Counter Wildlife Trafficking Learning & Develoment Coordinator

About WCS

The Wildlife Conservation Society is an international NGO headquartered at Bronx Zoo in New York City, working to save wildlife and wild lands and to meet global challenges in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the world’s oceans. The Africa Program is the largest of WCS’s field programs, with approximately 1,100 staff in 12 country programs focused across four major regions (Central Africa, Sudano-Sahel, East and Southern Africa, and Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean).

WCS has been working in Nigeria since 2001, leading efforts to protect the critical habitat for the Cross River gorilla and other species, as well as supporting local livelihoods and improving levels of conservation awareness. In Cross River, WCS has been providing support to enhance the protection and management of Cross River National Park and Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary since 2011 and is leading efforts to establish a community wildlife project in the Mbe Mountains.

Our MISSION is to save wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education and inspiring people to value nature. Our VISION is a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. Our GOAL is to conserve the world’s largest wild places in 16 priority regions, home to more than 50% of the world’s biodiversity. Our VALUES are Respect, Accountability and Transparency, Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion, Collaboration, Integrity.

Job Summary:

The CWT Learning and Development Coordinator will coordinate the capacity building of key government stakeholders in Nigeria, including but not limited to the National Park Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Ministry of Environment, National Judicial Institute, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Judiciary, as well as NGO and other key partners. The successful candidate will transform strategic objectives—identified through research on priority wildlife trafficking issues in Nigeria—into a rigorous, engaging, and impactful curriculum that drives measurable change. The Coordinator will work closely with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, field programs, key government and non-government training institutions.

Why Join Us?

• Leverage WSC’s on our global CWT expertise to strategically support WSC's protection of Wild places and Wild species.
• Exceptional opportunity to make significant contributions to the protection of biodiversity conversation.
• Dynamic Team: join a dynamic team and work in a collaborative and conducive environment where your ideas and everyone's input are valued.
• Growth Opportunities: We believe in providing an enabling environment to develop your career. We are committed to developing your skills and competencies
• Supportive Environment: Work with a team that values respect, teamwork, and excellence.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the development and delivery of institutionalised training programs for law enforcement, criminal justice, and regulatory officers involved in CWT efforts in Nigeria. This includes overseeing subject matter experts and trainers in curriculum development and delivery, and managing the local online learning management system.
• In coordination with the global CWT Team, administer competency-based assessments for training participants and align the results with broader initiatives to evaluate progress in countering wildlife trafficking in Nigeria.
• Establish and manage a pool of local facilitators, trainers, and coaches to support program delivery and post-training follow-up.
• Utilise feedback and evaluation data to continuously iterate upon and improve the program.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key CWT partners and stakeholders across Nigerian government agencies, NGOs, and international organisations, in particular UNODC.
• In coordination with the wider CWT team, contribute to research and analysis on CWT and other environmental crimes in Nigeria, such as the illegal wildlife trade, trafficking, and illegal logging.
• Support fundraising efforts for CWT work by identifying and pursuing support from existing and new sources, assisting in proposal and report development, and building relationships with funders.

Required skills and experience

• A university degree and a minimum of four years of professional experience in a relevant field (e.g., environmental crime, transnational crime prevention, adult learning, capacity building) within a relevant institution (e.g., NGO, intergovernmental organisation).
• Demonstrable experience in capacity building coordination, preferably with government enforcement agencies in the context of environmental crime.
• Proven understanding of the Nigerian law enforcement and criminal justice system, including its institutional structures and processes.
• Fluency in English is mandatory; professional proficiency in French is highly desirable.
• Strong critical thinking and adaptive management skills.
• Proven ability to rapidly acquire and apply new, complex skills.
• Excellent cross-cultural communication skills, with the ability to work effectively within diverse teams. This includes a proven capacity to solve problems collaboratively, draft clear and concise analytical products, and deliver effective written and verbal presentations.
• High proficiency with standard software systems; familiarity with mobile technology, internet-based communication, and various messaging applications is essential.