The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS currently works in more than 60 countries and has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. We host on-the-ground teams of scientists, researchers, and conservationists working to save some of the world’s most magnificent natural treasures.

WCS’s office for the Southeast Asian Archipelago (SEAA) region is based in Singapore and is responsible for WCS conservation programs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines. The SEAA region contains the third largest expanse of tropical rainforests, and the majority of the Coral Triangle, the global center of marine biodiversity. The region includes over 25,000 islands, and comprises the world’s second, third, and sixth largest islands (New Guinea, Borneo and Sumatra). Our current efforts focus on protecting 4.2 million hectares of landscapes, including the Leuser Ecosystem and Endau Rompin landscape, and over 2 million hectares of the region’s most important coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses and tidal wetlands including in North Sulawesi, North Maluku, Aceh, West Nusa Tenggara, and Sarawak.

Within the SEAA region, WCS has operated for many years in Indonesia and Malaysia. In the Philippines, WCS has a historical project-based legacy, and is now, together with local partners, designing a conservation program that will complement the many ongoing terrestrial and marine efforts in the Philippines. WCS initial focus is on a marine conservation project focused on the MPAs and small-scale fisheries of the Bohol Sea, and, importantly, to build a small team, develop partnerships, and build out the knowledge base to inform WCS’s broader conservation strategy and approach in the Philippines. Within the Bohol Sea, WCS will focus implementation on Siquijor province, adopting an integrated approach to conservation. The work will be implemented through a partnership with local organisation Community Conservation and Education Foundation (CCEF), and delivered in close coordination with government agencies.

The early stages of WCS engagement in the Philippines require the appointment of a Science and Monitoring Specialist (Consultant) to assist with ensuring existing WCS project commitments are delivered to a high scientific standard. As such, WCS is now seeking an experienced and energetic individual with a strong background in coastal conservation, marine science and monitoring in the Philippines to help the delivery of this new initiative.

Overall Objectives:

1.      Deliver key science and technical inputs and monitoring in support of WCS’s Bohol Sea project, which includes a strong focus on small-scale fisheries and marine protected areas (MPAs).
2.     Contribute to WCS’s Bohol Sea Project, in partnership with CCEF and other consultants, that will include a specific focus on the Bohol Sea and will develop new management arrangements and scientific inputs for improved fisheries and MPAs. Within the Bohol Sea, WCS will have an implementation focus on Siquijor province.

This consultancy will primarily be responsible for contributing to scientific inputs, managing data collection and databases for the initiation of the Bohol Sea Project, initially focusing on Siquijor province. The consulant will work closely with WCS marine associate director (in WCS SEAA office in Singapore) and with a small team (including members from WCS, CCEF and consultants) that delivers technical assistance to government and community partners, in order to improve the management of marine and coastal resources in the Bohol Sea.

Additional materials related to WCS’s plans for the project in the Bohol Sea are available upon request at the email addresses below.

It is anticipated that the initial consultancy could lead to employment with WCS. Therefore, we are seeking candidates with strong applied conservation science and monitoring experience, and who are willing to commit to potential longer term engagement and a career with WCS.

Major Responsibilities:

·       Assist with the delivery of scientific and technical inputs into the Bohol Sea and Siquijor conservation project, which may include fisheries assessments, MPA ecological assessments, species and habitat surveys, and monitoring related to critical habitats and endangered, threatened and protected species.

·       Assist with collecting ecological and socioeconomic data relevant to ecological and social safeguards frameworks.

·       Assist in the scoping and development of new science-based conservation opportunities in the Philippines, and contribute to the development of new WCS research agenda and programs.

·       Contribute to ecological monitoring and reporting, including MPA management effectiveness, ecological health, species and ecosystems, as needed.

·       Coordinate the local activities of WCS global technical experts and consultants.

·       Manage monitoring protocols, data and information systems, and data analysis.

·       Contribute to project reporting and new proposal development, as requested.

Deliverables:

·       Report sections that will be included in up to two of the following: coastal fisheries assessments, MPA ecological assessments, species and habitat surveys, and monitoring related to critical habitats and endangered, threatened and protected species. The specifics of this assignment will be finalized at the start of the consultancy.

·       Bi-weekly written or oral reports on progress of science-based activities and safeguard-related data management.

·       Inputs to semi-annual donor report

·       Proposal inputs, as requested

Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required:

• Bachelor or post-graduate degree in marine science, fisheries science, oceanography, marine resource management, socio-ecological systems, or other relevant discipline
• Minimum of three years of experience in technical and/or scientific monitoring roles with non-profit, academic or government organisations, working on marine conservation, fisheries management, climate change, or related field/s
• Strong understanding of creating and managing databases or information systems.
• Strong ability to build relationships with relevant technical authorities and work successfully within multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated ability to apply gender sensitive approaches to projects, programs and research agendas
• Good working knowledge of the field of MPAs, ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM), coastal resource management, socio-ecological systems, and/or other relevant conservation approaches
• Professional proficiency in spoken and writing Filipino and English
• Dive certification and underwater data collection experience would be an advantage
• Previous experience working with small-scale fisheries would be an advantage

Interested Applicants must submit the following to: lyong@wcs.org and cc ematthews@wcs.org Please use subject line: Philippines Marine Science and Monitoring.

OR, to submit application via https://www.jobstreet.com.my/en/job/4557445/sources/2

• Signed CV and Cover Letter including details of the applicant and contact details;
  • 2-3 page proposal describing their understanding of the RFP and how the deliverables will be achieved;
  • Service Fees; and
  • References may be requested.

ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED.