Overview

Tigers Alive is the initiative of WWF, under its Wildlife Practice, established to support the global goal of doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022.

The most immediate barrier to tiger recovery is the killing of tigers to supply the trade illegal global trade in tigers and tiger parts. Criminal networks have seized the opportunity to provide tigers and tiger parts to a global, but primarily Asian demand base. The combination of this large demand base and the ease to undertake the illegal trade continues to drive such activity. The trade ultimately leads to poaching of tigers and therefore declining wild tiger populations. This trade has been largely responsible for the recent extirpation of tigers from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and now threatens a number of other countries with a total loss of their tiger populations.

Tigers Alive has prioritized action on tiger trade in its strategy from 2009. This position is specifically aimed to help mobilise effort aimed to control the international trade and reduce demand for tiger parts through behaviour change.  

PURPOSE OF JOB/ MAJOR FUNCTION 

The Tiger Trade Leader (TTL) will lead and coordinate within WWF and with partners a significant push to establish the mechanisms, political support and investment to limit the trade of tigers and their parts to minimal levels and to launch a long-term large scale behaviourial change programme in Asia. 

MAJOR DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITES 

1. Lead the development and rollout of a WWF strategic plan that would establish the mechanisms, partnerships, political support and investment necessary to limit tiger trade to minimal levels and to launch a long-term large-scale behaviourial change programme in Asia;

2. Coordinate and further develop WWF’s internal expertise on tiger trade work;

3. Represent WWF, as appropriate, on tiger trade issues and provide strategic input into significant regional and international meetings on tiger trade issues;

4. Develop and maintain a network of internal (including managing the Tigers Alive Tiger Trade Working Group) and external contacts and partners to facilitate better coordinated efforts to tackle tiger trade;

5. Provide advice and expertise in advocacy planning and implementation on tiger trade issues to the WWF network;

6. Advise the WWF network strategically of emerging issues and opportunities for involvement related to tiger trade;

7. Act as primary liaison for WWF on Tiger trade issues with the Global Tiger Initiative Council, the Global Tiger Forum and other international relevant bodies;

8. Coordinate with the relevant regional and national government bodies to gather information on the implementation of tiger trade limitation mechanisms, identify critical implementation gaps that need to be addressed and identify and help provide capacity-building support to the relevant governments to address those gaps.

9. Write targeted reports and articles for publication, respond to media inquiries and assist with internal review and final clearance of outputs and other documents related to tiger trade;

10. Manage the workplan, budgeting, M&E and reporting processes related to tiger trade for all tiger trade activities in accordance with the Tigers Alive Strategy and Workplan

11. Collaborate with WWF network staff to design and implement tiger trade related campaigns and communication activities;

12. Coordinate with the landscape teams and the Zero Poaching team across Asia to ensure that global policy efforts are linked to and support the required actions at the field and landscape level.

13. Support fundraising efforts for projects and activities including concept, promotional material and proposal writing related to tiger trade.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS 

Effective working relations internally and externally are key to the success of this position.

1. Internal: The position will report directly to their respective home office and to the Tigers Alive Leader. The position will work closely with all the members of the Tiger Advisory Group. The positions will work closely with the Lead of the Wildlife Practice Wildlife Crime Initiative and the Policy Lead of the Wildlife Practice. Most importantly, the position will work closely with the Wildlife Enforcement Specialist – Asia and Asia Poaching Prevention Working Group. Furthermore the position will be responsible for leading the network policy, communication and fundraising efforts on this topic.

2. Working with TRAFFIC: As the key partner of WWF on wildlife trade, this post will need to liaise closely with TRAFFIC staff particularly any staff directly involved with tiger trade issues. Where possible activities and workplans will need to be synergized as close as possible with TRAFFIC’s workplans and fundraising efforts.

3. External: The position will be expected to play a critical role in mobilizing partners including GTIC, GTF, other NGOs, intergovernmental bodies such as CITES and governments in the accelerated effort to raise the level of action and impact in the next five years (until 2022).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. A post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. wildlife management, rural development, law, policy, international relations or economics).

2. Significant professional work experience relevant to nature conservation, familiarity with major trends in biodiversity conservation policy and its implementation, as well as issues relevant to the importance of effective law enforcement in reducing the illegal trade of wild animals and plants. 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES 

1. Broad international experience and familiarity with tiger, other Asian big cat conservation and trade in threatened species and socio-economic issues in the Asian context, preferably with several years of working experience in more than one Asian country and region;

2. A good understanding of CITES and other international nature conservation laws and agreements, as well as an understanding of other relevant inter-governmental agendas including the Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Recovery Program and the Global Tiger Forum;

3. Experience working within the context of wildlife management and sustainable development issues, and familiarity with Asian policies and stakeholders most relevant to the conservation, use of and trade of tiger and other Asian big cats;

4. Strong skills in programme planning and management, fund-raising, and project implementation including financial and personnel management;

5. Good interpersonal and leadership skills and ability to work effectively as part of a small team, with respect for and sensitivity to multi-cultural approaches;

6. Fluency in English, and excellent English writing skills – with working knowledge of any East, Southeast or South Asian languages or Russian an advantage;

7. Excellent communications skills and experience of working with the media;

8. A willingness to travel widely and frequently and work under pressure;

How to apply?
Send your covering letter and CV to mxavier@wwfnet.org as one file subject line: Application for Tiger Trade Position.  We will not accept applications without CV and Covering Letter.