Park Manager

Overview : African Parks, in partnership with Benin Government has the mandate to ensure the protection of biodiversity and the sustainability of the northern Benin parks’ ecosystems for the benefit of the country’s people and wildlife. The park's main priority is to implement full management activities, with an emphasis on conservation law enforcement and securing the area for local communities and wildlife. The current regional context in West Africa requires a strategic adaptation of the management to continue achieving good conservation and community impacts.

In line with this, African Parks is hiring a Park Manager for one of the parks under its management in Northern Benin with a strong capacity in holistic management of protected areas and a solid background in adapting and dealing with security contexts. The incumbent will primarily be based in the park, providing a good leadership on the Park Management Unit (PMU) and ensure operational effectiveness.  ResponsabilitésDevelop, adapt and execute a park strategy in accordance with the Partnership Agreement (mandate) with the Government and African Parks Network (APN) objectives.

Develop, revise and monitor implementation of a five-year business plan. Develop and implement an annual activity plan and budget. Develop and implement plans for recovery and sustainable development of the park / protected area;Integrate security and crisis management strategies into overall park management plans. Develop and maintain positive community, government (national & local), donor and other stakeholder relations. Ensure financial management processes and fiscal discipline rigorously applied. Drive revenue generation through development of sustainable marketing and tourism and other commercial revenue streams. Ensure Park activities are conducted in accordance with African Parks policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s).

Ensure the park is adequately resourced (financial, people, equipment, etc. ) to effectively meet its day-to-day operational requirements. Coordinate the execution of a talent development plan in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and the needs of the park. Build a constituency for conservation among communities and other stakeholders. Build a strong values-based team culture in the park. Lead and coordinate crisis communication efforts with staff, stakeholders, and media when necessary.  Provide accurate and meaningful reports to the park Board, APN and other stakeholders as required. Perform other duties as assigned that contribute to the success of park operations.

QualificationsDemonstrated 10-15 year working experience in security crisis management, ideally within protected areas, national parks, or similar high-risk environments.  5 years’ experience working in similar environments and roles. Knowledge of regional security issues, including insurgency, armed conflict, and wildlife trafficking in West Africa.  Ability to build and maintain relationships with security agencies, NGOs, and community groups involved in security operations.  Analytical skills to interpret security intelligence data and inform decision-making.  Highly resilient, adaptable, and proactive in addressing emerging security threats.  Excellent communication skills for liaising with multiple stakeholders involved in security and crisis situations.

Experience in security risk assessment, threat analysis, and crisis response planning within protected areas or similar environments.  Experience working in multi-cultural environments;Resilience and decision-making under high-pressure, high-risk scenarios. Good financial management skills;Project Management skills;Stakeholder relationship management skills;Strong interpersonal skills;Proven team leadership ability;Results oriented;Highly resilient;Adaptable;Fluent in both French & EnglishAdhesion to African Parks values and code of conduct. How to apply?All qualified candidates interested in the present call for application are invited to send their application in a single file PDF format to the following e-mail address: joela@africanparks.

org, with a mandatory copy to  marca@africanparks. org. NB: Any application not submitted in the required format will be rejected outright. The application must include : A cover letter specifying the candidate's interest in the position; A detailed CV listing the references of three (03) persons with their email addresses and contacts;A (01) scanned copy of the required diploma;Proof of previous professional experience.  Application deadline: August 28, 2025, at 6: 00 PM.  Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within two (2) weeks after the application deadline, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.

 Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.