Conservation Planner at Kenyan Wildlife Conservancies Association

Job Title: Conservation Planner at Kenyan Wildlife Conservancies Association

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Application Deadline: October 13, 2023

About Kenyan Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA)

KWCA is the national membership representative body for wildlife conservancies in Kenya. Our mission is to catalyze the conservancy movement by connecting, informing, convening, and representing conservancies and other key stakeholders in a shared effort to make wildlife conservancies thrive in Kenya.

Role Summary

As the Conservation Planner at KWCA, you will play a pivotal role in developing and implementing KWCA’s conservation planning strategy and program. Your responsibilities will include monitoring conservation planning impacts on priority landscapes and community conserved areas. You will coordinate engagements to strengthen conservation planning, implementation reporting, and monitoring in accordance with national and county policies on conservation and natural resource planning.

Key Responsibilities

Planning Activities:

1. Design KWCA’s Conservation Planning Strategy

• Develop an innovative strategy to optimize conservation planning among community and privately conserved areas.

2. Disseminate Conservation Planning Resources

• Share conservation planning toolkits, guidelines, and manuals to support planning activities within the conservancy network.

3. Support Ecosystem Management Plans

• Provide technical support and establish partnerships to facilitate the design and implementation of ecosystem management plans in priority landscapes.

4. Implement Conservancy Management Guidelines

• Deploy KWCA Conservancy Management guidelines to assist conservancies in developing management plans aligned with the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2023.

5. Effectiveness Assessment

• Utilize assessment tools to monitor governance, management, equity, and sustainability of community and privately conserved areas.

6. Conservation Target Setting

• Collaborate with stakeholders to define conservation targets, identify priority conservation areas, planning requirements, and management actions to contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

7. Project Finance for Permanence (PFP)

• Strengthen liaison with the PFP management team during planning and implementation phases.

8. Policy Advocacy

• Assist KWCA’s policy advocacy team in developing well-researched and globally benchmarked conservation policy positions.

9. Partnerships

• Mobilize partnerships to expand collaboration focused on conservation planning among KWCA’s member conservancies and emerging conservancies.

10. Government Liaison – Coordinate with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Heritage to facilitate approvals and gazetting of ecosystem and conservancy management plans.

11. Monitoring and Research – Design a monitoring toolkit to track progress in development, implementation, and reporting of conservation plans. Conduct quantitative and qualitative research to evaluate conservation plans’ contributions to county, national, and international goals.

12. Integration of Restoration Activities – Develop strategies for conservancies to integrate ecosystem and rangeland restoration activities into their conservation initiatives.

13. Incentive Identification – Identify fiscal and non-monetary incentives to promote conservation as a preferred land use for communities living with wildlife.

14. Stakeholder Engagement – Support KWCA’s communication team in building relationships with civil society networks and the private sector on land restoration.

15. Resource Mapping – Facilitate mapping of key natural resources, priority wildlife areas, and areas of ecological significance for prioritized conservation action.

Other Responsibilities

• Represent KWCA in meetings and workshops to share the organization’s conservation plan, progress, and impacts.
• Prepare and submit timely work-plans and reports related to conservation planning.
• Advise KWCA’s leadership on key conservation issues and requirements.
• Adhere to KWCA institutional policies.
• Support fundraising efforts, proposal development, and program management.
• Perform any other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Academic & Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, Conservation Management, Wildlife Management, or a related field from a recognized institution of learning.
• Certification in conservation planning is an added advantage.
• A master’s degree in a related field is also an added advantage.
• Membership in a registered and recognized conservation body.

Relevant Skills & Expertise

• At least ten years of proven experience in leading the development, implementation, review, and reporting/analysis of conservation strategies and work plans within the NGO environment, with a preference for wildlife conservation experience.
• Advanced knowledge of community-based conservation and the conservancy network in Kenya.
• Strong research and data analysis skills.
• Proficiency in computer use and Microsoft Office applications.
• General knowledge of national and county government conservation planning programs.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Ability to build strong working relationships at all levels.
• Strong consultative and influencing skills.
• High level of integrity, confidentiality, trust, and dependability.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and CV to recruit@kwcakenya.com not later than October 13, 2023. Please mention “Conservation Planner” in the subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. KWCA is an equal-opportunity employer.

Expert Tips To Be A Successful Applicant

1. Tailor Your Application: Customize your cover letter and CV to highlight your relevant experience in conservation planning, aligning with the job requirements.
2. Demonstrate Leadership: Provide examples of how you’ve demonstrated strong leadership and teamwork skills in your previous roles, showcasing emotional intelligence.
3. Show Business Acumen: Emphasize your ability to apply industry knowledge and market trends to drive conservation planning initiatives.
4. Highlight Financial Acumen: If applicable, mention instances where you’ve analyzed financial data to make sound business decisions.
5. Stakeholder Engagement: Share experiences where you successfully managed stakeholder relations and resolved challenges effectively.
6. Tech-Savvy: If relevant, mention how you’ve utilized technology to innovate and enhance operations.
7. Integrated Communications: Explain how you’ve developed integrated communication strategies to promote your organization’s services.
8. Negotiation Skills: Provide examples of successful negotiations and how you addressed stakeholder needs.
9. Risk Management: Highlight instances where you’ve effectively balanced risks and benefits within a controlled framework.
10. Project & Programme Management: Discuss your experience in managing projects and programs, ensuring they align with objectives.

Remember, a well-crafted application that addresses the specific requirements of this role will greatly enhance your chances of being shortlisted. Good luck!