Wildlife Law Enforcement Intern

Want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our one shared home, the Earth? Working with WWF could be the opportunity of a lifetime:

All around the world, people are waking up to the deepening crisis of nature loss. A growing realization that nature is our life-support system. And that nobody will be spared from the impacts of its loss. Here at WWF, we are helping to tackle this enormous global challenge.

Our people come from hugely diverse backgrounds and with a variety of expertise, ranging from HR and finance to advocacy and conservation science. We welcome applications from anyone who believes they can help us create a better future for people and wildlife.

What we do:

We are an independent conservation organization, striving to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. From individuals and communities to business and government, we are part of a growing coalition calling on world leaders to set nature on the path to recovery by 2030. Together, we seek to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable. WWF Network has moved to the development and the implementation of 9 Practices with Global Goals to be achieved.

For our Cameroon Country Office, we are looking for a dynamic and engaged Wildlife Law Enforcement (WLE) Intern to support the Wildlife Law Enforcement Department in filling its need.

Reports to: Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer

Location:Yaounde

Contract type: Professional Internship

Duration: Three (03) months

The mission of the Department

Cameroon, like any other country in the Congo Basin faces unsustainable exploitation of its biodiversity, mainly through poaching and illegal wildlife trade, resulting in the loss of endangered wildlife species, environmental degradation, increase violence and conflict, etc. To help protect these iconic and emblematic species such as elephants and great apes from poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trace, WWF Cameroon is collaborating with the government to implement its Anti-poaching and Law Enforcement Strategy while prioritizing the well-being of indigenous people. WWF’s support aligns with its social policies, Environmental and Social Safeguards and more importantly the Network Standards for Conservation Law Enforcement Support in Protected Areas. The recruitment of a Wildlife Law Enforcement Intern (WLEI) will provide valuable assistance to the already existing WWF Law Enforcement team in Yaoundé to ensure effective and timely implementation of project activities.

Major Functions

Under the supervision of the Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer, and in close collaboration with the Conservation team, the WLE intern will support the implementation of the CCO’s Law Enforcement support work, work very closely with MINFOF Lawyers to ensure effective judicial follow-up of wildlife cases in courts, collect and analyse wildlife crime data, liaise with prosecutors and relevant agencies, WWF field staff to facilitate information exchange on Law Enforcement efforts. He/She will compile and centralise judicial data and information on wildlife court cases.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Collect relevant law enforcement data from various field locations and contribute to updating the national law enforcement databases (legal database), ensuring that information is complete, complete and up-to-date.
2. Maintain regular communication with lawyers via e-mails, phone calls, monitor and evaluate their performance and provide necessary assistance. This could also include field visits to areas with established Law firms are engage with judiciary authorities (Magistrates, court registrars etc.) to ensure effective collaboration and support.
3. Assist in drafting and reviewing essential administrative, technical and financial documents related to law enforcement support, such as terms of reference, official correspondence, technical reports, payment requests etc.
4. Assist in preparing and processing various financial documents (payment request, budgets, purchase orders) to ensure the smooth functioning of the Law Enforcement Unit operations.
5. Assist the law enforcement team in its liaison with the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, as well as other key government institutions to facilitate joint efforts against poaching and illegal wildlife trade;
6. Provide administrative and logistical assistance to the law enforcement unit to ensure the successful organization of training and capacity-building workshops, meetings and field travels for WWF team and partners.
7. Offer administrative support to the Wildlife Crime Hub Coordinator, aiding in the preparation and execution of activities outline in the Hub’s implementation plan to foster efficient operations.
8. Undertake other activities deemed necessary by the line manager to support the overall goals and objectives of the Law enforcement unit.

Profile:

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in law.
• Experience working in a Law firm for at least six (06) months.
• Experience in the field of law enforcement (anti-corruption, anti-poaching, wildlife law) is an advantage.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Good Strong communication skills – both written and oral (English and French) depending on the needs of the audience.
• Good knowledge of criminal law including wildlife law and regulations/ability to conduct legal analysis.
• A team player, but also very capable of working with minimal supervision.
• Good computer skills (MS Office package, Online research, etc.) with the ability to manage enforcement databases.

WWF’s Values & Behaviors:

• Aligns and identifies with the core values of the WWF organization: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration.
• Able to demonstrate WWF behaviors in ways of working: strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.