Marine Program Manager

Position: Marine Program Manager

Reports to: WCS Philippines Country Director

Location: Metro Manila/Cebu City/Siquijor Province

Position Type: Full-Time

Expected travel: As required within the country and region, or other locations within Asia if/when needed, and to donor/technical meetings as needed

WCS’s office for the Southeast Asian Archipelago (SEAA) region is based in Singapore and is responsible for WCS conservation programs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines. The SEAA region contains the third largest expanse of tropical rainforests, and the majority of the Coral Triangle, the global center of marine biodiversity. The region includes over 25,000 islands, and comprises the world’s second, third, and sixth largest islands (New Guinea, Borneo and Sumatra). Our current efforts focus on protecting 4.2 million hectares of landscapes, including the Leuser Ecosystem and Endau Rompin landscape, and over 2 million hectares of the region’s most important coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses and tidal wetlands including in North Sulawesi, North Maluku, Aceh, West Nusa Tenggara, and Sarawak.

Within the SEAA region, WCS has operated for many years in Indonesia and Malaysia. In the Philippines, WCS has recently opened a branch office and, leveraging its historical project-based legacy, is now, together with local partners, designing a conservation program that will complement the many ongoing terrestrial and marine efforts in the Philippines. We are initiating efforts to build a small and impactful team, develop government, civil society and NGO partnerships, and build out the knowledge base to inform WCS’s broader conservation strategy and approach in the Philippines (for example, with regards to marine conservation, illegal wildlife trade, rights and communities, forests and climate change, and health).

WCS’s initial project-based focus is on marine conservation through the MPAs and small-scale fisheries of the Bohol Sea. WCS will focus implementation on Siquijor province, adopting an integrated (land-sea) approach to conservation. The work will be implemented through a partnership with local organisation Community Conservation and Education Foundation (CCEF) and delivered in close coordination with government agencies.

Position Summary:

The primary function of this position is to develop and lead marine conservation initiatives within WCS’s conservation program in the Philippines in line with the WCS 2030 and WCS SEAA strategies. 

The WCS Philippines Marine Program Manager will be responsible for ensuring delivery of projects related to the establishment and effective management of national and local area-based conservation, fisheries management areas, and endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) marine species conservation, including technical aspects of monitoring and evaluation. The Marine Program Manager will be responsible for managing projects and teams, stakeholder engagement, community consultations and outreach, and partnership building/strengthening, and for developing and maintaining the reputation of WCS Philippines. The Marine Program Manager will work closely with the country program team to plan and implement existing marine-related projects and develop proposals to expand or scale up WCS Philippine marine program efforts. The Marine Program Manager will provide capacity building support to staff, local partner NGOs, community-based organizations, and local government officials to increase their ability to research and (co-)manage marine protected and fisheries areas self-sufficiently and sustainably.

The main objectives of the position are:

Lead in the development, implementation, and supervision of marine conservation initiatives and staff within the strategic and geographic scope of WCS’s Philippines program focused initially on the Bohol Sea and Siquijor province.Identify and deliver key scientific and technical inputs related to marine conservation within the strategic and geographic scope of WCS’s Philippines program.Develop capacity-building activities and strategic partnerships, collaborations and relationships with relevant agencies, community-based organisations and other bodies that can support WCS’s conservation work in the Philippines.

Position Responsibilities:

Lead in organizing comprehensive work plans, managing staff, securing and maintaining field equipment, and supporting budget preparations to ensure field work is conducted to a high standard and safely/securely.Provide technical advice and facilitate discussions, workshops, trainings, and planning meetings for project staff and partners to ensure robust data collection, analysis, and data visualization.Develop an internal monitoring and evaluation system to meet project targets, schedules and to the highest scientific standards

o  Provide a project monitoring template/tool for NGO partners in project sites

Facilitate research activities and effective stakeholder consultations to clarify expectations and development and implementation of conservation actions and management plans

o  Where management plans will be formalized, clarify process steps with government agencies and other stakeholders

Oversee the delivery of social safeguards to prevent, reduce and mitigate potential negative impacts of projects activities.Coordinate the local activities of WCS Regional and Global experts and consultants.With Regional and Global colleagues, contribute to the development of new project design and proposals.Ensure compliance with donor requirements, including budget planning and expenditure monitoring and reporting during and after project implementation.Provide scheduled reporting to government and community partners and write activity reports for project monitoring and documentationWork with local NGOs, community stakeholders, and government agencies to identify capacity gaps and facilitate discussions or trainings, when necessary.Develop national and local collaborations, networks or partnerships on marine protection and conservation management and priority species conservationEnsure development and implementation of WCS Philippines stakeholder engagement and data sharing protocolsDevelop reports, blogs, articles and peer reviewed publications to ensure the work of WCS Philippines is accessible to a wide audienceEngage the public through information dissemination via appropriate channels.

Minimal Requirements:

Bachelor or post-graduate degree in marine or fisheries science, oceanography, coastal resources or environmental management, marine sciences, species / fisheries management, other relevant fieldsMinimum of five years of experience in technical / scientific monitoring and evaluation roles with non-profit, academic or government organizations working on marine conservation, marine protected areas and fisheries management, conservation policy and law enforcement, Indigenous Peoples, or related fields.Demonstrated project management, monitoring and evaluation, and fundraising experience.Strong understanding of creating and managing databases or information systems.Good working understanding of information systems, conservation technology, remote sensing and GIS.SCUBA and vessel handling/safety at sea certifications preferred.Strong ability to build relationships and collaborate with government agencies, civil society partners and donors, and work successfully within multi-disciplinary teams.Demonstrated ability to apply rights-based and gender sensitive approaches to projects, programs and research agendas.Good working knowledge of the field of protected areas, natural resource management, socio-ecological systems, and/or other relevant conservation approaches.Professional proficiency in spoken and written Filipino and EnglishCommitment to WCS’s values of respect, accountability and transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply at the soonest possible. Prescreening will commence as soon as WCS starts to receive incoming applications.

onLY SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE NOTIFIED.