The Zoological Society of London Job Vacancy: Project Director - Bogor Office

The Zoological Society of London is an international wildlife conservation organization with a focus on science-based and pragmatic solutions. ZSL has been active in Indonesia for about 10 years, with a particular focus on the overlap between industrial development and biodiversity conservation. ZSL’s Indonesia is based in Bogor, West Java, with existing field projects in Jambi and South Sumatera. We are now looking for: 

Project Director 

Terms and Condition
Start Date : March, 2016
Duration of Contract : One year fix- term Contract, with potential to extend Work Area : This post is office based in ZSL’s office in Bogor, West Java. However, travel to field sites and other ZSL offices will be required
Hours of Work : Monday to Friday from 09.00 am up to 05.00 pm Reporting to : ZSL Country Manager

Key Purpose of the Job

ZSL seeks a qualified individual to oversee the implementation of our UK Climate Change Unit (UKCCU) and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI)-funded “South Sumatra Partnership for Landscape Management Support Project” in Indonesia. The post holder will be responsible for delivering ZSL’s work in this integrated landscape approach, and will manage a team of skilled, dedicated in-country staff. S/he will be an experienced project manager who can engage government, community, and corporate partnerships in this initiative. The post holder will be critical to upscaling and solidifying ZSL’s work through this integrated landscape project in South Sumatra, funded by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation and the UK and Norwegian governments.

The post holder will report directly to ZSL’s Indonesia Country Manager and work closely with the relevant members of the Regional Programme Management Team to meet project objectives, reporting and fundraising requirements. S/he will support the components of this work that directly collaborate with ZSL’s Biodiversity and Oil Palm Project and Business and Biodiversity Programme.

The post holder will work closely with donors, relevant organisation partners, government and private sector partners, as well as the local communities in the project area. The post will be based in Indonesia, with frequent travel within the region.

Main Responsibilities 

Project management

• Work with the Country Manager to set and adhere to project objectives and annual work plan, as agreed with the Program Manager and field team. This includes the management of project funding pipelines. 
• Liaise with Deputy Project Director and Project personnel to ensure that agreed work is completed on schedule, according to budget, and in compliance with ZSL’s health and safety procedures and UK/in-country laws and regulations 
• Oversee the training and management of relevant project staff, including time management and undertaking professional development reviews 
• Manage project budgets and accounts, and maintain financial records in order to submit accurately monthly reports to the relevant in-country Finance Manager 
• Manage subcontractors and non-ZSL technical partners, including analysis of cost and performance of partner agreements, tracking of performance and financial reporting to ensure subcontracts are on schedule and deliverables are achieved 
• Produce monthly technical reports and key performance indicators (KPIs), and technical and financial reports to project donors as required, on schedule, and following agreed review processes 
• Oversee the recruitment of suitable field team(s) in collaboration with relevant partners, where necessary. 
• Oversee planned procurement, according to ZSL and donor policies, management, and inventory of equipment, supplies and capital equipment
  

Stakeholder relationships

• Establish and maintain successful working relationships with a variety of government, academic, private (corporate) and NGO partners, including the negotiation of formal agreements that clarify partnership obligations 
• Support relevant Project Managers in liaising with relevant Government officials to ensure the project meets Government needs and that formal and informal Government support is assured at all stages in project development and implementation 
• Liaise with academic, conservation and development organisations working in-country and regionally to assess current data availability and gaps and ensure that the work of the project complements and builds on existing initiatives 
• Ensure regular communications with in-country partners regarding progress and any relevant issues surrounding the project
  

Research and fieldwork

• With the relevant Project Managers, ensure that fieldwork follows a scientifically-sound experimental design (including methods, timeline, budget and suitable study sites) and is approved by the Country Manager and relevant Technical Support 
• Conduct or oversee field surveys and ensure that all surveys are completed accordingly to budget and workplan, and that data are entered into the electronic database 
• Ensure that team members collect and analyse data according to the agreed upon protocol and, where possible, seek opportunities to build the capacity of ZSL’s in-country staff data analysis skills
  

Capacity building

• Supervise, train and mentor national staff in their projects; promote teamwork and provide feedback to staff to ensure the proper collection, analysis and publication of data 
• Promote environmental awareness and best practice among government, industry and the general public where appropriate
  

