Law Enforcement and Threat Resolution Of

Working Schedule:               Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm with a 1.5-hour break for lunch

Work Location:                      Savannakhet, Kaysone Phomvihan City.

Around three-quarters of time spent in the field, traveling throughout the Xe Champhone floodplain area Laving-Lavern Protected Area, working closely with DAFO, DONRE, and at least 12 target Village Conservation Team’s locations, as required in Champhone, Xonnabouly, Songkhone, and Xaibouli districts, Savannakhet Province and 17 target villages in Laving-Lavern Protected Area.

Expected travel:                     As required within the country to field offices, and internationally if/when needed.

Please note that the following Job Description constitutes only the main responsibilities and duties of this position. As WCS Laos is a flexible and dynamic organization, staff members are expected to undertake additional tasks that are allocated to them which may not be explicitly expressed in the below.

Organization Background:

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private 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. With more than a century of experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in more than 60 nations, and experience helping to establish over 150 protected areas across the globe, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife thrive alongside local communities. Working with local communities and organizations, that knowledge is applied to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.

WCS Lao Program Overview:

WCS began working in Lao PDR in the 1980s, surveying wildlife and habitats around the country to assist the government in creating Lao PDR’s national protected area system. In the early 1990s, WCS documented wildlife and habitats in many of the newly created national protected areas and began supporting the government to train protected area managers, as well as raise awareness about illegal wildlife trade. In 1994, WCS officially established a country office in Lao PDR. Over almost three decades, WCS Lao PDR has successfully implemented more than 30 projects with the Government of Lao PDR, supported by more than 30 donors, and has increasingly moved away from a project approach into a more integrated, programmatic, strategic, and holistic approach to conservation.

Our vision for the Lao PDR Program is that the unique ecosystems of Lao PDR thrive indefinitely and are valued by the people of Lao PDR, and the world, for their biodiversity, natural beauty, and the services they provide to humanity. A core strategy to fulfill that vision is to improve protection and management of wildlife and wild places by building the capacity and meaningful participation of government and local stakeholders, raising public awareness through conservation outreach and education, providing alternative livelihoods—including nature-based tourism—to guardian villages, influencing institutional, policy, legal and regulatory reforms relevant to protected areas and wildlife, developing the national wildlife health surveillance network, and combatting illegal wildlife trade.

The current portfolio consists of (i) Four conservation landscapes: Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park (NEPL NP), Bolikhamxai Landscape, Khoun Xe-Nong Ma Landscape, and Xe Champhone Wetlands; (ii) Two cross-cutting programs on Counter-Wildlife Trafficking and Wildlife Health; and (iii) a thematic focus on conservation policy and research.

Job Summary:

The WCS Lao program is obligated under the MOU with the Government of Lao PDR to assist with different wildlife conservation, research, and education initiatives. The law enforcement officer will assist and collaborate closely with DAFO/DoNRE and Protected Area Management Units from the Xe Champhone Floodplain and Laving-Lavern Protected Area projects, and will be required to spend almost all of his time working with communities to ensure that the TPZ, FCZ, and CUZ, or key threat zones, are effectively patrolled.

KEY RESPONSIBILITY

Main tasks/duties/responsibilities:

1. Strictly following WCS law enforcement policy, work closely with and support the WCS Savannakhet team, provincial and district technical offices (PAFO, DAFO and PoNRE, DoNRE, as applicable), law enforcement authorities to support village community in conducting community-based patrolling for Xe Champhone floodplain and Laving-Lavern Protected Area;
2. Ensure all participating communities (village conservation teams, fish conservation teams) are effectively patrolling their village CUZ and TPZ areas in the Xe Champhone floodplain, including Fish Conservation Zones and Crocodile Conservation Zones and lead the and Laving-Lavern Protected Area Management Unit to weekly up to monthly patrolling;
3. Communicate with community patrol teams (team leaders), during and on return from patrols to ensure effectiveness in resolving threats (land encroachment, illegal activities, wildlife trade, non-adherence to regulations)
4. Communicate issues as they occur to Project Coordinator and Landscape Director for resolution;
5. Liase with government agencies responsible for law enforcement, as required;
6. Work with the GIS and Database Officers to ensure all village conservation teams are coordinating activities and communicating threats to the community patrol teams;
7. Organize, conduct and/or supervise trainings for all stakeholders related to law enforcement in the Xe Champhone project area and Laving-Lavern Protected Area;
8. Together with the WCS Savannakhet GIS and Database Officer, ensure the effective use of SMART for the collection, processing, analyses and reporting of patrol data and related monitoring data collected during patrols;
9. Work and coordinate closely with the project team to ensure the relevant and appropriate data are collected, analyzed and reflect the conservation impact on the ground;
10. Ensure that data associated with monitoring is stored and easily accessible; particularly spatial, biological monitoring and social survey data;
11. Assist program coordinator and landscape director in establishing a law enforcement framework including indicators of baseline illegal activities, wildlife trade, fishing, burning, expanding new agriculture area to TPZ, CUZ, FCZ and CCZ area;
12. Organize and facilitate regular meetings between community patrol teams and government agencies to resolve threats;
13. Organize regular trainings to ensure highest standard of community patrolling possible.

Minimum Qualifications

Requirements:

Experience in SMART 7 (SMART Mobile) is preferred.

Education Minimum of Diploma or bachelor’s degree in law, biology, environmental or related studies

Knowledge (desired) Working knowledge of general conservation principles, natural resource management issues in Laos and Savannakhet Province, laws related to community natural resource management resource planning and protected areas.

Experience 

• At least 1 year experience working with international NGO’s or the private sector
• At least 1 year experience working with communities and government in Lao PDR related to the field, natural resources, and/or conservation

Skills

• Excellent Lao language skills both written and verbal
• Good English-speaking skills and the ability to write reports in English (Preferred)
• Computer literacy, particularly proficiency using Microsoft Office product

General Abilities                                                                                                                                                   

• Ability to work hard as part of a dedicated team
• Ability to learn quickly and flexibly adapt management of activities on short notice.
• Ability to organize monthly activities and field budgets planning.
• Ability to work under time pressure and meet deadlines, also ability to work in diversified environments
• Capacity for systematic and analytical thinking
• Excellent organizational, and presentation skills (including training, mentoring and facilitation skills)
• Excellent field worker with capacity to work independently, self-motivated
• Good people skills, with the ability to motivate and lead community patrol teams
• Willingness to be based in Champhone or Songkhone district, Savannakhet province
• Willingness to spend extended periods of time working and staying with communities and in the field (Champhone, Songkhone, Xonnabouly and Xaibouly districts)
• Willingness to travel to Kaysone Phomivhane City for meetings.
• Willingness to learn and apply new skills.
• Willing to learn and support others through a positive attitude;

Application Process:

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application letter and CV together to: “recruitmentlaos@wcs.org” latest by 30 May 2025 deadline.

Please include “Law Enforcement and Threat Resolution Officer” in the subject line of your email.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labour laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next step.