Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

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Career & job opportunities

Working for Born Free

The Born Free Foundation employs a wide variety of staff with a range of expertise.  Our dynamic campaigns and conservation staff are hard at work taking action for animals in need, but they are supported by colleagues with extensive experience in administration, finance, marketing and PR. 

Our administration and finance departments provide membership support and process donations.  Our marketing team provide supporters with donor development support, and works with business friends and sponsors.  Our PR team ensures our work to help animals receives extensive coverage in local, national and international press.

The Foundation is an equal opportunities employer.

Job Vacancy

Job Title: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, General Manager

Reporting to: The Board of Trustees - Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

Location: Lilongwe, Malawi

Job Objectives:

The Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is looking to employ a General manager to lead, develop and manage the activities of the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in close collaboration with the Centre's Senior Management Team and other staff members. To move the Centre to a position of financial sustainability, to manage and deliver the Centre's business plan, to undertake fundraising, to develop and empower staff, to ensure overall adherence to the Born Free Foundation’s PAW philosophy* and to liase with the Malawi Wildlife Department, sponsors and visitor audiences on Centre activities.

Core Responsibilities:

1. Managing and developing a senior management team of full-time staff in areas including animal care & veterinary; wildlife rescue, rehabilitation & release; education & community outreach; marketing & PR; accounts and construction & maintenance. They in turn to manage their relevant teams.
2. Developing the Centre’s annual operating budgets (income & expenditure) and ensuring adherence to these by all Managers and that new income streams are secured.
3. Developing and implementing the Centre's Business Plan to ensure financial sustainability is achieved.
4. Liaison with the Malawi Wildlife Department to arrange for the confiscation and rescue of wild animals when appropriate, their rehoming at the Centre, rehabilitation and subsequent release back into the wild.
5. Ensuring all Centre activities and outputs, along with all staff members, uphold and propagate the philosophy of the People and Wildlife (PAW) Centre principles* by constantly striving for excellence in the areas of animal welfare, community support, education, marketing, finances and in delivering a responsible and appropriate visitor experience.
6. Overseeing the delivery of the monthly accounts and business plan reconciliation reporting systems and ensuring prompt delivery of audited annual accounts.
7. Regular reporting to the Board of Trustees of the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust.
8. Liaison with the Born Free Foundation, the Centre’s core sponsor and founder & owner of the PAW concept.
9. Development of new funding strategies and the attracting of international sponsors.
10. The effective management of the Centre's Senior Management team and the development, motivation and welfare of all staff members at the Centre.
11. To develop a culture of innovation, empowerment and excellence at the Centre.

Core Competencies:

• The jobholder must have experience and knowledge of working in an African environment and context.
• Entrepreneurial flair and spirit.
• Business background.
• They must have experience and an understanding of the importance of pro-active financial management, fundraising, commerciality and business planning.
• Must have a passion for the Centre’s aims and a strong ambition to move these forward both on the 'people' and 'wildlife' fronts.
• Needs to be an effective leader, a team player, and have proven experience of managing and empowering a Senior Management team, leading them to further success.
• Able to work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Have excellent written and communication skills (the work of the centre will need presenting to visitors, sponsors, collaborating partners, etc.).
• Must be flexible, adaptable, and capable of developing innovative and practical solutions to challenges, along with having attention to detail.

This is a full time role based at the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi. The jobholder must be prepared to work evenings and weekends when needed.  Accommodation will be provided on a shared house basis with other Centre Managers. A full passport and clean driving license are required.

Salary and benefits negotiable according to relevant skills and experience.

Start Date: June 1st 2010.

Application Process: Please send a cover letter summarising your interest and relevant skills and experience for this role along with your CV including the names and contact details of 2 referees (one to be your current employer, the other someone familiar with your work) to: Mark Sprong, Chair of Trustees - Email: mark@landlake.net

Closing Date for Applications:  12 noon Friday 9^th April 2010. 

*For further information: See www.lilongwewildlife.org and http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/paw-centres/lilongwe-wildlife-centre/

Volunteer Field Research Assistant

Summary Job description

The Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Malawi, facilitates the rescue and rehabilitation of confiscated, orphaned and injured animals and where feasible their return to the wild. In December 2008, the Centre in conjunction with Born Free initiated its Primate Release Programme based in Kasungu National Park . At present 2 groups of primates have been released; a troop of 12 yellow baboons, known as Jack’s troop where first to be released, followed by Titan’s troop, 15 vervet monkeys released in May 2009. Both troops have been returned to the wild under soft release guidelines.

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre now requires someone who is responsible for all aspects of habituation and data collection of a troop of wild Yellow Baboons and/or Vervet monkeys for comparative research on the Malawian Primate Release Programme, in Kasungu National Park. The Volunteer Field Research Assistant will report to the Primate Release Programme Project Manager.

Download full job description here
 
Primates and Research (Supported by Project Manager and Assistant Project Manager)
 
1. Adhering to the protocol set in place begin/continue the habituation process of the selected primate troops.
 
2. Carry out research & monitoring of primates in the field as per research protocols, ensuring that you are in the presences of an armed scout at all time
 
3. Ensure that complete, neat and accurate records and data are kept. All data to be inputed into the computer at the end of your working week.
 
4. Supervise the work and safety of any short term overseas volunteers in the field,
 
5. Perform any and all necessary research activities
 
6. Inform the Project Manager when research equipment is breaking, becomes damaged or needs to be replaced
 
7. Help to train volunteers/ new staff in research methods
 
8. Help to prepare reports/presentations related to the research
 
Anti-poaching
 
9. Inform the Project Managers IMMEDIATELY if you become aware of any poaching activity within the National Park
 
10. Under no circumstance should any project staff or volunteer become directly involved in with any anti-poaching programme
 
Administration, Communication and Personnel
 
1. Obtain receipts for all purchases and payments and fill out petty cash vouchers where no receipt is available. 
 
2. Ensure any electronic equipment in your care is kept safe from theft and weather conditions, especially radio telemetry equipment, and GPS. 
 
3. Ensure safety regulations are met by at all times.

For more details see Lilongwe Wildlife Centre's website at www.lilongwewildlife.org (visit the release section specifically for this project) or contact the project manager at andreadonaldson@yahoo.co.uk