NATIONAL PROJECT OFFICER – AVITOURISM – BirdLife Botswana

POSITION AT BIRDLIFE BOTSWANA

NATIONAL PROJECT OFFICER – AVITOURISM

BirdLife Botswana is a Botswana registered Non-Governmental Organisation established in 1980, which aims to conserve birds and important bird habitats, by creating awareness, carrying out research and promoting beneficial relationships between birds and people. BirdLife Botswana has been an affiliate to BirdLife international since 2000 and its work is organized around four key areas or interrelated pillars, namely; 1) Save Species (Prevent extinctions and Keep common birds common); 2) Conserve Sites and Habitats (Identify, protect, restore and monitor sites and habitats important for birds and other biodiversity); 3) Encourage Ecological Sustainability (Demonstrate and advocate nature’s values) and 4) Promote policies that support sustainability.

Individuals interested in working with us are invited to apply for the position of a National Project Officer – Avi-tourism for Botswana Component.

BirdLife Botswana with regional BirdLife partners from Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have secured funding to develop and implement avi-tourism in the KAZA landscape. Avi-tourism is a niche tourism aspect pertaining to travel related to viewing birds in their natural environment. Birding routes are defined as a collection of avi-tourism attractions and service providers within an area that are designed into one geographically contained, cohesive, and traversable product. Proximate birding attractions can be used to synergistically market destinations to potential avi-tourists.

Information attached to birding routes should include not only the special and attractive birds but also the various sites at which to observe them and the associated necessary service providers, such as accommodations, restaurants, and other attractions.

The purpose of the project is multifaceted but is centred on carrying out important ground operations for the development and implementation of the Great KAZA

Birding Route project in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Namibia (with a desktop review for Angola). You will be responsible for the Botswana Component Qualifications: At least a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism management/ business management or related from a recognised University.

Experience: at least 2-years exposure to NGO/ government/parastatal/ consulting firm/tourism industry environment is required.

At least a 3 years Class B driver’s licence.

Competencies: Ability/willingness to work beyond stipulated official working hours and weekends. Self-motivated. Ability to work alone and as a team member. Loves nature (key).

Although the position is preferably based in Kasane the candidate should be willing to travel extensively across the country and outside Botswana.

Expectation:

• You will facilitate implementation of birding tourism project in the Chobe, Okavango and Makgadikgadi region.
• You will work closely with tourism operators and tourism sector organisations both from private and government.
• You may also be required to attend national and international tourism fairs as would be necessary.
• Your across borders travels may be frequent.
You must be outgoing and work well under pressure.
• Knowledge of birds is a significant added advantage

This position provides a great opportunity to work in the Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) developing an avi-tourism route across one of the most spectacular landscapes in Southern Africa. The position is for 12 months with provision to extend depending on your performance and the project performance.