Location: Goma, DRC with frequent travel to field sites
Reports to: Deputy Country Director, Programs
Direct reports: N/A
Start date: As soon as possible
About Us
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a private, nonprofit U.S. organization founded in 1895. Its mission is to preserve wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, developing science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit to nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, a presence in more than 60 countries, and experience in creating more than 150 protected areas around the world, WCS has accumulated the biological knowledge, cultural understanding, and partnerships necessary to ensure that wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, this knowledge is applied to address species, habitat, and ecosystem management issues that are critical to improving the quality-of-life neighboring communities whose livelihoods depend on the direct use of natural resources.
Program Summary
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, WCS supports the DRC Government in saving wildlife and wildlands in three Protected areas that are Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Kabobo Wildlife Reserve. The WCS-DR Congo Program strategy is articulated on three main pillars namely conserving priority species, conserving priority landscapes, and mitigating critical wildlife challenges. Several objectives are assigned to each pillar and most of them rely on the discover and protect global objectives.
About the role
The Wildlife Conservation Society is seeking an experienced and motivated program oriented professional to fill the position of Reporting Coordinator for the DRC Country Program. The Reporting Coordinator will play a key role in ensuring the effective coordination of reporting processes, as well as quality assurance of the final product delivered to the donor. As such, the Reporting Coordinator will work proactively with colleagues in WCS to ensure that the necessary information for donor reporting is available and that donor reports are drafted to a high standard and according to internal and external deadlines. Within a year, success in this role will be defined by all donor reports produced in-line with requirements and by deadlines; programmatic administrative support ensures effective use of information for donor reporting; and meaningful inputs provided for the development of proposal concept notes and small grant proposals.
Responsibilities
Donor report production
- Manage and coordinate the DRC donor reporting calendar, ensuring deadline and deliverable tracking across all projects and the involvement of relevant internal stakeholders.
- Review, provide constructive feedback on all donor reports produced or drafted by the site Program staff.
- As required, directly support the editing of monthly, quarterly, mid-year and annual reports to advanced draft stage for a range of partners, and bi-lateral, multilateral and foundation donors. Working closely with site Program Managers and other site program staff and assist with responding to ad-hoc requests for information from internal stakeholders and donors.
- Work with site and national Program staff on establishing internally, a systematic activity documenting process, keeping track of activities per grant in order to manage program information and eventually donor reporting, more effectively
- Ensure grant information and associated reports are effectively archived online (Google Drive/SharePoint).
Capacity Building
- Identify reporting capacity gaps among the program team and develop resources, such as training, webinars, infographics, best practice documents, etc. to build the capacity of all program staff on reporting.
Programmatic administrative support
- Provide guidance to the program team on archiving of program records in Google Drive and Sharepoint. Assist the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team with introducing and developing information management processes and tools that ensure a timely flow of information for donor reporting.
- Tracking workplan deadlines and other programmatic milestones
- Coordination information sharing with Central Africa regional team on cross cutting themes as appropriate (Rights and Communities, Biomonitoring, ..)
- Assist the MEAL team with the systematic tracking of deliverables and management of Means of Verification for donors.
- Collaborate with the MEAL team to collect information for success stories, case studies, and lessons learned.
- Provide the Communications Officer with information and ideas for newsletters, factsheets, and social media posts.
Concept and proposal development
- As needed, collate information and provide inputs to small grant proposals.
- As needed, support on the development of proposal concept notes and ideas based on protected areas’ conservation strategy and business plan.
Minimum requirements
- Master’s degree in conservation or environmental science, or international development or relations.
- 3 years’ experience in philanthropy, conservation project management or donor relations management.
- Exceptional writing abilities in English and French, with experience writing donor reports and grant proposals for a wide range of bilateral and multilateral donors.
- Knowledge of donor procedures and compliance requirements (e.g. USAID, KfW, or EU).
- Knowledge of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning methodologies.
- Demonstrated capability in managing information for donor reporting purposes.
- Proven ability to train and communicate clearly and confidently in multi-cultural contexts.
- Proven ability at working both individually and in a team to successfully coordinate activities.
- High levels of attention to detail, organized, proactive, positive, and accountable approach to work delivery.
- Willingness to travel to remote field sites with basic amenities.
- Fluent communication skills in English and French, Swahili an advantage
Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, skills and experience, should apply through the application link by September 16, 2024, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis .
WCS is an equal opportunity employer 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.
