The Pacific Islands Conservation Specialist oversees the Pacific Islands Program for the Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture. The individual provides strategic leadership and direction to the Hawaiʻi Wetlands Conservation Priority by actively working with Hawaiian partners to address wetland habitat conservation for endemic and migratory waterbird species. In addition, the Conservation Specialist will monitor the habitat conservation issues facing other bird guilds and be prepared to work with partners to address issues in urgent need of immediate conservation assistance.
Pacific Birds and its partners are currently updating the 2006 Strategic Plan for Wetland Conservation in Hawaiʻi to help guide Pacific Birds conservation efforts on multiple wetlands and waterbird issues. The updated Strategic Plan will include information on wetland condition and loss, bird population status and trends, a ranking of threats directly associated with habitat loss and condition, and a spatially explicit prioritization of wetlands. The Conservation Specialist will assist in this planning effort and be responsible for coordinating and facilitating the strategic implementation of this plan amongst a diverse partnership.
The Conservation Specialist will additionally focus on the following areas:
- Partnerships: Build a strong bird habitat conservation partnership in the Pacific Islands by nurturing existing parterships and cultivating new and invigorating partnerships–including nontraditional conservation partners.
- Development: Identify conservation measures and funding sources that incentivize all bird conservation in the Pacific Islands.
- Marketing and Outreach: Raise awareness of Pacific island birds–their status, threats, and the conservation incentives available to landowners and managers.
- Implementation: Advance strategies and actions, such as those identified in the new Strategic Plan for Wetland Conservation in Hawaiʻi, that support Hawaiʻi bird conservation.
- Policy: Identify policy barriers and work with partners to educate elected officials and other policy makers about the overall role, importance, and benefits of bird conservation.
DESIRED SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
Pacific Birds is seeking an individual who can:
- Work collaboratively with stakeholders across and within organizations, islands, geographies,
backgrounds, and cultures to act strategically, strengthen partnership commitment, and be more conservation effective; - Work both independently and as part of a team; be self-motivated to create change and
advance conservation; - Communicate and coordinate effectively with people within government and outside of
government to achieve conservation goals and cultivate long-lasting relationships. This could
include interacting with: government officials, other Pacific Birds’ contractors, executive
directors, government and non-government conservation staff; landowners and the broader
public; - Provide innovative solutions to complex island ecosystem problems;
- Think and act from a broad perspective with a long-term view and understanding of the dynamic nature of large-scale challenges;
- Skillfully facilitate regular partnership meetings and work sessions addressing conservation
challenges; - Understand the core principles of wetland science and wetland restoration ecology, as well as
the specific challenges of island ecosystem ecology, especially in the advent of climate change; - Be highly familiar with core federal funding programs and actively advise and assist
conservation partners with the tools, tips and resources needed to be successful applicants; - Develop practical applications of scientific concepts for on-the-ground implementation of
conservation actions; - Network and assist partners by obtaining and distributing important conservation information
such as new research, funding notices, and other key materials; - Review state and federal policies/laws and research detailed technical documents;
- Comply with all Pacific Birds’ policies and procedures.
ABOUT PACIFIC BIRDS
Please see https://pacificbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/PBJV_Flier_022218_final.pdf and visit: https://pacificbirds.org
INTERESTED?
This position is a contractually funded position with an annual compensation of $77,000. A travel
budget is also included. Only salary and travel compensation are provided. The selected contractor is required to live within the state of Hawaiʻi. Statements of work and specific deliverables will be
incorporated into the annual contract.
For more information and how to apply, please contact Brad Bales, U.S. Coordinator, Pacific Birds
Habitat Joint Venture. Email: brad@pacificbirds.org
Applications will be accepted through midnight Pacific Time, January 15, 2019.