- Duration: Fixed-term contract until June 2028
- Reporting to: Programme Manager – South
- Location: Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area
BACKGROUND
Founded in 1997 by President Nelson Mandela, Dr. Anton Rupert, and HRH Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands, Peace Parks Foundation is a leading African non-profit conservation organisation that specialises in conservation at scale through the development of Transfrontier Conservation Areas and the long-term management of key protected areas within these landscapes. Peace Parks is currently involved in the co-management of ten key protected areas spanning over 60 000 km2 and is in the process of expanding to 11 protected areas spanning 100 000 km2 by 2030. Should these protected areas be successfully developed and professionally managed, it will unlock the ecosystem functionality of five priority transboundary landscapes spanning 68 million hectares, where people and nature not only co-exist but thrive.
The Foundation’s inclusive co-management approach, rooted in conservation at a landscape level, community development, and innovative conservation finance, emphasises the need for an ecosystem-based approach to conservation and development, transcending political and human boundaries. Peace Parks’ vision is to achieve 17 fully functional transboundary landscapes by 2050 spanning 980,000 km² throughout southern Africa, making it arguably one of the world’s largest conservation initiatives supporting sustainable economic development, the conservation of biodiversity, and regional peace and stability.
JOB PROFILE
If you have proven experience in environmental conservation and a passion for sustainability, particularly in supporting community-based natural resource management and governance structures, we invite you to apply for this position.
We are looking for a dedicated and proactive Conservation Officer who is highly organized, motivated, and able to work effectively under pressure. The ideal candidate will have strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills, excellent communication abilities, and a deep commitment to promoting biodiversity protection, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable resource use.
As a Conservation Officer, you will play a key role in strengthening partnerships between communities, government, and conservation organizations, ensuring that environmental initiatives are inclusive, impactful, and aligned with long-term sustainability goals.
Job Purpose
The primary purpose of this position is to oversee ecological management, including identifying, developing, and managing baseline and ongoing ecological and biodiversity data through surveillance, monitoring, and research programmes to inform decision-making, adaptive management, and long-term sustainability across the ecological linkage and parks.
Reporting to the Programme Manager – South, the Conservation Officer is responsible for conservation activities, with a specific focus on ecological and biodiversity aspects, within the Limpopo-Banhine Ecological Linkage as well as related activities in Banhine and Limpopo National Parks. This role also involves close collaboration with the respective park management structures and liaison with various district government bodies, the private sector, landscape Non-Goverment Organisation’s and also Peace Parks Foundation’s support programmes and units.
Based within the Great Limpopo landscape, the position requires extensive time in the field, carrying out biodiversity and ecological management, surveillance and monitoring activities, and stakeholder engagement, including building capacity of community members who will be involved in related activities.
Duties And Responsibilities
Ecological and Biodiversity Management
- Guide and advise on and undertake, where necessary, the implementation of ecological and biodiversity priorities and mitigation actions, including wildlife restoration projects at linkage and park levels, as set out in the corridor implementation plan and protected area management and operational plans.
- Contribute to the development and alignment of ecological and biodiversity management and operational policies, plans, and procedures.
- Ensure effective implementation, reporting, and adaptation of policies, plans, and procedures, advising on impacts and outcomes, and engaging key stakeholders, specifically fire, key species, and wetland management plans.
- Participate in the Conservation Forums established for the two parks for science-management interactions and information sharing.
Ecological and Biodiversity Surveillance and Monitoring
- Develop, coordinate, oversee, and execute ecological and biodiversity surveillance, monitoring, and research programmes at ecological linkage and park levels in line with management objectives, ensuring alignment and consistency of approaches across park teams, partners, and external parties, including but not limited to the following:n
- Management and oversight of aerial censuses at Trans Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA) and park levels
- Designing and undertaking camera trap surveys
- Collaring and monitoring of wildlife movement in and between the parks
- Monitoring and reporting of human-wildlife conflict incidents and other community issues, such as resource extraction, that may impact biodiversity and ecological management.
- Manage and maintain all ecological and biodiversity data on central data inventories and platforms (including EarthRanger) based on protocols for data management, specifically working with the Geospatial, Planning, and Science (GPS) Unit in Peace Parks.
- Produce technical reports based on findings, compiling overviews and park-specific details to facilitate knowledge transfer and support landscape-wide and local decisions in line with landscape and park-level plans and management objectives.
- Collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Unit in Peace Parks to monitor and report on project-related ecological and biodiversity indicators at both scales.
Community Engagement
- Establish and maintain relationships with local communities and natural resource management structures at regional and park levels, collaborating with engagement teams.
- Support engagement teams to deliver education and outreach programmes focused on ecological and biodiversity management awareness, tailored to regional contexts and park-specific initiatives.
Capacity Building and Training
- Work closely with park staff, regional, including community engagement teams, local stakeholders, and partners to build harmonious relationships and identify capacity building needs.
- Provide training and capacity building to enhance technical skills.
Environmental Compliance and Risk Mitigation
- Identify, report, and oversee the mitigation of potential environmental impacts and risks at both regional and park scales.
- Ensure compliance with environmental and other conservation laws, regulations, policies, and safeguards, as well as other international environmental agreements.
- Oversee and coordinate emergency responses to conservation threats and serious incidents.
Project Management and Teamwork
- Develop annual activity plans and efficiently manage project activity resources, including equipment and budget, considering limited funding and field demands.
- Identify funding opportunities, assisting with applications prioritised for biodiversity and ecological management.
- Work closely with park management teams and collaborate with the wider PPF organisation (specifically the GPS, MEL, Protection and Community Engagement Units) and local stakeholders, including district authorities, community structures, private sector, and other partners, to undertake duties.
- Provide timely and accurate project progress reports and participate in the preparation of protected area quarterly and annual reports, summarising key results achieved and analysing the achievement of planned targets.
Minimum Requirements
- Suitable tertiary education qualification in biodiversity conservation, wildlife, and systems ecology and other related areas, experience in a similar environment.
- A minimum of 3 years of practical and field experience in similar conservation research or management environments, preferably within southern Africa and comparable ecosystems.
- Good administration and operational skills with experience and ability to prepare and write reports and informative documents.
- Knowledge of information and communication technologies for biodiversity conservation and data management and analysis including but not limited to EarthRanger, Radio, and GPS will be considered advantageous.
- Self-driven, results driven personality with strong leadership ability and being able to problem-solve.
- Fit and healthy with an ability and willingness to live and work remotely.
- Strong command of the Portuguese and English language (both written and verbal).
- Computer literate with a Driver’s License.
Interested candidates are invited to submit a Curriculum Vitae, with full address, telephone number and email address. These should be submitted by 10 November 2025.
Please apply online: Click here!
A competitive salary package will be negotiated, based on qualifications and experience.
We appreciate the time and effort taken by all applicants in expressing their interest in this role. Due to the high volume of applications received, we are only able to contact candidates who are selected for further consideration. If you do not hear from us within 3 weeks, please assume that your application has not been successful on this occasion. We encourage you to apply for future opportunities that match your skills and experience.
