Community Conservation Officer – Governance

Job description

About the Project
The Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is a global conservation organization dedicated to protecting biodiversity and wilderness areas through sustainable resource management, partnerships, and promoting environmental and social equity. In Zambia, we have been working in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) for nearly 40 years in North Luangwa National Park and, since 2017, in Nsumbu National Park through the Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (NTCP).Zambia travel guide
The Nsumbu Tanganyika Conservation Programme (NTCP) is a collaborative initiative focused on protecting biodiversity and supporting community livelihoods around Lake Tanganyika, particularly in and around Nsumbu National Park in Zambia’s Northern Province 
About the Position
This position offers an exciting opportunity to support the implementation of holistic conservation and community natural resource governance initiatives in the Nsumbu-Mweru Landscape. Under the partnership between Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) and the Department of National Parks, the CCO will play a key role in strengthening local capacity for natural resource management by maintaining consistent and effective community engagement, supporting local governance structures and promoting participatory and inclusive approaches to conservation planning and decision-making.
Your Tasks
Strengthening governance and institutional capacity of Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) through training and continued mentorship.
Supporting the development, implementation, and monitoring of CBO workplans.
Building and maintaining positive relationships and collaboration with traditional leaders, district administration, relevant government departments, civil society, and other operating NGOs.
Supporting the roll-out of the Grievance Redress Mechanism and its ongoing functionality between community members and other stakeholders.
Coordinating and supporting participatory land-use planning processes, including development and implementation of land-use plans.
Coordinating awareness events working with CBOs, government and private sector partners to promote coexistence and local stewardship of wildlife and other natural resources.
Supporting development of livelihood initiatives, including micro-credit schemes (COCOBA), conservation agriculture, and fisheries-related enterprises.
Overseeing the coordination of HWC management activities within the operational area.
Any additional duties as required
Your Profile
 Degree in Sociology, Agriculture, Agroforestry, Wildlife Management, Natural Resources Management, or any related program.
Minimum 3 years’ work experience in a relevant field; experience working in a rural setup will be an added advantage.
Good written and spoken communication skills.
Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
Must be able to communicate in English and Bemba or Tabwa.
A sound understanding of community engagement and conservation principles.
Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
We Offer
Engaging and meaningful work with room for your own ideas and creativity
Opportunity to get to know impressive wilderness areas and to contribute towards their protection.
Form part of a dynamic and motivated team as well as the larger FZS team, working to secure outstanding wild places
A fair and competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience
Your Application
If you are passionate and ready to take on this challenge, please submit your Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letter detailing your relevant experience and motivation by clicking Apply for this Job.
Include three (3) traceable references with a short description of your working relationship and their contact details. Appointment is subject to the submission of ZAQA-certified qualifications.
Application Deadline: 27th March 2026.
Note: Due to a high volume of applications, we will only contact short-listed candidatesJob alert subscription
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About us
Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is an internationally operating conservation organisation based in Germany that has been supporting conservation projects in Africa, South America, South East Asia and Europe for many decades. Following our mission to conserve wildlife and ecosystems we are focusing on protected areas and outstanding wild place