Assessor and Programme Developer - ASAP Species Ex situ
Posted: 29 June 2022 | Full-Time | Six-Month project | Remote | Deadline: 31 July 2022
Overview
Based in Singapore, Mandai Nature was established in December 2020 by Temasek and Mandai Park Holdings, the parent entity of Mandai Wildlife Group. Mandai Nature aims to advance efforts for nature conservation in Asia, with a focus on protecting threatened species from extinction, protecting and restoring ecosystems, and creating benefits for local communities. Their role is to create solutions, enable and catalyse action, help scale up conservation efforts, and support organisations and experts.
Mandai Nature proudly hosts the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) secretariat as well as the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) Southeast Asia Resource Centre.
The IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) is the largest coalition of organisations working to save some of Southeast Asia’s most threatened species from extinction. ASAP is a partnership platform working to focus attention and catalyse conservation for Critically Endangered land and freshwater vertebrate species found in Southeast Asia through strong partnerships and bespoke support. By building connections and increasing visibility, ASAP supports its Partners to deliver vital conservation work in a region that, without urgent intervention, will lose much of its unique and rich biodiversity.
ASAP species are land and freshwater vertebrate species found in Southeast Asia and listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and hence are some of Southeast Asia’s most threatened species. Facing serious threats in the wild, many ASAP species will not be saved by in situ conservation efforts alone. The majority of ASAP species are not currently held in captivity and losing them in the wild would result in global extinction. Many of them face a very high risk of extinction without an ex situ component to their conservation. Many of these latter species currently lack any such component. There are therefore high opportunities for targeted ex situ activities to reduce extinction risks among ASAP species.
The ASAP Ex Situ Working Group was established to address these needs. Under this remit, ASAP and Mandai Nature are looking for an individual to: obtain and collate the available information on the current ex situ status of each ASAP species with a focus on species under long-term care; identify priority opportunities for ex situ conservation amongst the most at-need species; and develop partnerships and collaborations for action in response to these opportunities.
We are seeking a self-driven and motivated individual as the ASAP Species ex situ needs assessor and programme developer to evaluate ex situ conservation opportunities for ASAP species. The individual will need to be a strong communicator with the ability to motivate and inspire others. S/he will be passionate about and committed to conservation and will be expected to have a good understanding of in situ and ex situ conservation, and of the One Plan Approach to Conservation. S/he will need personal drive and initiative, strong communication skills and the ability to work across cultures and sectors, engaging both with the in situ and ex situ communities, with the ability to develop partnerships and drive forward action. An existing network within the ex situ conservation community will be highly beneficial.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
6-month full-time assignment (flexibility to spread over a longer period) with possibility for extension into a second phase. The successful individual will work closely with the ASAP Ex Situ Working Group core committee with regular discussions and meetings to guide the work.
• Initial assessment for each ASAP species of its current ex situ status within the ASAP region and globally;
• Develop a guiding strategy for ASAP on ex situ conservation of ASAP species with a focus on opportunities for action;
• Roadmap for implementation of priority ex situ efforts, identifying, to the extent possible, collaborators with proposed timelines and activities.
At the end of this assignment, it is expected that there will be a good understanding of current ex situ activities for ASAP species, and considerable progress discussing new or expanded commitments for the ex situ conservation of ASAP species.
Qualifications and Experience
• Excellent communication and relationship skills with personal diplomacy and discretion and the ability to inspire and motivate others;
• Fluency in written and spoken English, other Southeast Asian languages an advantage;
• Experience working in conservation, ideally in both in situ and ex situ conservation programmes;
• Track record of being able to bring stakeholders together and to work across cultures;
• Ability to facilitate processes and coordinate stakeholder involvement;
• Ability to take the initiative, and work independently to completion;
• Understanding of species conservation issues in Southeast Asia, threats and the various approaches to conservation of threatened species in the region (both in situ and ex situ);
• An existing network in the ex situ conservation community as well as species conservation organisations in Southeast Asia;
• Overall understanding of ex situ tools in conservation;
• Experience in the use of ZIMS will be beneficial;
• Experience in strategy development beneficial.
Location and Benefits
This role is remote and can be carried out anywhere. Sometimes it may be necessary to interact with other ASAP personnel within the Southeast Asian office hours.
The successful individual will be expected to be able to provide their own equipment including computer, and working arrangements.
Remuneration will be dependent on experience.
To Apply
Please submit your CV and cover letter to eswg@asapspecies.org
Deadline: 17h00 SGT 31st July 2022.
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats around the world.
