Overall Function
The general work area of the Ecosystem Biodiversity Coordinator shall include oversight of forest ecosystem restoration, as well as the design, planning and oversight of operations related to the collection, organisation dissemination of substantive information on to the functioning of the forest’s ecosystem. This shall include prioritising and timetabling of all work in the specific work areas outlined below.
Depending on the specific subject, the incumbent shall either undertake a task directly or outsource and oversee as appropriate, to another staff members, interns, volunteers, third-party consultants, or appropriate research institution affiliates. This task area may in addition require making and maintaining contact with appropriate university or private research entities.
For operations, the coordinator shall report on day-to-day basis to the Operations Manager. For technical and science policy related to task areas, the coordinator shall be guided as appropriate through ad hoc memos, meetings, and policy papers by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The staff of the Ecosystem Biodiversity Department shall report to the incumbent.
Performance, shall be evaluated by the Operations Manager in consultation with the SAC Chair.
Deliverables shall include, but not be limited to: reports, strategy memos, subject-specific databases, meetings, and seminars (webinars). All public outreach materials shall be initially reviewed by the Operations Manager and the Chair/Science Adviser of the Scientific Advisory Committee.
Primary duties and Responsibilities
Develop and maintain a weekly chronicle of ecosystem events in the forest with regard to fauna and flora, landscape processes, meteorology, etc.
Prepare display and presentation material on the forest’s ecology suitably for use by staff and Board members in public meetings and presentations.
Set up and maintain a comprehensive up-to-date database of the ecology of the forest:
Assume custodianship of rainfall data (including historical data from 1945).
Negotiate and organise installation of a forest’s meteorological station.
Explore relevant data topics and acquisition schemes, including hydrology and soils.
Catalogue and map cleared-replanted areas with dates and analysis of growth patterns and species composition (with the Restoration Officer and Nursery Foreman). Maintain a systematic catalogue of key indigenous plant species.
With regard to 3.(d) above, create a systematic record of past, on-going and planned exotic species clearing and indigenous species replanting regimes with a view to a systematic analysis of various clearing-replanting strategies for future programmes in the forest and elsewhere;
Wildlife species populations including recorded mortality and Colobus family distribution and demography (with the Research Assistant).
Continue organisation of the camera-trap data, including custodianship of Drop Box repository, assigning of meta-data, preliminary tabulations & summaries.
Organise regular wildlife censuses ranging from high-profile, public participation promotional exercises to detailed statistical censuses.
Oversee inventories and up-dating of vertebrate and invertebrate species’ lists.
Promote research in the forest:
Set up and maintain a bibliography of research papers, articles and other published media concerning the forest.
Promote the forest as a research site for university and high school students.
Compile and promote a list of possible research topics to suggest for students and internships.
Review and propose research areas that the forest can contribute with regard to ecosystem services, carbon sequestering, forest ecosystem functioning, etc.
Organise, coordinate, and supervise activities by students, interns and protem visiting researchers.
Establish and maintain professional contacts with relevant departments in private and academic institutions to facilitate access to specialised expertise and research collaboration as appropriate to the forest’s mission.
Liaise and coordinate as appropriate with the research arm of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) through the SACK and in that regard serve as Secretary to SAC.
Other duty areas
Participate in any other prescribed tasks as may arise from newly defined outreach, research, management, and education duty areas.
Skills &Qualifications
Higher degree in a discipline directly relevant to natural resource management and conservation ecology.
Over 10 years experience in forest ecosystem biodiversity restoration exercises.
Experience in organising and managing stakeholder outreach activities.
At least 5 years of experience in leading teams as a senior manager.
Familiarity with community forest and development challenges in Kenya.
Experience in field research, results analysis, and presentation.
Demonstrated skills in computer-based data capture and analysis.
Fluent English.
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