Director, Marine and Coastal Conservation

Division: Argentina Program – Global Conservation – Southern Cone

Report to: WCS Argentina, Country Director

Coordinates with: WCS Argentina Lands Conservation Director, Southern Cone Director, Southern Cone Program Manager, Senior conservationists, and Marine staff in WCS NY.

Location: Flexible within Coastal Argentina

Deadline date to apply: Position open while posted

About The Organization

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is an international conservation NGO headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York City working to save wildlife and wild places and to meet global conservation challenges in over 60 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The Americas program works in a diversity of places, from the Arctic coasts and seas of Alaska to the forests of North America & Mesoamerica to the Amazon Basin to the coasts of Patagonia, with over 300 staff in 15 countries.

WCS Argentina represents the first country-based conservation operation of WCS as a global organization, with over 50 years of presence in the country under various operating structures. Along its history WCS in Argentina achieved unprecedented conservation success and became established as a main stakeholder in local conservation. Amongst the many outcomes of WCS working alongside partners in Argentina are the creation of numerous protected areas and national parks, evaluation of wildlife conservation status and development of adequate management plans for keystone terrestrial and marine species, and multidisciplinary projects to address some of the most serious threats to wildlife, landscapes and seascapes in places of high biodiversity value. The Marine and Coastal Conservation program in WCS Argentina has a long history of scientific and conservation achievements focused on species, such as right whales, penguins, elephant seals, and albatrosses, and also on ecosystem conservation assisting with the creation of marine protected areas and developing marine spatial planning, implementation and monitoring. Argentina’s coastal and marine ecosystems harbor some of the largest assemblages of marine species on earth supported by super productive marine fronts which are facing the threats of unsustainable use and climate change, but which can also serve as part of the mitigation strategy in the form of nature-based solutions. We seek an experienced professional to help us build on the successes of WCS Argentina to develop and implement a new Coastal and Marine Conservation strategy to achieve, in coordination with state, private and civil society partners, the long-term conservation of these unique and important land and seascapes.

POSITION OBJECTIVES

The primary objectives of the Director of Marine and Coastal Conservation are to lead the development and implementation of WCS Argentina’s coastal and marine Program, and participate actively in the region’s, coastal and marine conservation agenda with the aim of conserving and restoring healthy and diverse assemblages of coastal and marine wildlife through innovative scientific knowledge, strategic conservation planning, and strong partnerships with governments, private sector and civil society organizations. The position reports to the WCS Argentina Director, and coordinates scientists and conservation professionals in the southern cone region and abroad. The Director of Marine and Coastal Conservation will lead a team of ~20 full and part time personnel and associated scientists working on a suite of key species biology, ecology, conservation, and management aspects, as well as marine spatial conservation interventions.

Responsabilities

The main responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead development and implementation of a Marine and Coastal conservation strategy for WCS Argentina building on WCS 2030 global strategy, Southern Cone Strategic plan, and domestic conservation priorities and opportunities.
• Actively engage in efforts to conceive regional approaches to marine conservation, particularly those that involve initiatives in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.
• Actively engage with WCS’s global efforts in marine conservation, connecting with members of WCS’s Global Marine Program.
• Lead development and implementation of scientific, conservation, and management projects to protect species and ecosystems of coastal and marine regions of Argentina. This includes communication and outreach activities to raise awareness on marine wildlife conservation issues in Argentina.
• Lead institutional engagement with key government, scientific and institutional partners to support coastal and marine conservation in the country, including the design, creation and effective management of a network of marine protected areas.
• Co-lead with Country Director and Finance and Administrative Manager fundraising efforts to assure short- and long-term financial sustainability of the Marine and Coastal conservation program of WCS Argentina. This could include visit project sites on the coast of Argentina and accompany potential supporters to help raise interest in the conservation efforts being carried out.
• Coordinate with Finance and Administrative Manager to assure compliance with internal WCS procedures, donor requirements and national regulations.
• Represent WCS Argentina in the “Forum for Conservation of Patagonian Sea” Board of Directors.
• Serve as a role model for work ethics, inclusiveness, respect, inclusive and diverse perspectives, companionship, and leadership to her/his team and the whole institutions.

Experience And Skills

Qualification Requirements

Knowledge

• Graduate studies equivalent to Master’s degree or PhD in Natural and/or Social Sciences with orientation on Coastal and/or Marine studies.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Spanish

Experience

• At least 10 years of professional experience in conservation of coastal and/or marine wildlife and ecosystems.
• Extensive experience in the design and execution of wildlife and ecosystem conservation projects.
• Experience supervising and working collaboratively with scientists and conservationists
• Extensive and diverse fundraising experience with both local and international agencies.
• Solid knowledge of wildlife conservation issues globally, in the region, and in Argentina.
• Solid knowledge of the sociopolitical context in Argentina.
• Proven experience working with Argentinean government institutions, NGOs, private
• sector or local communities.
• Availability to travel: to project sites, once a year to New York, once to Southern Cone or Latin American countries, and three times a year within Argentina’s interior.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and decisive judgment.
• Excellent team leader, ability to manage and inspire a diverse team, to build capacities within the team, and to mentor.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to demonstrate adaptive communication in front of diverse audiences.
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work in a range of cultural contexts.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and abilities to adjust focus.
• Accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. WCS is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from diversity candidates.

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.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All applicants are requested to send a cover letter and CV to [email protected] with the subject “Marine and Coastal Conservation Director”. Review process will start on February 1 st , 2022.