and forest degradation due to unsustainable agriculture practices from smallholder agriculture, small-scale commercial farming,logging and widespread illegal artisanal mining. The growing population pressure, the elephant poaching and ivory trafficking, the unsustainable commercial bushmeat hunting are main threats to wildlife. In this context, since 2009 the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been working with numerous stakeholders, including Conseil pour la Défense Environnementale par la Légalité et la Traçabilité (CODELT), Juristrale, Union des Producteurs de Cacao du Congo (UPCCO), Wildlife Conservation Global (WCG) and the local communities to ensure the conservation of this remarkable Ituri biodiversity. As part of the Sustainable Wildlife Management project funded by The European Union, WCS has established new partners with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Centre de Recherce Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the
National / Provincial government.Thereby, WCS has been developing social approaches of the natural resources management such as sustainable land use plans, promotion of improved
agriculture techniques and sustainable wildlife management guidelines, agroforestry, creation of farming cooperatives, environmental education and awareness campaigns on biodiversity.

Purpose
The Socio-Economic Coordinator is expected to oversee and contribute to the development of a strong portfolio of climate change, wildlife, community forestry, livelihoods, cocoa, outreach
activities for the IFCP. S/He will lead the socioeconomic team to ensure effective interventions to reduce conservation threats through the use of incentives that strengthen community resiliency
of the Okapi Faunal Reserve (OFR).

Qualification Requirements

 Key Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• A minimum of a master’s degree in social or environmental

sciences; PhD preferred 2.5 years field experience
implementing socioeconomic projects

• Experience in designing annual work plans and budgets,

coordinating reporting and field personnel

• Ability to work and report in French and in English; Kiswahili

is an advantage

• Ability to operate in remote areas under challenging living

conditions

Please send your CV and cover letter in English to with a copy to and mention IFCP SocioEconomist Coordinator for in your subject header.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. If you have any queries related to this position please contact

Job Type
Global Conservation Full-Time