Government and Stakeholder Engagement Manager
Uganda Albert REDD+ Project
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US nonprofit, tax-exempt organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. WCS works in more than 60 countries and has helped to establish over 150 protected areas globally.
WCS together with its partners the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) are developing a large-scale avoided deforestation program situated in the Albertine Rift Region of Western Uganda. The proposed project is in its advanced stages of being developed following the Voluntary Carbon Standards (VCS) and the Climate Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCB).
WCS would like to hire a Government and Stakeholder Engagement Manager to lead engagement, collaboration, and discussions with NFA, MWE, other government agencies, and the private sector potential project financer.
The main duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
• Update and lead government engagement strategy:
• Manage all interactions with government entities and personnel;
• Coordinate work of the multi-agency Project Development Team and any other associated government led project agreement development team;
• Responsible for coordinating all engagement with NFA, MWE, and other government agencies, in liaison with the NFA project focal point;
• Responsible for convening relevant government staff for project development meetings with the private sector company;
• Assist and coordinate the development of any relevant documents for government input, review, and approval;
• During agreement development stage, engaging with WCS finance and legal teams in the development of potential agreement terms;
• During agreement development stage, work closely with NFA technical, legal, and finance departments in co-development of legal agreements between NFA and private sector company;
• Assist in the development of all government engagement aspects of the project, including the further development and implementation of benefit sharing mechanisms.

Requirements
A postgraduate qualification (Minimum MSc.) in a relevant discipline (e.g. natural sciences, environmental Sciences, public policy and governance, business administration, landscape ecology, ecosystem accounting, environmental economics, conservation planning or related field); At least seven (7) years working experience in stakeholder and government engagement; and, Demonstrated facilitation skills and ability to conduct and build partnerships and collaborative programs among different stakeholders, and specifically between government entities and a nongovernmental organization;