Overview

Start Date: 12 November 2018 or earlier 

About Crees

Crees is a Peruvian-based not for profit organisation that runs education, research, and sustainable initiatives in the Manu Biosphere Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon. Crees is dedicated to supporting a sustainable Amazon through understanding the value of regenerating rainforest and by helping local people to access its resources in ways that balance nature and people. Our vision is that Manu Biosphere Reserve is valued and conserved by current and future generations who engage in its sustainable development.

Crees’ Community Programme supports local community members to develop sustainable initiatives (e.g. biogardens) and businesses models. Crees also facilitates environmental education, from nutritional education in local communities to environmental education training for high school teachers. Crees’ core Research Programme generates knowledge on the value of biodiversity in regenerating forest with different disturbance histories. Since 2011, Crees has carried out standardised long-term monitoring using a variety of methodologies at the Manu Learning Centre (MLC) for five indicator groups: birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. These research activities feed into Crees’ experiential learning programmes, which range in length from two-week volunteering to a three-month multimedia internship and a six-month conservation internship.

Crees’ experiential learning programmes operate 365 days a year, where volunteer efforts contribute to scientifically credible projects that address research and local needs. Volunteers receive hands-on practical training from passionate field staff and gain work experience in a wide variety of conservation skills, alongside personal and professional development.

Location 

This position is based primarily at the Manu Learning Centre (MLC), Peru (71˚23’28’’W 12˚47’21’’S), the main site for Crees’ work. It is located in the buffer zone of Manu National Park next to the Alto Madre de Dios River, a tributary to the Amazon River. The location is eight hours by bus from Cusco, in addition to a 30-minute jungle hike from the nearest town – Salvación – and a 10 min boat trip across the river.

Manu viewed from a drone. This could be your office!

About the role

You are the face of Crees’ experiential learning. You lead the day-to-day coordination of Crees’ two-week to six-month programmes for volunteers, interns and students, both in the office and in the field. Your role coordinates diverse educational activities and supports all visitors to the Manu Learning Centre, while safeguarding the link with Crees’ broader objectives. With your positive leadership skills, you co-supervise a team of four to six (inter)national field staff, ensuring a balance between fieldwork and programme development. You create an inspiring environment for learning, motivating staff and interns to constantly improve educational opportunities (e.g. presentations, workshops and field activities). You also help design small creative projects for interns. A key aim of this role is to communicate the objectives, findings and bigger picture of Crees’ work and motivate all staff and guests to be involved in our mission. 

Relationships 

This position works closely with the Research Coordinator, Community Coordinator and MLC Lodge Administrator, as well as reporting directly to the Experiential Learning Programme Manager.

Key responsibilities

Experiential Learning 

  • Coordinate the delivery of Crees experiential learning programmes at the MLC and other project sites. Includes ensuring that experiential learning priorities are planned in monthly and weekly schedules.
  • Jointly supervise a team of four to six field staff, including creating bi-monthly work and learning goals and weekly check-ins.
  • Lead groups of students, interns, volunteers and staff in field work and monitor their learning progress.
  • Liaise with other Crees staff and partners to coordinate the logistics and operations required for experiential learning activities and identify new opportunities.
  • Jointly oversee Crees’ Conservation Internship programme, including supervising intern mentoring.
  • Oversee the development and delivery of training sessions for Crees staff and guests in the areas of environmental education, language learning, conservation, sustainability and professional/personal development.
  • Oversee the development and delivery of workshops and presentations to interns, volunteers, tourists, funders, local communities and other Crees guests to the MLC.
  • Ensure that all experiential learning activities contribute to Crees’ broader goals and align with monthly priorities and annual plans.
  • Produce timely internal monthly experiential learning reports.
  • Support the institutionalisation of Crees’ Experiential Learning programmes by ensuring that all programmes and activities are documented in guides/manuals for current and future staff.
  • Ensure that all programme delivery documents are up-to-date and well-organised. Includes a clear organisation of files and backup files, and updating of programme delivery manuals, presentations, workshops, etc.
  • Professionally manage guest feedback on site and jointly ensure collection of feedback from all volunteers, interns and students; liaising with other Crees staff to improve guest experience.
  • Support the recruitment of field staff.
  • Maintain experiential learning equipment and keep an inventory of resources up to date, reporting in a timely manner to the Experiential Learning Programme Manager when equipment needs replacing and inputting into annual budget needs.
  • Outreach – support the Experiential Learning Programme Manager in creating links to attract teachers and their students to the MLC.
  • Oversee maintenance of the MLC biogarden and related learning opportunities.

Key responsibilities (continued)

Research

  • Jointly coordinate the logistics and delivery of the research programme at Crees’ field locations.

Communication

  • Maintain excellent communication with the Research Coordinator, MLC Lodge Administrator, Experiential Learning Programme Manager and Research Manager to ensure educational and research activities are appropriately supported.
  • Effectively and enthusiastically communicate the value of Crees’ work to diverse audiences, conveying the connections between research, education and community.

General

  • Jointly ensure all working and communal spaces are organised and welcoming for all staff and visitors.
  • Jointly ensure a high standard of health and safety at the MLC, including evaluating survey leaders in the field and producing timely health and safety incident reports.

About you

You are passionate about engaging diverse groups in conservation and sustainability topics through hands-on learning and creative communication. You know what it’s like to live and work a small remote community for extended periods, and actively contribute to a positive social environment with your sense of humour and positive outlook. You naturally communicate with people from different age groups and educational backgrounds, including (inter)national staff, volunteers, interns, tourists and their guides, and visiting scientists and media teams. Through your punctuality and high-level organisational skills, you are able to prioritise in a busy environment where rapid changes occur, working proactively independently and as part of a team. Motivating others to be their best energises you. With your ‘can-do attitude’ you never run short of solutions for problems and challenges. On top of all of this you get excited by the idea of walking 3-8 hours a day in wellies through muddy terrain!

Required education and experience

  1. Bachelor’s Degree in education, sustainability or a related discipline (or Diploma with 2 years’ experience working in a coordinator position).
  2. Minimum one years’ experience working within the field of education.
  3. Minimum one years’ experience training, managing and inspiring volunteers working on a conservation or sustainability project.
  4. Knowledge of conservation and sustainability issues.
  5. Working proficiency in both English / Spanish (give ecological presentations, advise interns and volunteers, communicate with local staff and tourists in both languages).
  6. Previous experience developing and delivering community engagement and skill-building activities, including facilitating workshops, events and presentations. 

Let us know if you have

  1. Certificate in Wilderness First Aid or First Aid Instructor.
  2. Experience working with student expedition groups in remote environments.
  3. Experience delivering learning objectives and/or curriculum development.
  4. Experience in workshop planning, design and facilitation (in conservation/sustainability/personal development).
  1. Knowledge of tropical ecology and research methods.
  2. Training in team role identification, leadership, self-knowledge or mental health.

What we offer

  • 12-month contract subject to a 3-month probation period.
  • Salary based on experience.
  • 30 days holiday allowance.
  • Accommodation and three meals per day provided whilst at the Manu Learning Centre (approximately 80% of time).
  • Shared accommodation provided in Cusco (approximately 20% of time).
  • Contribution towards international flights and insurance, paid in monthly installments following the probation period.

Please send your CV and a one-page cover letter in a PDF file to Kristi Foster (Experiential Learning Programme Manager) kristi@crees-manu.org, copying Dr. Stefanie Rog (Research Manager) research9@crees-manu.org.

Applications are open until 14 September 2018. Regrettably, due to limited resources and the high number of applications we receive, we are only able to contact shortlisted 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.

Applications open until the position is filled.