Overview

We are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and experienced individual for the position of Project Coordinator- LIFE Against Bird Crime.

The main responsibility of this person will be to coordinate the implementation of the EU funded project  “LIFE Against Bird Crime: Delivering the EU Biodiversity Strategy: Awareness and Capacity Building against Bird Crime in Priority Flyway Countries” and ensure all project’s objectives and activities are achieved within the planned timeline ensuring its objectives and activities are achieved within the planned timeline.

This project builds on recent progress in addressing illegal killing, taking and trapping of birds, with a particular focus on urgent action in four priority EU countries but with tasks extended to priority EU and non-EU countries where illegal killing of migratory birds.

This person will be also responsible, in collaboration with other members of the conservation department, for the collation and analysis of European and Central Asia bird threats, with a special focus on the illegal killing and trapping of birds, ensuring the highest quality and support throughout the BirdLife family.

1.     About you

You are a natural leader, efficient, highly organized, with solid experience as a manager or senior officer implementing EU LIFE Projects in the conservation and/or communication areas. You are able to deal with a diverse range of partners over sensitive topics, with an ability and passion for mediation between different interests. You are a proactive and inclusive team player. You have knowledge of nature conservation and migratory bird threats in particular, and understand how different cultures may see the problem of the illegal killing, trapping or poisoning of wild birds in different ways.  You have experience of working with EU institutions and understand how conservation NGOs work.

2.     About BirdLife Europe and Central Asia

BirdLife Europe & Central Asia (BLI ECA) is the European Division of BirdLife International, and is one of the six BirdLife regional offices around the world. BirdLife Europe leads and supports the European and Central Asia Partnership of BirdLife International, which consists of 48 independent, grassroots Civil Society Organisations with over 2 million members.

Together with BirdLife International, present in 121 countries through a Partnership of autonomous Civil Society Organisations, we protect wild birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, by working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources. We are the global authority on the status of bird species, with unparalleled technical expertise in bird and biodiversity assessment, and capacity to link local conservation activities and groups to domestic and international policy and conservation work.

You will join a dynamic team of professionals based in Brussels and Cambridge who together support the BirdLife Partnership in Europe and Central Asia to protect nature and birds, through policy, science, conservation measures, organisational support, helping them to increase the visibility of the BirdLife Partnership work and raise the needed funds.

3.     Key responsibilities

The job holder’s main responsibilities will be to:

• Ensure appropriate coordination of the LIFE Against Bird Crime project, by implementing all its actions in time and with the highest quality (See detailed JD for further details).

• Establish and maintain regular contact with all project partners in Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Croatia, prioritising their demands according to the project’s workplan and responding promptly to their requests
• Collaborate with the regional and/or global BirdLife departments (Conservation & Science, Policy, Communications, Capacity Building and Fundraising) and actively seek cooperation and advising on key issues linked to the project’s objectives and implementation.
• Support the Flyways and Preventing Extinctions Global BirdLife Programmes, by participating in the relevant meetings and reports when needed, coordinating BirdLife Europe & Central Asia position against Bird Crime.
• Respond promptly to relevant conservation and communication requests as per the actions outlined in the project, prioritising and documenting these accordingly.
• Oversee LIFE Against Bird Crime projects’ expenditure and ensure adequate delivery of financial and technical reports as requested by the European Commission and/or his line manager, supported by the Administration team of BirdLife Europe & Central Asia.
• Represent BirdLife at relevant conferences, workshops and technical meetings, as appropriate.
• Be an active member of the conservation unit, participating at all meetings and contributing to the delivery of the unit’s goals.

4.     Qualifications

• Masters degree or higher in a relevant subject, or equivalent demonstrable skills and experience gained in an appropriate field. PhD in conservation related topic desirable
• Good general knowledge of European bird species (e.g. conservation status, distribution, abundance, ecology and threats).
• Sound understanding of the threats affecting migratory species in the Mediterranean, especially those related to the illegal trapping, killing or poaching of wild birds. Previous participation in similar projects is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with international conservation issues, including relevant environmental conventions and instruments (especially EU Directives).
• Familiarity with the Red List criteria and categories, and of the issues involved in assessing species’ regional extinction risk.

The following work experience is required:

• Proven experience of managing (or working at senior level) one or more EU LIFE-funded projects. The candidate should be acquainted to EU LIFE technical, financial and administrative rules and requirements.
• Established track record (at least 3 years) relevant experience in species-conservation projects/research.
• Proven experience of building rapport with, and acquiring information from, large/diverse/dispersed networks of collaborators.
• Proven record of successfully delivering conservation projects within allocated time and budget.

A detailed job description can be found at www.birdlife.org/jobs.

6. Employment conditions:

Location Brussels (Belgium).

Full time job (37,50 hours per week)

We start with one-year contract, though this could be extended for the duration of this Project, should the end-of-year appraisals be satisfactory for both parties.

Salary and benefits according to BirdLife standards and commensurate with experience.

7. How to apply:

Please submit your full CV and a comprehensive cover letter (maximum two page, all in English) setting out your reasons for applying for the post and outlining the qualifications experience knowledge and skills that you feel you can bring to the role, an indication of salary expectation, and contact details of two professional referees to: recruitment.europe@birdlife.org.  Please also state which location you would prefer to work from and indicate where you first saw the job advertised.

Closing date:  8^th July 2018 at midnight CET. Please consider that applications received after the closing date will be automatically discarded.

8. Short listing and interviews:

Short listing is based on CV and cover letter. Successful candidates will be asked to attend face to face interviews and perform an additional test. Remote interview may be offered to candidates.

Please note that due to the large number of expected applications only successful candidates will be contacted.

Interview days: to be defined, week of the 16^th July