Regional Technical Advisor, Health Program

Position: Regional Technical Advisor, Health Program

Reports to: Regional Director Greater Mekong and South Asia

Location: Vientiane, Laos or within region

Country Program/Sector: Greater Mekong and South Asia, Global Conservation

Position Type: Full-Time

Expected travel: Regular within the region

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

WCS has established programs in all the countries of the Greater Mekong, and in Bangladesh and India in South Asia. These are focused on long-term commitments to large landscapes, particularly in the Greater Mekong countries of Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand.

The Greater Mekong and South Asia are some of the most important global priority regions for biodiversity conservation, and their forests provide a natural barrier against the emergence of zoonotic pandemics. However, current deforestation rates, wildlife trade, and livestock encroachment make the region one of eight global hotspots most vulnerable to biodiversity loss.

WCS delivers cross-sectorial One Health actions directly within our land- and sea-scapes and synergizes with our core thematic programs. Increasing contact between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife is driving novel disease spillover and other emerging health threats. WCS takes a multi-sectoral approach to address these drivers impacting nature’s strongholds and priority species we care about. We target our efforts at the interface between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, and we are focused on supporting and implementing practical change on the ground, working simultaneously at community, sub-national, national, and trans-boundary levels.

Job Summary:

WCS seeks a dynamic, experienced individual with a strong interest in international wildlife conservation and working at the nexus of wildlife health, domestic animal health, and human health. The position will work with the Regional Director, Executive Director Health Program, and in-country leadership to develop and support implementation of One Health projects throughout the region. This position will also support a comprehensive strategy and approach that contributes to achieving WCS’s national and landscape visions through integrating wildlife health activities into ongoing landscape and thematic priorities.

Major Responsibilities:

• Ensure overall coordination of WCS’s regional wildlife health project portfolio - including technical and operational support to project activities
• Provide capacity building through both structured training and on-the-job support to national WCS wildlife health staff and partners in executing project activities
• Promote improved health and management of livestock and domestic animals in WCS landscapes with communities living at the wildlife/forest/wetland interface. Indicative current issues of concern include avian influenza, African Swine Fever and Lumpy Skin Disease, but other potential health threats will be evaluated and explored where needed
• Support country programs in the design and implementation of research and activities linking health and landscape-based initiatives (e.g. forest degradation and ecosystem health, and public health interventions as nature positive solutions)
• Provide veterinary support to in-situ/ex-situ interventions and collaborations involving WCS priority species
• Contribute to the development of active and passive disease surveillance protocols and networks designed to detect and validate reported wildlife morbidity/mortality events, particularly those related to WCS landscapes or priority species
• Support on the ground counter-wildlife trafficking initiatives regarding issues of confiscation management, animal handling, and risk reduction
• Work with WCS policy staff to promote and support policy and legal reform initiatives at national, regional and global levels to leverage health related issues for conservation goals
• Maintain regular communication with WCS Health Program staff globally to promote best practice, share lessons learnt, and harmonize activities
• Lead and support fund-raising efforts for wildlife health, identifying and enhancing support from existing and new sources, developing proposals and reports, building relationships with donors, in collaboration with country programs, Program Development, and other Regional staff
• Provide technical advice to WCS Country Programs and liaise with professional associations and organizations as needed; attend professional conferences; present to professional audiences on issues relevant to the WCS mission
• Manage project budgets, oversee donor reporting, and support other operational needs as required

Minimum Requirements:

• Advanced degree in veterinary medicine or a related discipline.
• Work experience in epidemiology, pathology, wildlife medicine, and/or disease ecology.
• Demonstrated project management skills including workflow and budget planning, prioritizing tasks across multiple project components, and delivering on deadlines.
• Demonstrated writing and oral communication skills to effectively communicate project findings to a broad constituency, including both local and international scientific and lay audiences.
• Comfortable working in complex and diverse cultural settings; an ability to adapt approaches to local cultures and project situation, while maintaining a high professional standard.
• Willingness to work across time zones
• English language proficiency required and regional language skills preferred.

How to apply:

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, should apply by sending an motivation letter and CV through the application tab by November 30, 2024.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

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 engaging 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 gender, race/ethnicity, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, caste, genetic information or any other covered status or characteristic protected by laws and regulations/and similar categories.

It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do not tolerate discrimination or harassment based upon a person’s membership in one of these protected categories in areas such as recruitment, selection, job assignment, supervision, training, promotions, job grading, transfers, termination, compensation, benefits, educational opportunities, WCS sponsored recreational activities and facilities.

The organization complies with the spirit and intent of relevant local laws and WCS’s employment policies.