Job Description

Position Summary:
The primary function of this position is to coordinate an important component of WCS's conservation program in Siquijor province, within the WCS Philippines priority site, the Bohol Sea ecosystem. UNDP's Oceans Innovation Challenge (UNDP-OIC) has provided funds to a WCS-led partnership to deliver the project 'Supporting fisher communities to monitor Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing using integrated conservation technology in the Bohol Sea, Philippines'. The project aims to bolster coastal law enforcement efforts in Siquijor's municipal waters, by developing and employing a new counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) technology platform.
The WCS UNDP Project Coordinator will be responsible for the overall implementation of the project by the WCS-led project consortium, which is to be delivered by a WCS-led consortium also including CCEF and NLAI.
The Project: Oceans Innovation Challenge
The Philippines loses an estimated US$1.3Bn every year to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF). This project will enable the development and testing of a new counter-IUUF platform, designed to meet the needs of small-scale fishers and MPA managers in the Philippines. The system will integrate the existing Marine Protected Area (MPA) Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) with relevant satellite data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), to produce a locally-accessible counter-IUUF and resource monitoring platform. The design phase will integrate these two technology approaches with a detailed understanding of community needs and resources to produce a smartphone-based system that can be used to detect illegal incursions into municipal waters, and share intelligence through a local network. The prototype will then be tested and improved in a real-world context with our local partner, the Siquijor Province Coastal Resource Management Alliance (SPCRMA), a provincial MPA network in the central Visayas, Philippines. The platform will be user friendly and cost-effective, and designed to enable local communities to plan their MPA monitoring and sustainable fisheries management activities much more effectively. It has significant potential to be scaled-up and replicated to address IUUF across the Philippines, both throughout the Philippines' network of more than 2,000 MPAs, and within the twelve recently designated Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs).
The main objectives of the position are:
Lead and coordinate the successful implementation of the UNDP-OIC-funded project 'Supporting fisher communities to monitor Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing using integrated conservation technology in the Bohol Sea, Philippines' by the WCS-led project consortium.
Ensure good coordination of the UNDP-OIC project with other relevant WCS initiatives (including the KfW-funded Bohol Sea ecosystem initiative, and similar work in WCS's global and regional portfolio) and with relevant local agencies, partners and initiatives in the region.
Identify and develop new opportunities related to marine and coastal law enforcement in Siquijor and the Bohol Sea, including coordination of WCS-led efforts with government.
Position Responsibilities:
Lead and coordinate the day-to-day implementation of the UNDP-OIC project workplan and ensure effective communications between key partners and staff.
Establish and maintain processes to support the coordination of project partners.
Monitor and report project performance, and maintain project records.
Lead on project communications and engagement with stakeholders, including participating community partners.
Oversee the project governance group, processes, communications, and knowledge management.
Coordinate the UNDP-OIC project activities with similar enforcement strategies contained in the KfW-funded project.
Prepare and write on project activities and budget performance for stakeholders and the donor.
Develop strategic partnerships and relationships with relevant government bodies and agencies, on behalf of the project.
Support the project team to understand and manage potential project impacts on local communities.
Work with the project partners to identify sustainability / funding opportunities to scale-up and replicate the innovation.
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Qualification Requirements
Graduate degree in fisheries management, marine science, maritime studies, environmental law, spatial planning, conservation, technology, or other relevant field/s.
Minimum of five years' experience with non-profit, government or private sectors working on marine conservation, fisheries management, law enforcement or related field/s in the Philippines.
Demonstrated ability to manage and deliver complex projects with multiple partners.
Expertise in remote sensing, or conservation technologies, or programming Apps, or general Information Technology.
Experience working with municipal and provincial governments on coastal resource management (CRM).
Demonstrated ability to work effectively and build relationships with a variety of partners and stakeholders (including government), and to collaborate on solving complex issues.
Demonstrated strong project management and reporting experience.
Aptitude for learning and professional development, and comfort working in a dynamic working environment.
Good working knowledge in the field of protected areas, fisheries management, law enforcement and/or coastal livelihoods.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Professional proficiency in spoken and written Filipino and English.
Commitment to WCS's values of respect, accountability and transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.
ONLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE NOTIFIED
EOE/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled