Management and Engineering Technologies International, Inc. (METI), in collaboration with the US Forest Service (USFS), as a part of the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) bilateral programs in Malawi, seeks a full-time coordinator to provide support to a nascent partnership between the USFS and African Parks/Malawi. The coordinator will serve as the liaison between African Parks/Malawi, USAID/Malawi, and the USFS and manage the partnership’s technical portfolio.
Background
The USFS recently entered into a partnership of technical cooperation with African Parks. African Parks plays an outsized role in natural resource and protected area management in Malawi and, increasingly, in southern Africa. African Parks has operated in Malawi since 2003 when it assumed management of Majete Wildlife Reserve. Since then, the non-profit organization has expanded to nine additional protected areas in southern and central Africa, including two more protected areas in Malawi – Liwonde National Park (2015) and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve (2015). Altogether, African Parks now manages 304,800 hectares (753,000 acres) in Malawi, and its portfolio may increase in the near term.
The USFS conducted a scoping mission to African Parks/Malawi (APM) in 2016 and identified a suite of activities through which the USFS is ideally suited to contribute to APM’s important work. These activities focus on five overarching themes: fire management and training, ecological management, protected area infrastructure design, capacity building for law enforcement, and community engagement and outreach. With support from USAID/Malawi, the USFS and African Parks have designed a program around these themes that, for the immediate future, will focus on Nkhotakota W.R.
The FS-APM Coordinator will work with colleagues from APM, the USFS, USAID, and other partner institutions on a daily basis to oversee technical cooperation and serve as the representative of this partnership. In support of this effort, the coordinator will work with the USFS to recruit, schedule, and manage the work of short-term technical advisors from the USFS who will contribute their skills and expertise alongside counterparts from APM and other partner institutions.
Requirements
- Advanced degree in forestry, conservation biology, ecology, geography, or related discipline, or equivalent professional experience in natural resource management,
- Demonstrated leadership and management skills; capable of executing complex tasks with minimal supervision over an extended timeline,
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
- Experience working in developing countries, preferably within sub-Saharan Africa,
- Excellent writing and presentation skills,
- Willingness to work out-of-doors in potentially arduous conditions for prolonged periods of time and in areas with intermittent power supply and internet connectivity,
- English fluency required
Duties
In collaboration with the USFS International Programs (IP) office in Washington, DC, the USFS-APM Coordinator will oversee the design, implementation, and management of activities with APM. All the while, the Coordinator will recruit and manage short-term technical advisors from the USFS who will contribute their expertise to these initiatives over the tenure of the project.
The Coordinator will report to the US Forest Service Africa & Middle East Region Program Coordinator and will plan, direct, and coordinate the logistical management of the initiative in Lilongwe. The Coordinator will work with colleagues from the APM and partner institutions (e.g., governmental and non-governmental institutions, local communities, academia, development partners and relevant development partner-supported projects) on a continuous basis. The Coordinator will ensure that USAID/Malawi is kept up-to-date on project progress and respond to requests for information in a thorough and timely manner.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities of the Coordinator include, but are not limited to:
- Collaborate with colleagues from APM and partner institutions on design and oversight of core project activities,
- Provide reporting and program implementation information on a regular basis to USFS/IP Washington and USAID/Malawi,
- Finalize work plans and reports in a timely and thorough manner,
- Work with USFS/IP Washington in the recruitment and scheduling of USFS short-term technical advisors who will contribute skills and expertise to the initiative,
- Provide technical and logistical support to short-term USFS technical advisors on mission to Malawi,
- Collaborate with other relevant programs, as necessary, and associated development partners, NGOs, and other institutions
Deliverables
- Oversee and modify the FS-APM work plan, as appropriate, in cooperation with APM, USFS, and USAID,
- Develop statements of work (SOW) for USFS technical experts, as appropriate,
- Ensure thorough, high quality, and timely reporting for program activities,
- Within the first two months of the position, develop and manage:
- A communications strategy that aligns with communications protocols of APM, USAID, and the USFS,
- USFS contributions to an Environmental Mitigation & Monitoring Plan, in close coordination with USAID/Malawi and African Parks
- Complete USAID reporting, including indicators metrics, on an established schedule
Oversight and Reporting: The Coordinator shall report to the Africa & Middle East Program Coordinator at the USFS/IP Africa & Middle East office and provide regular evaluation and guidance.
Period of Performance: One year with a possibility of extension
Location of Work: Lilongwe, Malawi
Compensation: Commensurate with experience and qualifications
Benefits: Housing, transportation, and educational support for candidates with families
Timeline: Apply by Friday, June 16th.
The successful applicant will be hired through a contractor.
Interested candidates should send a resume and letter of interest to the HR Department at METI to IPJOBS@meticorp.com with USFS-APM Coordinator in the subject line; fax: 915-772-2253. METI is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/V/D www.meticorp.com
