Rights & Safeguards Manager at African Parks Network

Role Profile

The Rights and Safeguards Manager will contribute to embedding a conservation approach that is consistent with international human rights, and with safeguards standards, with both internal and external stakeholders. This role requires an understanding of international human rights, and safeguards frameworks, with an emphasis on the specific issues that apply to the conservation sector in Africa. Such issues include prevailing debates on land tenure and the legacy displacements of communities to create protected areas, the rights of indigenous peoples, and the different models for conservation management.

The Rights and Safeguards Manager is responsible for:

• Promoting an integrated approach to conservation that recognises and respects the rights of IPLCs – and supporting consistent compliance with human rights across AP operations;
• Supporting the adoption and consistent application of the Environmental & Social Safeguards standard operating procedures across AP-managed parks;
• Guiding efforts to support communities to register and protect their rights to land and natural resources;
• Designing tools and templates for the monitoring, and reporting of Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) risks and mitigation efforts;
• Guiding training of the AP safeguards team and of external partners to build understanding and application of human rights, and safeguards standards;
• Representing AP externally with partners and stakeholders, contributing to a network to agree ESS standards and processes for conservation in Africa.

Role requirements

• Post-graduate qualification in Human Rights/Law/International Development/Conservation or a related field.
• Must have a good understanding of legal and policy considerations for human rights in a conservation context.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, with a track record in managing issues relating to human rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, land tenure, social safeguards, and/or conservation law.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English. French and/or Portuguese fluency is a plus.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with ability to work across cultures and to foster collaboration.
• Affinity with conservation and social development in Africa.
• Experience of working in Africa, and willingness to travel to remote rural settings