Stakeholder Engagement Assistant

SANCTUARY for Sharks & Rays Project

Project description:

The WILDOCEANS Programme of the WILDTRUST (Wildlands Conservation Trust) received funding from the Rainforest Trust to lead the SANCTUARY for Sharks & Rays Project. This project aims to achieve the designation of new, expanded and/or rezoned shark and ray sanctuary areas in South Africa, as MPAs or OECMs, which are important for the protection of at least 19 threatened sharks and ray species. We aim to achieve this as part of our campaign for an additional 5% ocean protection for South Africa in achieving South Africa’s global commitment of ≥10%, advocating for new and expanded MPAs that include identified critical areas and habitats, while concurrently working with conservation management authorities of existing MPAs to rezone parts of the MPAs, to create dedicated sanctuary areas for sharks and rays.

Key Performance Area:

Support the project team, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, and the management agencies responsible for MPAs, in inclusive and robust key stakeholder and public consultation processes required to achieve final designation of these areas as sanctuaries, and to ensure ongoing engagement and participation of interested stakeholders.

Requirements:

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about working at the nexus of environmental and social resilience, who cares about both ocean and human health. The successful candidate will be a strong communicator and relationship manager have experience, aptitude, and interest in stakeholder engagement; ideally with direct experience of engaging with stakeholders around marine issues and have an informed knowledge about the marine environment and anthropogenic threats. Good co-ordination and organisational ability, data management, time management, record keeping, speaking, and writing skills (English), are essential. Additional languages proficiencies (Zulu/Xhosa/Afrikaans) would be an advantage.

Submit a covering motivation letter with a 3-page CV including a minimum of 2 references to the Project Manager: Email: nikkic@wildtrust.co.za  by 16 May 2022. Late applications may be disregarded. WILDTRUST reserves the right to vary the requirements and not to fill this position. Should you not receive a response within a month kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

Interviews will be via ZOOM in May/June 2022