17-Feb-2026

Central African Republic

Full-Time

BZ-EXHIBITS/GRAPHICS

Job Description

Position: Landscape Director, North CAR
Reports to: Regional Director
Country Program: Central African Republic
Location: North, Central Africa
Program/Sector: Sudano Sahel Region
Position Type: Full-time
Internal Liaison : All team in CAR
Expected travel: Based in Ndele with travel between Bamingui, Manovo and Bangui
Coordinates with: CAR Government Liaison, WCS Regional Team

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. Africa is one of WCS’s largest field engagements, with approximately 1,500 staff in 13 country programs managed through three regional programs (Central Africa, Sudano-Sahel, East Africa, Madagascar and Western Indian Ocean)

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 13 priority regions, home to more than 50% of the world’s biodiversity. Our VALUES are Respect, Accountability and Transparency, Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion, Collaboration, and Integrity.
More information at www.wcs.org

Job Purpose
WCS stands for wildlife and wild places. As the world’s premier wildlife conservation organization, WCS has a long track record of achieving innovative, impactful results at scale. We run programs spanning the entire ocean and more than 3 million biologically critical square miles in nearly 60 countries. We build on a unique foundation: Our reach is global; we discover through best-in-class science; we protect through work on the ground with local and indigenous people; we inspire through our world-class zoos, aquarium, and education programs; and we leverage our resources through partnerships and powerful policy influence. Our 4,000 diverse, passionately committed team members in New York City and around the world work collectively to achieve our conservation mission.

Landscape Overview
The Manovo-Bamingui Landscape in northern Central African Republic (CAR) is one of Africa’s largest protected area networks, spanning 114,722 km². It includes the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park. Positioned as a strategic transboundary corridor, it links critical ecosystems across Chad, CAR, and the DRC.
In 2018, WCS entered a 25-year Delegated Collaborative Management Partnership (CMP) with the CAR government. The Landscape Director will oversee this mandate, transitioning the program from its current development phase (focused on CAPEX, foundational systems, and infrastructure) toward a consolidation phase centered on sustainable financing, community-based natural resource management, and species reintroduction.
The Challenge & Strategic Approach
Operating in a complex politico-security environment, the landscape faces pressures from non-state armed groups and resource-driven conflict. WCS’s strategy moves beyond traditional conservation to a holistic, rights-based, and conflict-sensitive model. Key pillars include:

• Integrated Landscape Management: Unifying the management of the two national parks and the interstitial zones under a single, evidence-based strategy.
• Rights-Based Community Conservation: Moving beyond "sensitization" to formal governance. This involves strengthening customary transhumance leadership, establishing Joint Monitoring Committees, and developing land-use plans for both sedentary and nomadic populations.
• Agropastoralism & Transhumance: Managing the interface between farming and pastoralism through corridor management, transhumance officers, and the provision of essential services (water and veterinary care) to mitigate conflict.
• Good Governance: Leveraging conservation as a driver for regional stability, economic growth, and the protection of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).

• Lead the coordination and management of all projects in the CAR portfolio.
• Manage protected area directors, landscape technical leads, and operational leads in Ndele and Bangui
• Coordinate and supervise the country program, finance, HR, logistics, community conservation, communication and ecological monitoring teams, as well as protected area managers.
• Ensure timely delivery of annual work plans, budget execution, and donor reporting.
• Contribute to the drafting of proposals for the development of projects.
• Collaborate with local authorities, staff and national and international organisations to create awareness to promote wildlife conservation, sustainable natural resource management and conflict resolution, and resolve land use management issues
• Lead strategic meetings and contribute to the smooth running and development of the country program
• Work in collaboration with the Sudano-Sahel Regional team to improve WCS intervention strategies, advise on development priorities and plan innovative and sustainable activities.

Qualification Requirements

Position Requirements:

• Proven experience in project and personnel management in cross-cultural settings, preferably in Central or West Africa.
• Master's degree in conservation, natural resource management or any other field relevant to conservation or international development in Africa preferred.
• Experience in managing international projects funded by various donors with several project partners with donor regulations and reporting standards.
• Solid experience in technical, logistical and financial project management (planning, budgets, implementation, monitoring and evaluation)
• Ability and willingness to live and work in a multicultural environment in remote areas, under difficult field conditions.
• Strong knowledge of ecological, social, and governance issues in Sahelo-Sudanian ecosystems.
• Excellent communication skills in French and English (spoken and written).
• Demonstrated ability to engage with government, donors, and civil society partners.

Salary Range

Competitive salary commensurate with experience