MARINE ASSISTANT COORDINATOR

Marine Assistant Coordinator

Reports to: Marine Coordinator

Liaises externally with: WCS Indonesia and Philippines country program marine staff; WCS regional marine project coordinator; WCS regional marine technical advisor; global marine program.

Liaises internally with: Country Director, Science & Strategic Communications Manager, Senior Operations Manager, Finance team and other Programs.

Location: Sabah

Country Program/Sector: Malaysia

Position Type: Full-time

Expected Travel: Periodic travel to project sites, and to government agency offices within project site states and the Klang Valley is expected. Other national and international travel as and when is required.

Job Summary:

The primary function of this position is to assist the Marine Coordinator to co-develop and deliver the marine conservation initiatives within WCS’s conservation program particularly in Sabah, Malaysia. The marine assistant coordinator will conduct relevant research for the identified project sites, collect information on threats, and support coral reef conservation, aid in strengthening marine protected area effectiveness, as well as work with local communities in support of marine conservation efforts, if any, at the project sites. The position will work under the supervision of the Marine Coordinator and have collaboration with conservation colleagues across the wider WCS Country, Regional and Global conservation program.

Major responsibilities:

Project implementation

• Co-develop project workplans, support budget preparations, and coordinate the day-to-day implementation/schedules of our work in Malaysia.
• Ensure appropriate collection, analysis, dissemination and publication of field data.
• Implement robust ecological and socioeconomic research to support MPA management effectiveness or creation and coral reef conservation.
• Prepare and write project reports, and manage expenses for project monitoring and documentation as supervised by the Marine Coordinator.
• Coordinate routine project governance meetings and deliverables.
• Establish and maintain processes to support the coordination of the project with internal program staff and project partners as supervised by the Marine Coordinator, when necessary
• Support in procurement activities such as vendor liaison and hiring contractors.
• Assist in maintaining field equipment

Engagement with communities and partners

• Maintain good relationships with project partners and stakeholder participation; ensure routine communications/reporting and document their feedback and evaluation of project outputs and outcomes and public engagement in coordination with the public affairs and communications team.
• Work with local NGOs, and other partners such as community stakeholders, and government agencies to identify capacity gaps and facilitate discussions and training, when necessary.
• Mobilize individuals and raise awareness in a community setting around a common goal, project/activity, or issue.
• Assess community capacity building needs and coordinate activities within the project framework.
• Ensure stakeholders views are heard and managed towards the best solution.
• Develop strategic partnerships and relationships with relevant government bodies and agencies and community stakeholders on behalf of the project in coordination with the Marine Coordinator.
• Support the program staff to understand and manage the project’s impact on local communities in the project site.

Data analyses and training

• Co-manage and supervise data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Utilize wildlife and social science data analysis tools in use for field biology and Conservation.
• To attend as well as provide training workshops on methodology and statistical analyses relevant to the marine program as well as the social and community engagement components of it, inclusive of event management (where possible).

International collaborations, donor and scientific reporting

• To liaise with international experts on the project at hand.
• To co-write final project report.
• To co-prepare proposals and assist in securing funding from various donors.
• To co-prepare budget for yearly programmes.
• To write or co-write research papers for international publications.

Communications

• Prepare documentation for resource/ awareness materials used to engage the public.
• Oversee and manage the collection and sharing of information and reference materials with relevant colleagues and partners where applicable.
• Engage with local communities to promote stewardship of wildlife and habitats.
• Support the communication of critical issues about conservation in general.

Other tasks

• Prepare necessary project correspondences and presentation materials and reports for meetings; facilitate meetings if applicable.
• Assist the Marine Coordinator in preparing reports and documents for all stakeholders.
• Manage the field expenses and claims.
• Assist and support in other activities related to projects from time to time.
• Other related duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Country Director.

Minimum Requirements:

• Post-graduate degree or degree in marine or fisheries science, oceanography, coastal resources or environmental management, species/fisheries management, or other relevant fields.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in technical/scientific monitoring and evaluation roles with non-profit, academic, or government organizations working on marine conservation, MPAs, fisheries management, conservation policy and law enforcement, Indigenous Peoples, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in project management, research, monitoring and evaluation, and fundraising.
• Good working understanding of information systems, conservation technology (such as MERMAID), remote sensing, and GIS.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to build relationships and collaborate with government agencies, civil society partners, and donors, and work successfully within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to work sensitively and effectively with people of diverse cultures, value systems, perspectives and levels of education, and to manage staff in these contexts.
• Good working knowledge of the field of MPAs, natural resource management, socio-ecological systems, and/or other relevant conservation approaches.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English and Bahasa Malaysia.
• Candidates must be Malaysian.
• A willingness to travel both nationally and regionally.
• Commitment to WCS’s values of respect, accountability and transparency, innovation, diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and integrity.

Job Type: Full-time

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday