Overview

Job description
Nature Seychelles requires a Team Leader and Site Coordinator for a 2-year contract based on Praslin Island, Seychelles. The post holder is likely to possess between 2 and 5 years’ experience in coral reef management and restoration after successfully completing a relevant PhD. Experience in mariculture is essential. The successful candidate will be responsible for all technical and scientific aspects and on site requirements of the project. He or she will liaise closely with the project coordinator for all financial and administrative matters.

The postholder will lead the coral restoration team at the designated site, which includes all site based staff. He/she will be able to work in relative isolation and therefore be academically, technically and be mentally self-sufficient. The project may be logistically difficult, perhaps with long hours. The post holder will have to work with, coordinate and supervise project consultants, field staff, volunteers and students to deliver the project activities successfully. This will include ability to work with people of different nationalities. The development of Seychellois and regional capacity in coral reef restoration and conservation is an important component of this project, hence the willingness and proven ability to facilitate capacity development and work with consultants to deliver training sessions is essential.

The post holder is also expected to further improve the existing Coral Restoration Toolkit with
Project Objective:

1. To improve food security and livelihoods and mitigate disaster risk through active restoration of
coral reefs degraded by coral bleaching as a result of climate change in Mauritius, in order to
restore their essential ecosystem services.
2. To improve food security and livelihoods and mitigate disaster risk through active restoration of
coral reefs degraded by coral bleaching as a result of climate change in Seychelles, in order to
restore their essential ecosystem services
3. To generate knowledge and understanding about the use of coral reef restoration as an
adaptation measure for dissemination within the two countries, to other SIDS and also countries
within the WIO and other regions, and to build capacity for this intervention in the WIO. By
adopting a regional approach, it is expected that the stakeholders involved will develop technical
and scientific partnerships as well as a common understanding that will enable them to promote
the use of effective natural solutions in adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Principal skills required
 Academic credentials in coral reef ecology with relevant Ph.D.
 Practical experience in coral reef management and restoration, including setting up and
maintaining for both land and ocean based coral nurseries.
 Previous experience in working in donor funded projects
 Certified scientific diver
 Excellent analytical and report writing
 Proven capacity development and training
 Experience in leading teams and coordinating consultants, staff, volunteers and students
 Physical fitness and ability to work in remote areas
 Photography & Videography
 English language – spoken and written fluency
 Stakeholder relations and cultural sensitivity
 Ability to learn, appreciate and operate effectively in multi-cultural teams
Deliverable Project Objectives
 Establish a scientific framework for the project so the key outputs can be assessed, replicated
and publications generated
 Generate stock of coral colonies for the purpose of reef restoration. Set up and maintenance
of 10 underwater farms using the ‘reef gardening concept’. With the help of consultants and
staff, set up and manage a land based nursery on Praslin Island. Initiate seascape restoration
of selected coral reef habitats as a model for the Seychelles and the Region. The sites selected
will be around Cousin Island Special Reserve, with the aim to restore at least 1 Ha of Coral
Reef.
 Upgrading the existing Tool Kit of best practice with new lessons learnt and experience from
the Coral Restoration Project.
 Publication of scientific and technical papers, and presentations for scientific symposia.
 Set up and maintenance of a database of all data and other products. Example: Photos and
videos from the project.