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Thailand IWT Lead and Ivory HII Coordinator

: WWF Thailand

: Nonprofits / องค์กรไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร

: 869

: 25 July 2018

15 August 2018

Thailand IWT Lead and Ivory HII Coordinator

Work Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Reports to: Conservation Programme Manager, WWF-Thailand

Technical reporting to: Ivory HII Global Coordinator, WWF

Supervises: Project Officer, IWT, WWF-Thailand

Duration: 1 Year (extendable)

 

Background

Thailand is a source, transit and destination country for a number of threatened and lucratively traded wildlife species including tiger, Asian and African elephants, rhinos, bears, and pangolins. Eliminating the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is a top priority for WWF, with WWF Greater Mekong identifying closing illegal wildlife markets as a Big Win – a conservation achievement capable of stimulating attention and leveraging commitment.

In Asia, illegal trade in elephant products has been identified as the main threat to elephant populations in Africa and Asia. The primary driver that fuels the rampant poaching of the world’s remaining elephants is consumer demand for ivory. This principally comes from China, but the persistence of domestic markets in countries in the Greater Mekong has also increased demand.

The WWF network is currently focusing on “Closing down Asia’s ivory markets” as a High Impact Initiative (HII). This initiative places great emphasis on the Greater Mekong region, because the legal ivory markets in China were closed on December 31, 2017 and consequently the demand for ivory in the countries of the Greater Mekong region (Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam) has increased. The ivory trade is persisting and thriving, either as a regulated market or an illegal activity in the Greater Mekong. The HII plans to build an effective policy engagement capacity in the region that persuades governments to close domestic ivory markets. The HII will also focus on reducing consumer demand for ivory.  This would create a two-pronged approach with the ultimate goal of closing ivory markets in the Greater Mekong region.

Objectives and Scope of Work

The candidate will be based in Bangkok, Thailand and will play the role of an IWT specialist and will lead activities to counter IWT for WWF-Thailand. The candidate will also lead the implementation of WWF Ivory HII action plan for closing down ivory markets in Thailand, including curtailing the markets and the trafficking, and reducing demand for ivory products. In particular, the candidate will lead a concerted policy engagement effort to get the Thailand government to close the ivory markets.

Major duties and responsibilities

Task 1: Serve as WWF-Thailand’s IWT Strategy Lead and Programme Manager

This includes:

• Managing and implementing WWF-Thailand’s illegal wildlife trade projects and related activities
• Implementing WWF-Thailand’s roles and responsibilities in transboundary illegal wildlife trade projects, such as the INL – Fighting Wildlife Trafficking in the Golden Triangle
• Lead IWT programme advocacy and policy engagement activities in Thailand, in coordination with the relevant teams in WWF-Thailand and in the region
• Establish links with the Thai government (national and local) to secure positive policy and enforcement commitments and actions that reduce the illegal wildlife trade

Task 2. Advocacy lead to secure Thailand government’s commitments and policies to close the trade in all ivory products (including domestic ivory).

This includes:

• Lead implementation of the action plan developed under the Ivory HII initiative for closing down the ivory markets in Thailand
• Establish and build positive relations with relevant agencies and government officials in Thailand on IWT
• Lead an advocacy push to convince the government of Thailand to adopt policies and actions that close all trade and markets in ivory
• Lead the engagement with the Thai government to get them to announce a timetable for making substantial commitments at the London Conference in October 2018 on IWT and closing ivory markets
• Work with the Thai government to ensure that commitments, both current and future, to stop the illegal trade in ivory are enforced
• Plan and coordinate a campaign on ivory demand reduction targeting Chinese tourists to Thailand, leading up to Golden Week in October 2018.
• Coordinates with WWF regional and global Ivory HII coordinators

 

Required qualifications

• Master’s degree in wildlife biology, environmental science, forestry, or natural resources management
• Minimum of five years experience in leading actions and managing wildlife crime and illegal wildlife trade related projects in the Greater Mekong region, and in particular in Thailand.
• Expertise on illegal wildlife trade, conservation and natural resource management in Thailand and Southeast Asia
• Project management and monitoring experience
• Knowledge of the policy/institutional context related to IWT in Thailand
• Knowledge of relevant local laws and regulations and practices in Thailand
• Fluency in Thai a strong advantage

How to apply:  Interested candidate, please submit your 'resume and motivation letter' stating your expected salary to hr.th@wwfgreatermekong.org Tel: +66 (0) 2 618 3404-5 or +66 (81) -255-7863

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Otherwise, your resume will be filed into our candidate database for future reference and consideration

Contact : hr.th@wwf.panda.org or 081-255-7863

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