Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, April 06, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Fauna & Flora International (FFI) 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, FFI is the world’s longest established international conservation body; our conservation work, and impact, spans the globe.
Africa Programme
FFI currently operates in 14 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is implementing a range of projects focused on species and habitat conservation, biodiversity planning, protected area management, institutional development and capacity building, sustainable use and community-led conservation initiatives.
To achieve its mission in Africa, FFI works with and alongside local partners to focus on the sustainable use and management of natural resources as a means to effective conservation in the long-term. In all its projects in Africa, FFI seeks to:
• Build and support local partnerships with African conservation and community development organisations
• Strengthen institutions to bring sustainability and added value to projects
• Maintain long term presence and relationships
• Reconcile conservation goals with the needs and rights of local people
• Incorporate sound science in decision-making
• Ensure positive impacts of its activities on wellbeing and biodiversity Uganda Programme

FFI has been working in Uganda, supporting local partners to protect key habitats and species, for over a century, establishing a formal country programme and an office in Kampala in 2010.
Through our work in Uganda, we have piloted an innovative approach to protected area management that demonstrated how cultural values could be integrated in order to improve outcomes both for conservation and the well-being of communities. We’ve also helped to establish community-conserved areas on the western fringes of Lake Victoria that link up with national legislation to formally protect areas that are important for communities while also safeguarding the biodiversity found.
Today, our work in Uganda focuses on building on our successes with mountain gorillas, through the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), and community-based restoration of ecological corridors between chimpanzee forests blocks in Uganda’s Albertine Rift. Additionally, we are establishing some scoping work related to pangolin conservation.

The Opportunity
FFI is seeking an experienced conservation professional to fulfil the role of Biodiversity Officer, who will lead field-based implementation of the biodiversity aspects of FFI’s work in Uganda
The successful candidate will have a successful proven track record in supporting biodiversity conservation with a species focus, including experience of monitoring biodiversity and mitigating human-wildlife conflict. They will be skilled in a variety of biomonitoring methods, and ideally socio- economic data collection methods and associated data management. They will also have experience in providing technical input to the design, development, implementation, evaluation and reporting of species focused projects.
They will also have strong organisational skills, a structured and methodical approach to work, and a clear focus on results and impacts. The role requires a skilled and credible communicator, who is able to build stakeholder capacity and confident in developing and maintaining relationships with partner organisations and relevant stakeholders. In return, we offer the opportunity to work for a ground-breaking organisation at the forefront of global conservation within a growing portfolio of work in Uganda. The successful candidate be will working within a team where they can use their skills to make a real difference to FFI's work to protect threatened species and habitats in Uganda.

Terms and Conditions
Start Date: As soon as possible
Duration of Contract: Two-year, fixed-term contract (with possible extension, depending on funding)
Probation Period: Six months
Salary: USD 9,728 per annum
Location: Hoima, Uganda. With regular travel to field sites and with domestic travel to Kampala as required.
Benefits: Annual leave entitlement of 25 working days, plus national holidays observed in Uganda.
Medical insurance coverage
Hours of Work: This is a full-time position, working 40 hours Monday to Friday inclusive.

Job Description
Job Title: Biodiversity Officer, Uganda
Reporting to: Programme Officer, Uganda
Line Manager of: No line management responsibilities at present
Key Relationships: Uganda Programme Team (Uganda), Technical Specialist – Biomonitoring, Africa (UK), Wildlife Trade Team (UK), Africa Programme Team
Key External Relationships: As appropriate, the Biodiversity Officer will represent FFI with local government agencies, communities and community-based organisations.

Purpose:
Provide technical and operational input to the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of FFI’s species-focused work, primarily in the Bugungu-Budongo-Bugoma landscape,
Uganda. This will include supporting participatory community engagement, species and human- wildlife conflict (HWC) monitoring, and community-based sustainable financial mechanisms to resource species conservation activities. While ensuring that project activities are implemented in accordance with agreed timelines, budget, and donors’ requirements.

