Project Manager (Fauna & Flora)

Fauna & Flora

Fauna & Flora saves species from extinction and habitats from destruction, while improving the livelihoods of local people. Our guiding principles are to work with and alongside local partnerships, act as a catalyst for change, make conservation relevant, and base decisions on sound science. Founded in 1903, Fauna & Flora is the world’s longest established international conservation body; our conservation work, and impact, spans the globe.

Asia Pacific Programme

Working closely with local partners, the Asia-Pacific Programme currently includes a broad range of species and landscape targeted conservation initiatives in Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar, and has country programme offices in Phnom Penh, Jakarta, Hanoi and Yangon. Around 70 projects are being implemented in the region by a team of approximately 200 staff, consultants, volunteers and partner organisations with an annual regional budget of approximately USD 10 million.

Vietnam Programme

Established in 1997, the Vietnam Programme is at the forefront of conserving this unique and threatened wildlife and we have experienced some significant successes especially in the recovery of primate populations. Our programme includes a focus on: species conservation; strengthening the protected area network and improving management effectiveness; conservation and connectivity at the landscape scale; supporting the wellbeing of local communities and enabling community-based conservation approaches, placing local stakeholders at the forefront of forest management, protection and monitoring; addressing illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade, and conservation of marine biodiversity.

The Opportunity

Vietnam Programe has been supporting the conservation of Western black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) and its forest habitat in Mu Cang Chai Species & Habitat Conservation Area (SHCA) and Muong La Nature Reserve (NR) since 2002 with focuses on species and habitat monitoring and protection, raising awareness for local communities, building capacity for local partners, and supporting local livelihood. Fauna & Flora is seeking for a Project Manager to manage conservation project in Mu Cang Chai of Yen Bai and Muong La of Son La provinces. As a Project Manager, you will be a highly experienced project management professional, and able to take responsibility to provide technical inputs and implementation of biodiversity conservation activities.

With this, you will have experiences in working with local people, protected area managers and rangers. You will have strong organisation and problem-solving skills, with the ability to build positive personal and organisational relationships. You will also have a methodical and rigorous approach to work, with experience in developing, implementing and managing the work-plan and budget to support the delivery of high-quality conservation outcomes.

If you meet these requirements and are looking for a new challenge, we’d love to hear from you. You will be joining an international, impactful and ground-breaking organisation, at the forefront of global conservation.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date: As soon as possible
Duration of Contract: One year with possible of extension depending on work performance
Probation Period: Two months
Salary: $US1,000 - $US1,200 gross per month
Location: Hanoi Office with frequent travel to project sites
Benefits: 25 working days’ annual holiday entitlement plus National Public Holidays
Hours of Work: This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday inclusive

Job Description

Job Title: Project Manager – Mu Cang Chai & Muong La
Reporting to: Country Programme Manager
Line Manager of: n/a
Key Relationships: Country Director; SMART/CCT Coordination Officer; Finance and Admin team; Project Managers; Cross-cutting teams; Community Conservation Teams (CCT)
Purpose: The purpose of this Project Manager position is to coordinate and conduct, to the highest possible standards, project’s activities in Mu Cang Chai & Muong La, which focus on crime prevention (protection), research, baseline surveys, biological monitoring, awareness raising, protected area development, capacity building for project’s partners, and support local livelihood.

Specific Duties

Under the supervision of the Country Programme Manager, liaising closely with the Senior Technical Specialist and Cross cutting team, the Project Manager leads on project management in Mu Cang Chai & Muong La with the following duties:

Biodiversity Conservation

Coordinate on-going capacity building for rangers of two protected areas on skills for patrol planning and techniques using Spatial Management And Reporting Tool (SMART);
Facilitate the assessment and revision of on-going Community Conservation Teams (CCT) at two protected areas;
Facilitate training (with support from technical staff) for CCTs to support protected area management boards with SMART patrols, key species monitoring, snare removal and awareness raising;
Develop a sustainable incentive programme for rangers and CCT members to help motivate them, beyond salary and performance-monitoring (SMART-based);
Work with technical staff to help ensure that SMART patrols by rangers and CCT are operational, and provide support to data analysis and the creation / use of SMART reports for adaptive protected area management;
Facilitate annual snare removal campaign with engagement of CCT members, rangers and with support from local authorities, Youth Union, and volunteers;
Coordinate annual market/wildlife trade surveys in the area and develop wildlife crime prevention strategy for each protected area;
Provide oversight and coordination to long-term gibbon monitoring programme, including assisting with supervision of student researchers.

