We are a consultancy based in Cambridge (UK) specialising in biodiversity management. We provide technical expertise, policy advice and field capacity to the private, public and NGO / science sectors. The consultancy delivers solutions to emerging biodiversity challenges such as No Net Loss / Net Positive Impact, IFC PS6, Critical Habitat, biodiversity offsets, biodiversity metrics and indicators, and ecological impact assessment. We develop corporate and government policy; we follow through to programme design and development on the ground; we design, develop and implement field programmes whilst building national capacity to run programmes we have initiated. Known for our pragmatic intellectual leadership, we are a resource for problem solving and a platform for cross-sector engagement.
We specialise in the environmental lending criteria of the major international financial institutions, such as IFC PS6, EBRD PR6; and those of Equator banks / EPFIs. We conducted the first field pilots of IFC PS6 2012 and delivered the first projects through financial close against these new lending requirements. We have developed dedicated expertise in quantitative, clear metrics for biodiversity, and this core capacity lays a foundation for several emerging business needs including measurement of gain and loss of biodiversity in impact assessment (metrics and currencies), offset design and monitoring / evaluation protocols. Examples of our work can be found on www.thebiodiversityconsultancy.com
Specifications
TBC wishes to recruit a Principal Consultant to work full-time (or part-time if requested, with a minimum 80% commitment), with a focus on supporting an ongoing project based in Mongolia – as part of a small team that is split between Cambridge and Melbourne. This project is supporting a major mining industry client to manage biodiversity risks through implementation of an ambitious programme of mitigation and offsets. The central role for this position will be to provide technical support and capacity-building, both to staff within the company itself and to external contractors and collaborators (including NGOs). This support is likely to cover a broad range of areas with ecology and natural resource management, but will also require a strong understanding of business drivers to ensure support remains pragmatic.
The position would ideally be based within our Cambridge team. A base in Australia would be considered, if accessible to Melbourne and after substantive induction time in Cambridge. The work will involve frequent trips and extended periods of work in Mongolia – both to support the ongoing project and to develop new business in the country. A smaller – but significant – proportion of time will be spent on other TBC projects in order to ensure optimal learning across our team and project portfolio. The post is offered as a one-year contract, with the expectation of extension, subject to business needs.
An ability to think creatively and put oneself in the shoes of our corporate clients will be essential. The capacity to understand our clients’ viewpoints coupled with core ecological principles, fieldwork experience and biodiversity knowledge common to ecologists and protected area specialists is the making of a TBC consultant. The chosen applicant will be approachable and modest, have experience living and working in Mongolia (or similar country), have very good verbal and written communication skills, solid experience in building technical capacity with a range of ability levels, and be able to digest, dissect and condense large amounts of information into readable, yet technically sound, summaries. Importantly, the chosen candidate will be a clear conceptual thinker with the capacity to reduce complex problems into scientifically and politically defensible solutions.
Roles
• Building technical and project management capacity, through support to monitoring, mitigation and offset implementation (mostly from TBC office and/or remote office, and in-country client offices, but also from clients’ field sites).
• Field-based support to monitoring, mitigation and offset implementation.
• Managing and strengthening relationships and partnerships with, and among, clients, contractors, collaborators and other diverse stakeholders.
• Designing conservation management strategies and adapting these based on field research and monitoring.
• Policy development and interpretation, particularly with regard to offsets.
• Report writing and editing.
• Collation and analysis of a wide range of biodiversity data.
• Constructive critical review of technical and progress reports.
• Support to implementation and verification of industry projects operating under financial lending criteria (e.g., IFC PS6).
• Research and writing on biodiversity metrics and offsets, for publication.
Attributes
Essential skills and attributes
• At least five years’ experience in biodiversity conservation (management, monitoring, research), with at least two years in Asia.
• Broad knowledge of terrestrial field survey techniques and ecological sampling design, including monitoring and evaluation of conservation outcomes.
• Field experience in implementation and monitoring of Protected Area/Natural Resource Management programmes.
• Strong diplomacy, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent writing and (especially) verbal communication skills.
• Concise report writing skills.
• Experience of building technical and managerial capacity for biodiversity conservation.
• Stakeholder engagement experience (collaborative work with community and/or institutions).
• Familiarity with international biodiversity, natural resource and livelihood issues, especially in the developing world.
• An ability to provide intellectual leadership, creativity and simplicity to problem solving.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to work in Mongolia for extended periods in a challenging environment.
• Attention to detail and precision, balanced with speed and pragmatism.
• Positivity and teamwork, including the ability to work self-directed for extended periods away from colleagues.
• A good Honours degree in relevant disciplines.
Desirable experience and attributes
• Experience of working with industry, particularly mining.
• Experience working in Mongolia, and an appreciation of Mongolian culture and politics.
• Ecosystem services expertise.
• Experience in human community – biodiversity issues such as livelihoods and NTFPs.
• Ecological rehabilitation expertise.
• MSc or PhD in environmental discipline.
• Map making and basic analytical GIS skills.
• Analysis of remote sensing information.
• Statistical analysis of ecological data.
• Mongolian language skills.
Details
Position details
• The post is initially offered as a one year contract with intention to continue for the right candidate. Ideally, the candidate will be available for employment before the end of April 2016.
• Location: Cambridge, UK or Melbourne, Australia. The consultant will work from the TBC Cambridge office, or could be home-based in Australia after a sufficient induction period. Frequent travel to Mongolia is anticipated.
• Salary range: £40k-£53k full time per annum (or pro-rata).
• Information also at www.thebiodiversityconsultancy.com
Application details
Deadline 15 March 2016. Send the following to recruitment@thebiodiversityconsultancy.com
• Curriculum Vitae.
• A short application letter explaining your interest in the job and showing clearly how you meet our job and person requirements.
• Two short and pithy (maximum four pages each) extracts of work that you have written within the past two years.
• A one-page brief to the CEO of a mining company to explain what a biodiversity offset is, and the risks and opportunities of undertaking one as part of IFC PS6 compliance.
Interviews: Will be held by phone or in person in w/c 21 March.