Responsibilities:
Under the line-management of the Programme Officer, Uganda and in close collaboration with the
Technical Specialist - Biomonitoring, Africa, the Biodiversity Officer will have the following responsibilities:
Technical
• Contribute to the design, and lead the implementation, of species-focused conservation activities, including coordinating biomonitoring and HWC monitoring activities, using standardised data collection methodologies
• Lead the training of community members, partners and programme staff on species- focused conservation activities
• Ensure logistical / practical support needed by communities to implement species-focused conservation activities, including HWC mitigation and biomonitoring activities is provided
• Maintain project biomonitoring and geospatial databases, ensuring that data is collected and inputted in a timely manner and stored securely in line with FFI’s data management policies
• Assist in the mentorship of Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs), focused on sustainable finance mechanism for species-focused conservation activities
• Coordinate gathering, consolidation and sharing of lessons learnt from species-focused conservation interventions within FFI Uganda and with relevant external stakeholders
• Implement all activities in line with FFI’s social safeguard protocols (e.g., Free, Prior and Informed Consent - FPIC, Community Code of Conduct, Grievance Reporting Mechanisms) Reporting and Communication
• Contribute to donor project reports in a timely manner
• Ensure timely retirement of financial expenditures incurred while in the field, following FFI and donor financial policies
• Assist the programme team in identifying, building and maintaining critical project-specific partner relationships, including with relevant Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) personnel and local community leadership
• Assist with the development and delivery of communication materials required to achieve project objectives related to information sharing (posters, radio broadcasts, etc.)
• Work closely with the programme team and FFI’s Communications Coordinator to identify project information for publication and communications, ensuring compliance with FFI and donor marketing and branding policies
• As requested by the Programme Officer, attend external meetings and actively promote FFI’s work in Uganda

Others
• Work as an active member of the FFI Africa team and attend Africa team meetings
• With agreement of the Programme Officer, perform any other tasks that may be requested from time to time, which are appropriate to the role skills and experience, and relevant to the scope of this role

Skills
Essential
• Excellent prioritization, attention to detail and time management skills
• Administrative skills, including budgeting, financial administration and reporting
• Strong written communication skills, including report, proposal and technical brief writing
• Strong verbal communication and networking skills, including ability to deliver presentations
• Data entry and basic data analysis skills
• Fluency in English (written and spoken)
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office including Outlook and Excel

Desirable
• Proficiency in local languages: Runyakitara, Luganda, Alur and/or Lugbara
• Advanced data analysis skills

Knowledge and Experience
• An undergraduate degree in ecology, conservation biology, forestry, environmental science or any other relevant discipline or equivalent work experience in a relevant field
• Working knowledge of statistical packages (e.g. SPSS, PSPP, R)
• Knowledge and practical experience of implementing conservation activities for
• Experience using QGIS and/or ArcGIS skills
• Practical experience in supporting species-focused conservation, including HWC
• Knowledge and practical experience of implementing biomonitoring activities
• Knowledge and experience of various biodiversity survey techniques, including camera trapping and transect surveys
• Proven field experience in working with communities and protected areas
• Proven ability to collaborate, organise and manage relationships with partners in the field effectively
• Proven ability to organise and manage databases from multiple sites effectively
• Proven experience of working with a diverse group of stakeholders, including government and civil society, in a conservation context
• Proven ability to work to multiple deadlines and a clear focus on delivery of outputs

Desirable
• Working knowledge of statistical packages (e.g. SPSS, PSPP, R)
• Knowledge and practical experience of implementing conservation activities for great apes and / or pangolins
• Experience with wide range of donor reporting systems and compliance requirements
• Experience in using Microsoft SharePoint data storage systems

Behavioural Qualities
• Commitment to FFI’s values and mission
• Ability to build positive personal and organisational relationships
• Ability to deal with challenges in a positive way
• Self-starter, able to work well under own initiative
• Team player, demonstrating ability to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others
• Demonstrates a commitment and passion for community development
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural environment

Others
• Pre-existing right to work in Uganda
• Willingness to live and work in remote locations with limited resources and amenities for extended periods of time
• Motorbike license, and willingness to ride as part of this role Driving license, and willingness to drive as part of this role

FFI Values
Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organisation, creating the culture of success for which FFI is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:
• We act with integrity
• We are collaborative
• We are committed
• We are supportive & respectful
• We get things done

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
Applications, consisting of a covering letter explaining why you feel you should be considered for this post, a full CV (tailored to the role as advertised, highlighting relevant experience and achievements) and contact details for two referees (who will not be contacted without your permission) should be sent to africajobs@fauna-flora.org
Please mark your application Biodiversity Officer, Uganda.
The closing date for applications is 20th April 2022. Interviews are likely to be held during the week commencing 2nd May 2022. 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.
Applicants with Disabilities
FFI encourages applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the post. If you have special needs in relation to your application, please contact Mrs. Stella Ajilong, Finance and operations Manager, FFI on Email: stella.ajilong@fauna-flora.org.
FFI values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity

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