Position Title: Project manager for the Saiga Conservation Alliance’s project “Building a collaborative foundation for evidence-based saiga antelope conservation”

The Saiga Conservation Alliance (SCA) is a based in the United Kingdom non-profit, non-governmental organization for the conservation of the saiga. Since 1998, the Alliance has been cooperating with international donors and organizations, as well as with partners in the saiga range countries – Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia – implementing various projects addressing conservation of saigas, environmental education, research and technical support for governments, national and international organisations.

This new SCA project, funded by the US Fisheries and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is called “Building a collaborative foundation for evidence-based saiga antelope conservation”. The purpose of this project is to strengthen conservation outcomes for saiga antelope by providing opportunities for relevant actors to come together in a sustainable and inclusive network, fostering ongoing learning and evidence generation, and investing in capacity building for long-term sustainability.

The SCA is looking for a project coordinator for this project.

Key responsibilities are:

1.    Coordinating and implementing the project activities (as below), in close collaboration with project partners and USFWS.

3.    Preparation of interim and final narrative and financial reports and other related technical documentation under the requirements of the project funders.

5.    Preparation of awareness materials and their dissemination via the SCA’s various channels.

Qualifications Required:

Education:An undergraduate or Masters degree in a relevant subject.
Work experience:At least 3 years of experience of project management or coordination.
Knowledge of languages:Fluent English.
Computer skills:Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
Location:Worldwide, with the ability to travel and to vary your hours according to the project timetable. Preference for someone based within either the UK or one of the project countries (see below)
Other:Interest in, and ideally experience of, biodiversity conservation or environmental management Ability and experience to work in close collaboration with a wide range of international and national stakeholders Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to work with financial documents, including project budgeting. Good analytical and writing skills. Website design and maintenance skills

* Project countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Singapore

Salary:

Part time, with a starting salary of up to £850 per month depending on experience and hours worked (all taxes and banking charges included).

Travel expenses are not included and will be covered separately from the project budget.

Payment conditions:

This is an individual part-time freelance contract that should include all costs required to produce the above deliverables. Payment will be released in monthly installments.

What we offer:

– Work for a well-respected conservation organization headquartered in the UK

– Periodic business trips to interesting locations

– A 5 year position (the contract will be for 1 year initially with subsequent extension)

– A good salary and an exciting job that enables you to take the initiative and to progress in your career

– Flexible working arrangements with regard to location and scheduling

How to apply: Please send a CV and a covering letter stating how you meet the qualification requirements to the Saiga Conservation Alliance (saigaalliance@googlemail.com) before 21st October 2022. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and we expect the successful applicant to start as soon as possible, before 1st December.

Project activities:

The project is planned for 5 years and includes the following activities:

(1) two workshops to convene USFWS-funded saiga partners and other relevant stakeholders to build relationships, share information, explore synergies, and identify and fill evidence gaps,

(2) assessment of how the USFWS-funded projects contribute to the Convention of Migratory Species Medium-Term International Work Programme for Saiga,

(3) a collaborative whole-supply-chain evidence gap analysis and theory of change to catalyze a transformative improvement in saiga status,

(4) horizon scan to identify potential new threats to long-term saiga conservation,

(5) joint publications and briefings for key stakeholders, including key outcomes and recommendations from the USFWS-funded saiga projects,

(6) support for project teams to attend relevant trainings, workshops, and capacity-building activities, in addition to exchanges between countries, to maximize synergies between projects and build communities of practice,

(7) support for targeted subject matter expertise and/or specific trainings for individual USFWS-funded projects,

(8) development of a communications platform for all project teams,

(9) development and maintenance of a dedicated USFWS-portfolio site within the existing Saiga Resource Centre to share project materials,

(10) production of articles for the biannual six-language online and in-print newsletter Saiga News to disseminate results of USFWS-funded projects to a wide audience, and

(11) portfolio-level monitoring, evaluation, and learning to assess evidence building efforts.

The position includes coordinating and facilitating all the above-mentioned activities, including preparation, logistics, narrative and financial reporting, and preparing materials for social media.