Summary
Date Posted: Thursday, September 12, 2019 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
An opportunity exists within Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), Zambia through the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (NTCP) for a well-organized, highly motivated and independent person to join the team in Nsumbu as a fisheries Technical Adviser (FTA). The FTA will advance community led fisheries co-management in the Zambian waters of Lake Tanganyika, contribute to nearshore biodiversity conservation and support the wider conservation efforts focused on Nsumbu National Park and surrounding villages under the NTCP. This will be achieved through working in partnership with fishers, local communities, fishing industry, government and non-government organisations. The role will be supported by both FZS and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Location: Nsumbu, Zambia Reports to: Programme Manager, NTCP Purpose of the Job FZS continues to invest significantly in the improved management of the wider Nsumbu ecosystem and its natural resources, including in the protected waters of Nsumbu National Park (NNP). It is recognized that the fishery in Lake Tanganyika dominates livelihoods and income generation of most lakeshore communities. Excessive use of illegal gear, weak community structures around fishery management, few protected fish breeding / nursery areas and low enforcement from the Department of Fisheries (DoF) due to inadequate resources means the Lake Tanganyika fishery continues to decline and its challenges are compounded by climate change, human population growth and few alternative livelihoods. The FTA will lead efforts to strengthen the lake shore community structures towards recognized self-governance in fisheries management through the establishment of community-defined fish breeding areas (FBAs) which are protected through by-laws, enforced by community patrols and ultimately increase the sustainability and productivity of the fishery to targeted communities. The FTA will further cooperate with the DoF to reduce illegal fishing gear throughout the project area and ensure these management efforts will be complimented by improved fish processing and marketing strategies, alternate income generating activities and improved reproductive health to enable improved livelihoods and family health. The FTA will prepare and implement agreed work plans within budget under the NTCP to achieve the project goals and objectives with minimum direct supervision from the programme manager, collaborating strongly with TNC and using the Tuungane Project to learn best practices adapted to the Zambian context. .

  Key Responsibilities
The key responsibility of the FTA is to improve the management and productivity of the near shore lake fishery in select villages in the Zambian part of Lake Tanganyika through community led conservation efforts integrated with supporting activities and ultimately contributing positively towards the wider conservation efforts of the NTCP and TNC through the following major activities:
Fisheries Co-Management
• Establish and improve the capacity of Village Conservation and Development Committees (VCDCs) including fish resources monitoring, financial management and internal governance;
• identify community-defined fish breeding and nursery areas and supports their protection through mentoring VCDCs to develop and enforce by-laws (via patrols) that advance sustainable fisheries resource management in their respective village waters;
• supervise Catch Assessment Survey (CAS) data collection, analysis and reporting;
• strengthen collaboration between all Community-Based-Organizations (CBOs) and government departments in the project area in relation to natural resource management with special emphasis on maintaining and strengthening the protected area status of Nsumbu NP waters;
• fosters cross-sites learning among VCDC members and the general community within the project area on best fishing and fish processing practices;
• utilize existing National legislature to guide the development and implement of appropriate management structures (both geospatial and human) for successful co-management;
Market and value chain addition
• train VCDC members on improved fish processing technologies and marketing to enable improved living conditions;
• develop innovative approaches towards improved value chain addition for fish products under participating communities;
• support identification and piloting of community-based enterprises that incentivize sustainable fishing practices;
Project Management
• Financial responsibility including negotiating and contracting with vendors, assisting with budget development, and meeting fundraising targets;
• prepare and implement fisheries work plan within budgets
• support collection of project monitoring data and generate internal monthly and quarterly reports and others reports as required by donors and FZS
• support program compliance with internal FZS policies and external donor requirements
• support the generation of stakeholder cooperation to accomplish program goals
• work with The Nature Conservancy’s Tuungane Project to learn best practices from the Tanzanian side of Lake Tanganyika and adapt them to the Zambian conditions;
Capabilities, competencies and experience needed for the job
The ideal FTA will have proven and traceable academic qualifications and relevant field experience; be able to work dynamically in a complex field but ensuring measurable progress is achieved towards the project goals; and be able to interact and communicate effectively with a wide audience from village level community members through to international donors and government leaders. S/he will have a high level of personal drive, commitment to excellence and a willingness to go the extra mile to ensure success. The following criteria will be used to judge applicants.

Job Skills: Not Specified

  Minimum qualifications
• Masters’ degree in Fisheries Management or Aquaculture and 5 years’ experience in fisheries resource management or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in Zambian Fisheries legislations and proven experience of working with local resource users and management institutions such as fishers’ associations, Village Conservation and Development Committees (VCDCs), Community Resource Boards (CRBs) and Local Government Authorities.
• Experience in community mobilization, coordinating and conducting trainings for local people
• Ability to work independently whilst delivering results against preset targets and objectives.
• Excellent communications skills, computer literacy and experience applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Web Browsers.
• Ability to persuasively convey projects and programs to diverse groups including policy and decision markers, donors, board members, the public and others.
• Experience in working in remote rural areas.
Preferred knowledge, skills & experience
• PhD in Fisheries Management or Aquaculture and 5 years’ experience in fisheries resource management or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• experience in working and communicating with a wide range of stakeholders – community leaders and members, vendors, local and national government leadership, donors, and others;
• ability to solicit project support through clear written communications, including proposal writing;
• knowledge of current trends and practices in Fisheries Resource Management including VCDC formation and its management, fish breeding and nursery sites protection;
• experience and ability to work across and effectively manage dynamic, multiple projects’ strategies;
• interpret guidelines and analyze factual information to adapt or modify processes in response to changing circumstances;
• knowledge of the Lake Tanganyika ecology;
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT:
• Willingness to travel and work flexible hours.
• Ability to work under stress during peak workload periods.
• Willingness to spend occasional nights in rural villages to foster community partnership

Job Education Requirements: Not Specified

Job Experience Requirements: Not Specified

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Job application procedure
To apply for this job email your details to jobs.ntcp@fzs.org 

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