WAP Aviation Mentor

• Full time; Fixed-term employment contract
• Reports to: WAP Security Coordinator
• Direct reports: Aviation Supervisor, Pilots
• Location: Operations Bases – Worktime split between Pendjari and W National Parks, Benin
• Starting date: 1 July, 2022

JOB OVERVIEW:

African Parks is a non-profit organization that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. Founded in the year 2000, African Parks currently manages 19 national parks and protected areas in 11 countries covering over 14.8 million hectares in Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The ultimate objective is to ensure that these protected areas are managed in a holistic way, ensuring that they are ecologically, socio-politically and financially sustainable. These three elements interact with one another and impact on each other, and therefore all three need to be considered in long-term planning and in all decision making. To achieve this desired impact of long-term sustainability, African Parks implements the following five key pillars of management in all the parks that it manages: (i) Park Management and Infrastructure, (ii) Law Enforcement, (iii) Biodiversity Conservation, (iv) Community Development and (v) Tourism and Enterprise Development. If well implemented, these protected areas will not only contribute to improved ecosystem services, but will bring safety and stability to these regions and drive socio-economic growth.

Since 2017, Benin Government has entered into a long-term agreement with African Parks to revitalize, rehabilitate and develop both Pendjari and W National Parks. Together, these two Parks form a significant portion of the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex, a globally significant transboundary landscape representing the largest intact wild ecosystem in West Africa. As part of its operations in Benin, African Parks has approved the permanent staffing of four commercially qualified surveillance pilots with an air fleet made up of one Foxbat and two Savannah Ultralight aircraft, one Cessna 182 as well as two rotor wing aircraft (1x Bell 407 and 1x Bell 206L4 Helicopter). African Parks is aiming to ensure the safe, efficient and maximum use of existing human and material resources in the WAP aviation department in order to dominate the airspace above the parks. The WAP Aviation Mentor will be required to build the necessary capacities and capabilities to tactically operate in a hostile environment.

EXPECTED KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS TO ACHIEVE ARE AS FOLLOW:

1. Basic assessment of the aviation in PNP and WNP

• Conduct a base-line check of each pilot’s ability and capacity to operate in a hostile environment;
• Conduct basic assessments of current aviation capacity and tactical operational practices in line with the current increased security threat;
• Assess and discuss with park managers, APN aviation management, the WAP aviation supervisor and security coordinator on areas that may need attention and intervention;
• Assist with the development/revision of internal guidelines for aviation tactical operations in the current context of the parks’ operations;
• Assist in developing a capacity building plan.

2. Capacity building and mentorship

• Assist with the development of an advanced AP WAP aviation Training and Procedures Manual (TPM) and;
• Conduct advanced training as per the approved TPM on effective and safe aerial surveillance functions for pilots in both parks. Primary focus will be on low-level surveillance training as well as contingency training for emergency actions, including forced landings in hostile environments. Focus should include, but not be limited to: (i) Skill of safe surveillance flying in a light aircraft; (ii) Aerial surveillance methods, tactics and focus areas; (iii) Evaluate the feasibility and expected impact of Night operations in the WAP operational area.; (iv) Ground-to-air training procedures (coordinating rangers and aircraft in follow-up operations); (v) Coordination of joint air operations, such as coordinated follow-up or QRF operations with other aircraft and helicopters; (vi) Pilot reaction and tactics to hostile actions such as encountering ground fire or supporting ground teams under fire; (vii) Safe aerial package delivery techniques; (viii) Planning of surveillance operations based on intelligence and terrain and threat picture; (ix) Tactical Emergency / Trauma medical training
• Consult on the procurement of necessary equipment to ensure aviation operations are safely conducted during both day and night;
• Consult on alternative and assist in implementing new and planned aviation platforms and how these are to be used in order to function as force multipliers;
• Provide any other recommendations that may be useful in the short, medium and long term to operate safely in the WAP complex

3. Other

• Ensure alignment of all aviation operations with AP SOPs and applicable legal prescripts
• Perform other duties as assigned and contribute to the success of the parks operations in Benin.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN 3 MONTHS:

• Safe, Efficient and Effective Aerial support operation in Benin Parks within AP SOPs in the current security context.;
• Capacity of pilots to fly in a hostile environment are at the required level to operate comfortably and safely;
• Equipment necessary to be able to ensure safe and efficient operations is in place;
• Guidelines developed with clear recommendations on how to enhance aviation in the WAP via force multipliers;

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Military or Law Enforcement background suitably referenced;
• Experience conducting and teaching aviation disciplines;
• Experience in coaching and mentoring pilots;
• Experience in safe low-level surveillance aviation in hostile environments;
• Experience working in Africa;
• English fluency, French proficiency a bonus;
• Resourceful, resilient and reliable. Able to achieve mission success working autonomously or with little support in low-resourced environment for extended periods.
• Adhesion to African Parks’ values