Project Officer, Managing the Human Tiger Interface in Nepal

Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape has achieved remarkable success in tiger recovery, with numbers nearly tripling from 121 in 2009 to 355 in 2023. However, as a density-dependent species, dispersing sub-adult tigers are in frequent interactions with people and livestock. Consequently, human–tiger conflict is rising across Chitwan–Parsa, Bardia–Banke, and Shuklaphanta, particularly along park boundaries. Although the primary driver of conflict is a spatially expanding tiger population, habitat fragmentation, degraded grasslands, shrinking wetlands, and intense human activities compound the issue.  

The project “Managing the Human–Tiger Interface in Nepal”, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE), Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, aims to advance human-wildlife coexistence efforts by building consensus and capacity for coexistence, reducing impacts of human-tiger conflict, and improving habitats for tigers. It does so through four components: (1) strengthening enabling conditions — improving national policy and municipal planning for conflict management and building frontline response capacity; (2) livelihoods support — engaging communities in social-behavior change, piloting faster and fairer relief and insurance, and supporting tiger-safe livelihood options; (3) habitat management — restoring grasslands and wetlands within park core zones to keep prey and tigers inside protected areas; and (4) knowledge exchange — documenting lessons and sharing them nationally and through the GEF-funded Global Wildlife Program. Together, these interventions aim to reduce conflict, benefit more than 121,000 people, and secure healthy tiger landscapes in Nepal.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Project Officer will support the implementation of the project. This position is expected to have expertise on Human Wildlife Coexistence so that s/he can provide technical backstopping for local communities to manage and mitigate Human-Wildlife conflicts. S/he will also be responsible for enhancing the capacities of frontline staff and key stakeholders in human-tiger conflict prevention and situation management. This position requires frequent travel to the project site.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Technical backstopping

• Strengthen implementation and uptake of human-wildlife coexistence strategies and scale up farm-based livelihoods and enterprises.
• Promote the value chain of nature-based products and enterprises, including high-value traditional agriculture crops, and grass/fodder species.
• Strengthen farmers' cooperatives-led agriculture and livestock-based enterprise development to mitigate Human-wildlife conflict risks.
• Identification, selection, and implementation of social behavior change strategies and actions in conflict hotspots for HTC-affected communities to reduce exposure to HTC risks and increase empathy for wildlife conservation.

2. Capacity Building

• Responsible for improving the capacity and resources of frontline staff and key stakeholders in human-tiger conflict prevention and situation management.   
• Identify and train key stakeholders in Human-Wildlife conflict mitigation and management.
• Train local buffer zone communities/farmers/user group members on wildlife-resistant livelihood technologies and practices.
• Build the capacity of local and provincial government agencies in the delivery of extension services to local communities on Human-Wildlife Conflict management, social and behavior change, climate-adaptive technologies and practices in agriculture, and livestock management

3. Planning

• Support the planning process with guidance from the Project Manager and in coordination with implementing partners.
• Support in preparing a detailed Annual Workplan and Budget (AWP/B) that includes targets and key activities for the achievement of the project’s output and outcomes.

4. Project Implementation

• Responsible for overall implementation of activities related to mainstreaming human-wildlife co-existence in planning and local-level budgeting, including livelihood improvement.
• Support in organizing workshops, other project-level periodic planning meetings/sessions, annual/semi-annual Project Steering Committee (PSC) meetings, and annual/semi-annual/quarterly review, reflection, and planning meetings.
• Support the Project Manager in the preparation and disbursement of consultancies.

5. Coordination

• Coordinate and communicate with the national parks and key stakeholders under the guidance of the Project Manager.
• Support the Project Manager in coordinating PSC meetings with key government partners.
• Support the Project Manager in endorsement of AWP/B and procurement plan during the PSC meeting.
• Coordinate with the Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI) and Safeguards staff to ensure effective implementation of the SEP, GAP, and ESMF throughout all of the work
• Update programmatic and financial data to the Project Manager for PSC meetings.
• Identify gaps, barriers, and bottlenecks and coordinate with relevant partners for effective project implementation.

6. Reporting and Documentation

• Support the preparation of semi-annual and annual project progress reports (PPR).
• In coordination with Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI) and Safeguards staff, ensure documentation of all safeguards-related activities, including Grievances Redress Mechanisms (GRM).
• In coordination with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) and Communications Officer, ensure communication, development, and publication of success stories and learning materials.
• Ensure lessons learned are systematically documented, widely shared, and reflected in periodic reports and in the next planning cycle.
• Assist in the implementation of a gender action plan and ESMF in close collaboration with the GESI & Safeguards staff.

7. Grant and Consultancy Management

• Prepare Terms of Reference for consultancies.
• Support the Finance and Compliance Officer in preparing grants and contracts.
• Timely tracking of progress from grantees and consultancies.
• Review deliverables from consultants and grantees/sub-grantees, and ensure the quality of the reports is in line with the WWF-GEF standards and policies.

8. Other Duties

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the tasks that are anticipated proactively. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to the project's needs.

Supervisory Responsibility: Project Associate/s

Working Relationship

Internal: Works closely with PMU staff

External: Work closely with existing government, non-government, and civil society partners, consultants, and grantees.