Representation and promotion of ZSL

• In collaboration with project partners, prepare and submit deliverables required by government and donors 
• Oversee the dissemination of the project findings in international for a, including scientific papers. 
• Facilitate capacity-building and information exchange such as social media, blogs (internal and external), as well as updating the ZSL systems
• Represent ZSL at relevant national, regional and international conservation policy/planning events in line with project schedule and funding 
• Participate in the development of ZSL’s conservation strategy and policies, particularly with reference to Production Landscapes and related programmes
  

Project development

• With relevant in-country and regional staff, lead the development of funding proposals, tenders, and work bids for the project as required 
• Develop new aspects of the project that are in line with ZSL’s long-term strategic aims, and assist in gaining national / regional / international recognition and funding for such proposed wor

General

• Ensure all activities and procedures follow ZSL policies, particularly with regard to health and safety, finance, human resources, and communications; disseminate ZSL policies to project staff in a timely manner
• Ensure that ZSL’s policy for equality of opportunity is adhered to and promoted in all aspects of the post holder’s work
• Ensure effective quality control and continuous improvement in all aspects of the work and responsibilities attached to this post
• Comply with and promote ZSL’s Health and Safety Policies and Procedures and undertake recommended Health and Safety training
• Commit to professional self-development as necessary for the successful performance of the job
• Undertake other duties as commensurate with the grade of the post

Building Relationships

The job requires continued professional internal and external interaction/ communications, both in person and via phone and email

Mental Demands

The position will require close attention to detail and therefore concentration on the work in hand – precision and accuracy being vital attributes.

Flexibility

The position will be relatively routine in terms of day-to-day tasks during office hours – however sometimes e.g. during field trips or when a workshop is being organized the next day, some flexibility in working hours may be required.

Expectations of Job Holder

• To ensure that the policy for equality of opportunity is adhered to and promoted in all aspects of the post holder’s work. 
• To ensure effective quality control and continuous improvement in all aspects of the work and responsibilities attached to this post. 
• To demonstrate professionalism towards sensitive and confidential information.
• To comply with and promote Health and Safety policies and procedures and to undertake recommended Health and Safety training as and when necessary. 
• To be committed to professional self-development, through participation in in-service training as necessary for the successful carrying out of the job. 
• To undertake such other duties as are commensurate with the grade of the post.
  

Person Specification

Qualifications & Experience

• A minimum of Master’s Degree in a relevant subject such as  biodiversity, conservation, forestry or natural resource management 
• Extensive experience in either field conservation and/or development 
• Proven project management knowledge, with demonstrable experience in a project leadership role.  This must include a minimum of 8 years of experience in project management and financial reporting. 
• Excellent written and spoken English; superior communication skills and experience with media and public-speaking 
• Strong organisational, interpersonal and presentation skills 
• Proven fundraising and report-writing ability
• Proven ability lead teams to work effectively with senior managers
• Strong networking capabilities with government, private sector, and other relevant conservation organizations is desired 
• Experience working with the private sector and or with small scale enterprises is beneficial 
• Experience in designing and implementing a field research project in a production landscape, ideally in the tropics, is desirable
  

Knowledge

• Solid understanding of landscape management and conservation issues, in particular those   related to public private partnerships 
• Good working knowledge of certification schemes, ideally in the context of oil palm or another agricultural commodity 
• Comprehensive understanding of the high conservation value (HCV) approach and its application in one or more sectors 
• Familiarity with UK Department for International Development (DFID) policies and reporting requirements is beneficial
  

Skills & Abilities

• Understand social and environmental HCVs 
• Experience working within the context of governance-focused projects, ideally involving a multiple number of stakeholders 
• Experience in conducting environmental impact assessments, ESIA and/or HCV assessments is beneficial 
• Ideally, a Chartered Environmentalist and or membership of professional bodies such as IEEM BPR
  

Other Requirement

• This post will require some work in evening and weekends as well as field visits. 
• Experience working in Indonesia or, minimally, experience working and living overseas is desirable 
• Ability to converse in Indonesian desirable
  

Application procedures

Please submit your application and curriculum vitae in English, relevant experience, past salary history, two referees not later than March 11, 2016, to indonesia@zsl.org, placing the job title in the subject line and label your CV with your name. Only short listed candidates will be notified. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.