Work Location: Bangkok, Thailand (Regional travel required)
Reports to: Conservation Director
Supervises: Project Officers; consultants as required
- Background:
For over 50 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. As the world’s leading conservation organization, WWF works across 100 countries and is supported by close to 5 million members globally. WWF’s unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at all levels locally to globally, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature. WWF has been working in Thailand since 1983 and established a country office in 1995. Our work in Thailand includes wildlife, fisheries, forest, and landscape conservation, sustainable agriculture, as well as efforts to reduce marine plastics.
While Thailand has implemented impressive systems to combat wildlife crime, illegal take of both rare and common species persists, largely within the nation’s protected area system. Many of these species are at low numbers and/or in decline, including leopard, tiger, banteng, primates, and numerous forest birds. Other species targeted by poachers include hornbills and otters. Thailand is also a source, transit point, and destination for products derived from international crime, including African elephants, rhinos, bears, and pangolins.
Disrupting wildlife crime at its source and onward to domestic and international markets, is a top priority for WWF Thailand.
- Objectives and Scope of Work
The Wildlife Crime Program Manager works to identify drivers, actors and networks involved in wildlife crime nationwide, in support of both site-based enforcement and disruption of transnational shipment, with the goal of reducing the illegal take of native species – in particular those listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Program Manager also works to improve the enabling environment for the effective prosecution of wildlife crime in Thailand by providing technical support to enforcement officials, prosecutors, and the judiciary.
3. Major duties and responsibilities
- Lead development of a WWF Thailand wildlife crime program to address domestic wildlife crime originating inside and outside of protected areas and servicing both domestic and international markets.
- Manage wildlife crime related projects, ensure projects are smoothly implemented, have technically and financially accurate reporting to all donors, are delivered on time and within budget, and achieve maximum impact.
- Support Asia Pacific wildlife crime staff in identification of key trade routes and actors within Thailand with the goal of reducing both demand and supply of wildlife products.
- Collaborate with Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation and other agencies to prioritize wildlife crime identification, response, and prosecution needs; seek funding to support agency training, equipment, staff welfare, and regulatory needs at protected area, regional, and national levels.
- Develop, seek funding for, and implement advocacy strategies to raise awareness of and generate public support for effective actions to counter wildlife crime.
- Maintain and improve relationships with Thai government enforcement agencies (national and local) to advocate and secure positive policy and enforcement commitments and actions to reduce wildlife crime.
- Supervise staff and consultants as required.
- Identify and collaborate with donors to maintain a sound funding pipeline for the program.
- Ensure compliance with WWF Thailand and WWF International finance, safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation policies.
4. Profile
Required qualifications
- Master’s degree in wildlife conservation, environmental policy, criminology, or relevant fields
- Minimum of five years of experience with wildlife and/or natural resource crime reduction programs, and training and/or experience in related demand reduction activities, Thailand preferred.
- Understanding of the domestic political and environmental context and its linkages to neighboring countries and China.
- Experience in field law enforcement operations preferred.
- Strong understanding of development partnerships, fund-raising, and donor strategies.
- Project proposal development, management and monitoring experience
Required Skills and Competencies
- Strategic and critical thinking.
- Presentation, communications, public speaking.
- Networking and interpersonal skills.
- Near fluency in Thai and Intermediate or better skills in English.
- Adheres to WWF’s values, which are: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration.
5. Working Relationships:
Internal: WWF Thailand Conservation Director, Communications, Finance, and HR Teams, and individual program managers, the Asia Pacific Wildlife Program Lead, the Asia Pacific International Wildlife Trafficking Hub, and regional communications and advocacy teams.
External: Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, Thai Royal Police, Environmental Police, Border Police, and Customs officials, relevant WWF offices and international NGOs working on wildlife crime issues in Asia.
This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.
To apply the position, please send updated CV to hr.th@wwf.or.th