Protected area development

Lead on training needs assessments and training courses towards the improvement of protected area management capacity for two protected area management boards;
With support of technical team, conduct annual Management Effective Tracking Tool (METT) for each protected area;
Support to strengthen Collaborative Management Advisory Committee (MAC) for protected area collaborative management model in Mu Cang Chai;
Coordinate the feasibility study process of upgrading Mu Cang Chai SHCA to a full nature reserve;
Coordinate the process of Green List assessment for two protected areas;

Community Development and Protection

Be the focal point and technical lead on improving local livelihood, in support of conservation goals, e.g. the development of agricultural activities and/or forest gardens/sustainable forest management, ecotourism in collaboration with project’s partner;
Support development and implementation of Knowledge-Attitude-Behaviour (KAB) surveys in each year: baseline, mid-term and project end; surveys on forest use/dependency;
Develop an awareness raising and communication strategy for the three levels (scales) and the project – to be delivered through local trainings, events and schools (inputs to the local curricular, plus printed materials and talks/slide-shows), sub-national workshops and study tours, and national fora, combined with FFI’s website (dedicated webpage) and social media sites, including a Facebook page in Vietnamese;
Support communication and awareness raising activities through / assisting trainings, local events, school visits and talks, workshop and study tours, and through the provision of filed updates and photos to the communications team (in Vietnam and the UK, as required);
Coordinate assessments of local agriculture and livelihoods/review of existing farming systems – SWOT and/or gap analysis;
Lead on bi-annual data collection on impacts / safeguards – On-going monitoring (M&E).
Facilitate consultation and signing of local ‘Conservation Agreements’ – these will set out the project benefits (i.e. livelihoods support) and the expectations and responsibilities for communities (reduced hunting, protection of the PA forests etc.);
Coordinate the development of sustainable finance for conservation through PFES models.

Programme Development & Reporting

Drawing from field experience and data (which the Project Manager will manage), support the development of new concepts and funding proposals, to fund programme activities;
Input to support the development of high-quality donor reports.

Operational

Maintain good working relations with provincial, district, commune and community partners to ensure effective implementation of the project;
Develop monthly work-plan, quarterly work-plan and annual work-plan for project following Fauna & Flora’s template with support of Country Programme Manager;
Work closely with other project staff and local partners to implement project activities;
Provide Mission Term of References (MTOR) before and Back to the Office Reports (BTOR) after every field trip;
Review MTOR(s) and BTOR(s) of assigned staff to this project for specific activities prior and after conducting activities;
Use monthly reports on law enforcement and biodiversity monitoring (SMART reports) to help partners prioritise crime prevention actions;
Provide logistical, technical and capacity building support to project partners, as appropriate;
Work with partners, through coordination of consultants, to ensure activities are well implemented and in accordance with high environmental and conservation standards;
Lead on field visits and field work by visitors (e.g. UK staff or donors), advisors and consultants;
Translate documents between English and Vietnamese;
Support translation for foreign visitors visiting project site and at meeting with local partners;
When required by Country Director/Programme Manager, provide technical support to projects at other sites and provide logical support for specific activities in Hanoi office;
Provide monthly updates on project progress to Country Programme Manager;
Lead on project reporting to donors, including bi-annual report, annual report, and completion report;
Draft Fauna & Flora annual report for the site being in charge of management.

Partnership Development

Proactively identify, and where asked, help to develop and nurture relationships and partnerships with third parties, including local government agencies, local communities and community-based organisations, partner NGOs etc.

Programme Representation

Where asked, represent Fauna & Flora at key fora, including conferences, consultations, negotiations, meetings, workshops, briefings and in working groups, improving the visibility of Fauna & Flora’s work in Vietnam and elsewhere.

Communications

Bring to the attention of the Country Director any news-worthy items arising within the country programme;
Provide support to the production of high-quality public reports and journal articles on Fauna & Flora’s work in Vietnam;
Provide editorial review and input to the creation of awareness / PR materials and communication outputs (website text, blogs, social media posts, etc.) to the communication staff (UK and Vietnam).

How to Apply

Applications, consisting of a covering letter, a full CV and contact details for two referees (who will not be approached without your permission), should be sent electronically to Ms Le Hong Viet at viet.hong.le@fauna-flora.org

In your cover letter, please explain why you feel you should be considered for this post, highlighting your relevant skills, knowledge and experience and how they meet the requirements of the role profile.

Please mark your application ‘Project Manager – Mu Cang Chai & Muong La’.

The closing date for applications is 3rd August 2023.

Candidates selected for interview will be contacted by email or telephone. Please specify your preferred method of contact in your covering letter and indicate where you saw the position advertised.

Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact short-listed candidates. If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been successful on this occasion.