TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild animals and plants is not a threat to the conservation of nature. We actively monitor and investigate wildlife trade and provide information to diverse audiences worldwide as a basis for effective conservation policies and programmes. TRAFFIC is a strategic alliance of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is an international network, organised into eight regional programmes.

TRAFFIC is seeking a Timber Trade Project Officer for its regional East/ Southern Africa Programme. The Project Officer will play a pivotal role in developing TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa’s regional timber trade programme and will be responsible for the implementation of timber trade related projects in the region. The Project Officer will be responsible for implementation of a timber trade project in northern Namibia on the border with Angola and Zambia. It is anticipated the staff member will work in both South Africa and Namibia.

The salary range for this role is USD40,000 – USD45,000 per annum dependent on skills and experience.

The Project Officer will play a key role in developing and implementing the East/Southern Africa elements of TRAFFIC’s Timber trade sub-programme, working in close collaboration with other TRAFFIC’s offices and TRAFFIC´s partners WWF, the global conservation organization, and IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The Timber Trade Project Officer will, amongst others, be responsible for the co-ordination and implementation of activities to be conducted as part of a Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use programme (SASSCAL), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in Namibia. This project seeks to increase available knowledge on trade dynamics of timber, represented by Kiaat, Pterocarpus angolensis, extracted from miombo woodlands and associated socio-economic factors by collecting baseline data amongst primary industry stakeholders and promote sustainability of indigenous forest and timber industry in Namibia, and neighbouring countries, through the development of an appropriate legality framework.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

• Leads in the development and planning of TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa’s regional timber trade programme, including proposal development, project design, liaising with potential donors, and implementation of projects and formulating appropriate policies and recommendations on timber trade controls, FLEGT and related policies;
• Lead in the co-ordination and implementation of TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa’s activities under the BMBF - funded Timber Trade project in Namibia, including planning and design, technical and financial reporting, communication and monitoring;
• Leads specific TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa projects, in particular those dealing with timber governance and timber trade;
• Provides technical assistance, data analysis, scientific information and research support to TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa staff, to the Timber Trade Project Leader, TRAFFIC International, to other staff working on timber trade within the TRAFFIC Network, and to related national and international agencies and organizations, including formulation of recommendations for TRAFFIC, WWF and IUCN, SADC, the African Union, government agencies, and others appropriate audiences;
• Contributes to and co-operates with internal and external monitoring and evaluation activities, as well as reporting;
• Communicates the nature and results of the work that TRAFFIC undertakes and represents TRAFFIC at designated international meetings and conferences, and reports on these meetings;
• Supervise assigned TRAFFIC staff and consultants as directed;
• Representing TRAFFIC at national, regional and international meetings, and other events as appropriate and after consultation with the Regional Director of TESA.
• Other tasks related to TRAFFIC’s global conservation programme as agreed with the TRAFFIC East/Southern Africa Regional Director.