NEPL Ecotourism Coordinator

Vacancy Announcement

Position Title:
NEPL NP Ecotourism Coordinator

Position Type:
Full time

Last Update Date:
2 October 2024

Program/Department:
Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park (NEPL NP) Landscape Program

Work Location:
The NEPL Management office in Hiam District, Houaphan Province with occasional travel to work in other work locations, villages, districts, provinces, and VTE headquarters as required.

Reports to:
WCS Lao NEPL NP Landscape Program Manager

Supervisory For:
WCS Lao NEPL NP ecotourism team

Contract duration:
1 year duration with possibility of extension

Job Purpose Summary:
In Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park (NEPL NP), wildlife ecotourism program opened in 2010 and currently has two products within 4 villages: the Nam Nern Night Safari and the Trekking Trail Network. The ecotourism program in NEPL NP is a tool to support the overall management and conservation of wildlife in NEPL NP and the ecotourism model is based on High-Value Low Volume strategy.

This position will support the WCS NEPL NP program manager and the NEPL Management Unit (NEPL MU) to manage and develop activities under the NEPL NP’s management component of Ecotourism Business Development and Communication.

This position will be responsible for all aspects of operations of the existing NEPL NP’s ecotourism products to ensure an excellent visitor experience, positive impact on wildlife conservation, and an overall long-term sustainability of the program by coordinating a transition to a new management model.

KEY RESPONSIBILITY

The main responsibility of this position is to provide oversight, support and leadership to the NEPL NP’s ecotourism team to ensure a high quality, safe ecotourism products that are directly linked to conservation outcomes and that continue to provide  benefits  to the communities and the national park.

1. Planning-Monitoring-Reporting:
   • Lead the annual, quarterly, and monthly planning of the ecotourism component of NEPL NP
   • Supervise the activity level planning, budget development, implementation, and reporting.
   • Supervise and analyze data generated by ecotourism activities and ensure qualitative ecotourism monitoring and progress reporting.
   • Provide technical reports on ecotourism components as required by WCS and NEPL MU.
   • Develop and deliver presentations and provide technical inputs during meetings as required.
   • Develop and maintain detailed knowledge of the NEPL management plan, WCS’s strategic program objective on NEPL NP and Lao law and Regulations on ecotourism in protected areas.
2. Capacity Development and HR:
   • Provide oversight and support to the ecotourism team in all aspects of their work.
   • Provide formal and informal training and mentoring to ecotourism staff (WCS and NEPL) conducting activities related to NEPL ecotourism program activities.
   • Coordinate capacity development and training activities for the NEPL NP’s ecotourism team and ecotourism village service providers, including an annual wilderness first aid training and an annual training to the 4 ecotourism village service providers.
   • Supervise and manage the performance of current ecotourism staff to ensure that staff remains highly motivated and committed to wildlife conservation and the mission of WCS.
   • Be a primary evaluator conducting the annual assessment of ecotourism staff’s performance.
   • With the support from program managers, take lead on considering the ecotourism staff’s Continuous Personal Development proposal and coordinate with the relevant sections.
   • Support the NEPL MU in the implementation of ecotourism activities as set out in the NEPL NP Management plan.
3. Quality Ecotourism products and infrastructures:
   • Ensure that the two existing ecotourism products and the services provided by the 4 ecotourism villages (over 150 contractors) meet high visitor satisfaction and safety standards, while aligning with WCS and NEPL NP values and conservation objectives.
   • Identify and coordinate the improvement of existing ecotourism products and the development of new activities to ensure high visitor satisfaction with NEPL NP’s ecotourism services, including infrastructure, equipment, and safety standards on all tours.
4. Marketing & Communications:
   • Manage ecotourism online communication platforms (website and social media) in consultation with the WCS marketing staff based in Vientiane office.
   • Ensure the namet.org email and website domain and hosting service renewal.
   • Coordinate updates of the NEPL NP’s ecotourism promotion materials (brochures, posters).
   • Ensure that on all tours and at the NEPL NP visitor center the interpretive materials provided by guides and in printed form are up to date.
   • Support the ecotourism staff responsible for sales and bookings to ensure effective communication with prospective visitors, resulting in successful tour reservations.
   • Foster and strengthen B2B relationships with sustainable tourism tour operators.
   • Manage visitor complaints by providing appropriate responses, identifying causes, and clarifying issues to prevent recurrence.
5. Positive Conservation impact:
   • Supervise and improve the NEPL NP ecotourism model. Ensure that all ecotourism products are consistent with the conservation objectives of WCS and NEPL.
   • Coordinate with communities, the district and NP development, improvement and enforcement of the ecotourism agreements and contracts.
   • Ensure that biodiversity data on all tours is collected in a systematic way by the ecotourism staff and supervise the data management and analysis to calculate the annual Ecotourism Benefit Fund (EBF). Coordinate the annual ecotourism outreach and EBF distribution activity in the 26 beneficiary villages.
   • Provide technical inputs to the NEPL MU on broader ecotourism related issues of NEPL NP if or when requested.
6. Transition to a Private For-Profit Social Enterprise:
   • Play a coordinating role in the potential transition of the existing NEPL NP ecotourism products to a private, for-profit, social enterprise business model.
7. Tour interpretation and guiding.
   • A willingness to lead tours and provide a quality interpretation to the NEPL NP visitors in the event that other ecotourism guides are not available.

Please note that the above TOR constitutes only the main responsibilities and duties of this position. As WCS Laos is a flexible organization, staff members are expected to undertake any other tasks that are allocated to them, but which are not part of their regular TOR.

Qualifications Requirements:

Minimum Qualifications
This position is ideal for someone with experience and facility in managing in a multi-stakeholder context, an ability to independently identify improvement needs and growth opportunities, and a passion for sustainable tourism and wildlife conservation. In addition, the following are required:

Education:

·         Diploma or Degree in tourism, hospitality, business or marketing.

·         National Tour Guide license is an asset.

Work experience:

·         At least 10 years’ work experience in sustainable tourism with clients from western countries (especially from France, Germany, UK, USA and Australia).

·         At least 5 years’ work experience in a management position.

·         Experience working with government of Lao agencies.

·         Experience in community engagement in northern Laos is an asset.

·         Knowledge or experience in the fields of wildlife conservation and protected area management is an asset.

·         Experience working with NGO organizations is an asset.

Ability and skills:

·         Advanced Lao and English language skills, both written and verbal, with excellent communication and presentation abilities.

·         Understanding of Lao law in tourism business and tourism in protected areas.

·         Strong work ethics and sense of responsibility. Ability to work independently and to lead a team, to coordinate and report activities in an efficient and organized manner. Cooperative attitude; reliable and honest.

·         Ability to communicate effectively in a multi stakeholder context and with people from diverse nationalities and ethnic groups.

·         Ability to work in remote field conditions.

·         Computer literacy with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook. Social media (Facebook, Instagram) and WordPress Website management.

·         Experience in basic data verification and analysis.

·         Loyalty to the Wildlife Conservation Societies mission to sustainably manage wildlife in Lao PDR through capacity building of Lao counterparts. Interest in wildlife conservation, wildlife watching and birdwatching is an asset.

·         Design and Photography skills are an asset.

Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application letter and CV together to:  latest by 30 October 2024. Please stated “NEPL NP Ecotourism Coordinator” in the subject line of your email.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer and the organization complies with all employment and labor 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 next step.