Global Palm Oil Project Manager (1 Year Fixed Term Contract)

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

About Us:

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity founded in 1826, is a world-renowned centre of excellence for conservation science and applied conservation. ZSL’s mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. This is realised by carrying out field conservation and research in over 50 countries across the globe and through education and awareness-raising at our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, inspiring people to take conservation action.

 

Job Overview:

ZSL is seeking an individual to oversee, develop and support the implementation of ZSL’s Oil Palm strategy, acting as ZSL’s technical expert on palm oil with external stakeholders, and advising ZSL on its current palm oil projects to include future direction. You will be responsible for managing the Palm Oil Transparency Project and will report directly to the Business and Biodiversity Programme Manager.

 

As the Global Palm Oil Project Manager you will provide technical support to country programmes, especially oil palm and biodiversity project managers; facilitating knowledge transfer between relevant ZSL projects. You will also undertake and support project development to address the threats and needs, in particular leading on the delivery of ZSL’s monitoring, reporting and verification system and guidance; and represent ZSL on relevant industry panels, in particular the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

 

Main Duties:

• Manage the global Palm Oil Transparency project and it’s London-based team, to include responsibility for the delivery of the web platform and ongoing assessments under the transparency Toolkit.
• Oversight of project budgets and key financial administration, grant reporting requirements.
• Liaise with Programme Managers to secure project co-financing (Requiring technical input into project funding proposal).
• Work closely with the Indonesian project team; coordinate the development, publication, and industry adoption, of monitoring protocols and a reporting framework for the oil palm Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system to be implemented at a concession level.
• Provide technical input into the development and publication of guidance and training that emerges from palm oil landscape project, and the production of an industry training package and industry performance analysis from this project and related palm oil projects.
• Represent ZSL within relevant National and International stakeholder groups including industry, technical and certification and standard-setting bodies.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of the ZSL palm oil strategy in ZSL hub countries providing technical support to existing and new oil palm initiatives.

 

Person Specification:

• Excellent communication skills; experience with social media desirable.
• Proven ability to work effectively with teams.
• A degree in a relevant subject or equivalent level of work experience in a relevant field.
• Proven experience in capacity development.
• An understanding of business and biodiversity conservation issues and familiarity with the palm oil industry.
• Excellent research skills; experience in data storage and familiarity with website design.

 

NB: The position will be based in London but will require extensive travel, with at least two months spent in Indonesia over the course of a year, and travel as necessary to other oil palm producing countries and conference locations.

 

 

To Apply:

Applicants should send their CV, Equality of Opportunity Monitoring Form and a Covering Letter detailing relevant experience and skills and stating why they want the position, by email to hr@zsl.org. We regret that we will only be able to contact applicants who have been selected for interview. 

 

Closing Date:

Closing date for applications: 26^th February 2015.

Anticipated interviews date: W/c 2^nd March 2015

Start date: ASAP

 

The Zoological Society of London is a charity registered in England and Wales: no. 208728.