Overview

Organization

SaharaConservation is a pioneering international conservation organization working at the forefront of efforts to save the threatened wildlife of the Sahara and Sahel. Since its inception in 2004, SaharaConservation has helped protect and restore unique desert antelopes such as addax (Addax nasomaculatus) and scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), established one of the world’s largest protected areas in Niger, implemented a recovery program for the world’s largest bird, the North African ostrich, and put Saharan wildlife on the global conservation agenda through a combination of fieldwork, communication, and advocacy.

More than 18 years after its founding, SaharaConservation is at a transition point in its development. It has a growing portfolio of initiatives focused on species and landscape management. A new 2025 strategic plan has been developed that sets ambitious goals for advancing the restoration of key target species across the Sahara and Sahel and improving the management of the ecosystems on which they depend.

Purpose of Position

SaharaConservation is looking for a Program Director to lead it’s activities in Chad and supervise the in-country team. This role would include the day-to-day management of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi’s scimitar-horned oryx reintroduction project in the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve, overseeing the implementation of the World Bank/Global Environment Facility ALBIÄ project and acting as the organization’s focal point within Chad, liaising with relevant government and nongovernmental partners.

This role requires significant organizational, logistical and management tasks, and include overall leadership of the project in Chad, recruitment, and supervision of agreed local staff and contractors, contracting for the provision of food and fodder, transport, and welfare of the antelopes to be reintroduced, and general management and maintenance of the project’s field-based operations, including facilitation of visits and work of international project technical and scientific staff. The Program Director will also be responsible for building and maintaining excellent working relations with the project’s government partners, the project’s sponsors, the local Chadian administration, and the local communities. The role requires the incumbent to be fluent in French.

Duties & Key Responsibilities

Site development & management

  • Oversee the construction, equipping and maintenance of the reintroduction site, quarantine enclosures, basecamp, and infrastructure
  • Select and oversee the work of local contractors
  • In association with the relevant staff from the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) take responsible for managing the oryx and addax in Chad
  • In association with the relevant staff from EAD, ensure the site and infrastructure are well managed and maintained, fences are in good repair and the site is protected against bushfires 

Human resources and staffing

  • Supervise the work of all project staff
  • Recruit, manage and supervise agreed local project staff, including animal-carers, drivers/mechanics, laborers, local monitoring team, etc.
  • Assist in the recruitment and in the supervision of senior project staff
  • In collaboration with project consultants, recruit and supervise the work of local staff to monitor the oryx and addax, both in captivity and following release into the wild

Equipment & infrastructure

  • Oversee the purchase and delivery of project vehicles and other project equipment
  • Oversee the maintenance of vehicles, infrastructure, and equipment
  • In association with the relevant staff from EAD develop and maintain agreed infrastructure for water, power, storage of food, etc.

Project & financial management

  • Manage allocated project funds and provide financial reporting and bookkeeping to the required standards
  • Prepare complete monthly expenditure reports for submission to SCF’s bookkeepers
  • As requested, open and manage project bank accounts
  • Liaise with and where appropriate, supervise project administrative staff based in N’Djaména to assist the project’s implementation
  • Assist SCF staff in the development and implementation, where appropriate, of other projects relating to the management of the Ouadi Rimé-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve or the reintroduction of species other than the scimitar-horned oryx

Community & administrative relations

  • Establish and maintain productive relations with members of the local community and administration
  • Work closely with staff and agents of the Chadian wildlife and parks department (DCFAP) to ensure synergy between the reintroduction project and park management operations
  • Participate in the project’s steering committee
  • Provide support to other SCF-led projects and initiatives, ensuring synergy with the Oryx Project and efficient use of resources and facilities

Collaboration with project technical staff and researchers

  • Facilitate the work and logistics of temporary staff and consultants employed to carry out scientific research and wildlife monitoring

Reporting

  • Prepare brief monthly reports (bullet points) on project progress and longer and more detailed six-monthly and annual reports to feed into the meetings of the project’s steering committee
  • Submit approved six-monthly progress reports to the Direction of ONGs (DONG)
  • Develop project planning tools and chronograms to facilitate project monitoring

Location

The working location of this position is primarily in the Wadi Fira district of east-central Chad. Frequent travel to the nearby towns of Biltine, Arada, Ati and Abéché is essential, with as-needs basis travel to the Chad capital of N’Djaména required. Some travel outside the country to attend meetings, conferences and briefings may also be necessary.

How to apply

If you are interested in this position, please send a CV and a cover letter in French including three references to: jobs@saharaconservation.org before November 30, 2022. No applications will be accepted by phone.

SaharaConservation reserves the right to contact candidates matching the profile before the deadline. Only candidates pre-selected for an interview will be contacted by email.