Overview

The Mekong Delta region of Viet Nam forms one of the most densely populated (and heavily cultivated) areas in Southeast Asia. The Delta however also harbours some of most extensive areas of intertidal wetlands and coastal biodiversity in the Viet Nam, including several wetland sites known to be important for globally threatened migratory shorebirds such as Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Great Knot and Spotted Greenshank. Today, vast areas of the wetlands of the Mekong Delta have already been converted to other land uses or are degraded by aquaculture and agriculture. The Government of Viet Nam recognise the ecological value of the Mekong Delta and is now leading efforts to strengthen the protection of the Mekong Delta’s wetlands, and migratory waterbirds, while promoting initiatives to develop the Delta in a sustainable manner. 

A new shorebird conservation project was established in the Mekong Delta, the ‘Mekong Shorebird Project’ (or ‘MSP’) jointly by WildTour and BirdLife International, with support from Viet Nature Conservation Centre in 2019. Through Phase I of the MSP, a comprehensive scoping study of where the most important congregations of migratory shorebirds are, and their threats was conducted over 9 months. Phase I of the Mekong Shorebird Project has resulted in the establishment of new baselines on the distribution of threatened shorebird species on the Mekong Delta, while identifying previously undocumented threats to shorebirds from hunting and coastal modification. 

Under Phase II of the Project, we are seeking a project manager with a strong background in nature conservation and has experience with working with diverse stakeholders to implement conservation activities, in partnership with local people, scientists and Government agencies in the Mekong Delta. Over time, the project aims to strengthen engagement with local communities, improve awareness of migratory birds and wetlands, and secure some of Viet Nam’s most important areas of coastal wetlands.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage the implementation of activities under Phase II of the Mekong Shorebird Project. This will involve work to,
  • Organise and coordinate conferences and training workshops
  • Organise meetings to liaise with government agencies and other relevant stakeholders (Biodiversity Conservation Agency of MONRE and provincial government agencies, researchers, NGOs)
  • Provide regular updates to project supervisors in WildTour and BirdLife International
• In consultation with project supervisors, develop and implement a communications plan for event outreach, including but not limited to the creation of new content
• Draft and develop training material for local people and other stakeholders (in Vietnamese language) 
• Organise training sessions for local communities
• Manage field surveys by our in-house team of expert ecologists 
• Monitor project progression 

Skills and Qualifications

• Strong coordination and project management skills
• Strong events organisation skills
• Team-player, ability to reach out to, and engage diverse stakeholders, including local people (e.g. farmers, salt workers and aquaculture workers) and government agencies
• Good interpersonal skills
• Adequate knowledge with data management 
• Familiarity with wetland ecosystems, biodiversity conservation and migratory birds a plus

Education and Experience Requirements

• At least a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, zoology, forestry, natural resource management or a related field 
• Experience with project/events management in the biodiversity conservation and environmental field in Viet Nam
• Spoken and written Vietnamese (native proficiency). Fluent spoken and written English. 
• Familiarity with MS Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Google suite 
• Familiarity with spatial analysis in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software
• Preferably based in Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho 
• Have a valid driver’s license 

Contact

Interested applicants are advised to send in your curriculum vitae and a covering letter explaining your interest in this role to Wildtour before July 30, 2021 (email: info@vietnamwildtour.com) and BirdLife International (email: dingli.yong@birdlife.org)