Job Description

Title: Marine Policy Coordinator

Company Name: Wildlife Conservation Society-Bangladesh

Vacancy: 01

Job Location: Dhaka

Employment Status: Full-time

Educational Requirements:
∎ Master of Science (MSc) in Fisheries, Biology, Oceanography, Environmental or Conservation Science, Environmental Law, Public Policy, Sustainable Development.
∎ Skills Required: Analytical Thinking, Facilitation, Good communication and coordination skill

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 2 year(s)
∎ The applicants should have experience in the following area(s): Communication, Environmental Policies, Project Planning
∎ The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO, Research Organization

Job Context:
∎ The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Bangladesh is a not-for-profit conservation and research organization actively engaged in Bangladesh since 2004, aiming to save wildlife and wild places through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS Bangladesh works closely with government and community partners for advancing science-based and community-informed marine conservation solutions that optimize the protection of threatened marine wildlife and their priority habitats with sustaining coastal fisheries and livelihoods.
∎ The WCS Bangladesh Marine Policy Coordinator works closely with the Senior Manager of the Marine Conservation Program, as well as the Research Coordinator, the Educational Outreach Program Manager, and senior advisors, to integrate research findings into marine conservation and fishery policy recommendations, pursuing government endorsement thereof, and ensuring collaborative implementation with multiple government agencies and communities for optimizing effective protection of threatened marine wildlife with sustaining small-scale coastal fisheries and fishery livelihoods.
∎ WCS is committed to building a culturally diverse staff and an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, or gender.
∎ This position will be offered for 12 months starting from 1st May 2023 with a probationary period of three months and an option for extending employment, as per performance and availability of funds.

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Leading the development and/or revisions of national policies on marine conservation, wildlife protection, trade, sustainable fisheries (e.g., marine spatial plans, protected area management plans, species/trade/fisheries regulations, small-scale fishers rights, blue economy and finance) to strengthen compliance with regional and international agreements (e.g., IOTC, CITES, CMS, FAO) through inclusive, transparent processes with government and community stakeholders informed by robust science.
∎ Organizing, facilitating, and reporting on consultations and trainings with local community stakeholders and government representatives on strengthening species protection, sustainable fisheries, and conservation management in existing and proposed MPAs/OECMs, including through interagency enforcement, and monitoring with community engagement.
∎ Supporting the Marine Conservation Program Manager with work plans, reporting requirements, proposals, administrative tasks, and public speaking engagements.
∎ Staying updated on relevant national, regional, and international developments (e.g., area-based conservation, small-scale fisheries, bycatch reduction/mitigation, sustainable financing, blue economy), sharing relevant updates with the wider WCS team, and responding to requests for information on national laws, rules, and ongoing policy revisions and efforts.
∎ Maintaining regular communications with government partners on national, regional, and international WCS activities relevant to marine conservation, including research, outreach, capacity building, and policy developments.
∎ Supporting the planning, implementation, and reporting of at-sea surveys, fisheries and socio-economic investigations, knowledge-attitude-practice assessments, and policy reviews (e.g., updating shark and ray conservation strategy and action plan, harmonizing wildlife protection with fisheries and trade rules).
∎ Supporting government endorsement of marine conservation policies, including plans for a network of marine protected areas/OECMs for improved protection of marine biodiversity, priority habitats for marine wildlife threatened by overfishing or bycatch, and sustaining productive fisheries in Bangladesh, managed through institutionalized and sustainably financed collaborations between agencies and communities interagency.
∎ Assisting in the development of strategies, initiatives, and tools for technical trainings and educational outreach relevant in support of effective marine conservation (e.g., Standard Operating Procedures for citizen science data collection and marine SMART enforcement and monitoring, identification of protected marine wildlife species and their commonly traded parts).

Additional Requirements:
∎ Age 25 to 40 years
∎ The Marine Policy Coordinator will be based in Dhaka with intermittent periods in Khulna and frequent travel for meetings, consultations, and fieldwork.
∎ We are particularly looking for a candidate who is innovative and creative, self-directed and can "get the job done."
∎ Interested candidates must be capable of working efficiently within our organizational structure, motivated to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills, and take pride in the work we do.
∎ Excellent communication and facilitation skills in English and Bengali (written, spoken, translating), strong analytical thinking, and previous experience in project coordination are essential.
∎ Person with disability are encouraged to apply

Salary: Tk. 70000 - 80000 (Monthly)

Compensation & Other Benefits:
∎ Mobile bill, Weekly 2 holidays, Insurance
∎ Salary Review: Yearly
∎ Festival Bonus: 2

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 30 Mar 2023

Company Information:
∎ 16 Mar 2023
∎ Wildlife Conservation Society-Bangladesh
∎ Address : House-22, Road-03, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205
∎ Web : https://bangladesh.wcs.org/
∎ Business : The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS - www.wcs.org) began operations in Bangladesh in 2004 focusing on marine conservation with an emphasis on marine megafauna. WCS Bangladesh collaborated with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to establish the country’s first two marine protected areas and three Wildlife Sanctuaries for freshwater dolphins in the Sundarbans. WCS supports the GoB in developing science-based, community informed protected area management plans, improving the effectiveness of law enforcement through patrols using a spatial monitoring and reporting tool (SMART) and strengthening the capacity for compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). WCS’s extensive engagement with relevant stakeholders, our offices in the capital city Dhaka and Khulna, 25 experienced local staff, and an extensive network of citizen scientists, trained interns, community members, and partner NGOs place us in an ideal position to help Bangladesh conserve threatened species and their habitat.

Category: NGO/Development

: Interested candidates should send their up-to-date CV along with a cover letter describing their interest in and suitability for this position to wcsbangladesh@wcs.org with the subject line 'Application for Marine Policy Coordinator' by March 30, 2023.