Biodiversity Specialist: Cites: Eastern Region

Border Management Authority; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 550,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Border Management Authority is seeking a specialist to advise on biodiversity legislation and lead compliance efforts regionally in Gauteng and surrounding ports of entry. The role requires coordinating regulatory activities, supporting enforcement matters, and promoting consistent policy implementation.

You will monitor regional biodiversity programs, analyze trends, and contribute to planning and reporting.

Qualifications

• Must have sound knowledge of environmental legislation and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience with biodiversity compliance systems and enforcement practices.
• Ability to coordinate regional biodiversity initiatives.
• Strong reporting and data analysis skills.
• Stakeholder engagement and intergovernmental relations experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist technical advice on biodiversity legislation implementation.
• Coordinate biodiversity compliance activities across Ports of Entry within the Region.
• Support complex biodiversity compliance and enforcement matters, including investigations and seizures.
• Promote consistent implementation of biodiversity policies, SOPs and standards across the Region.
• Monitor biodiversity compliance activities and prepare technical reports and recommendations.
• Maintain biodiversity reporting systems for accurate decision-making.
• Establish relationships with DFFE, conservation authorities and enforcement agencies.
• Represent the Border Management Authority at regional and international forums.
• Develop regional training and capacity-building initiatives.
• Provide input into regional planning and biodiversity strategies.

Skills

Technical advisory

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory interpretation

Data analysis

Project coordination

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The successful candidate will be responsible for, amongst others, the following specific tasks:

• Provide specialist technical advice and guidance on the implementation of biodiversity legislation, including the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004), CITES, TOPS Regulations and other applicable biodiversity legislation.
• Coordinate and provide specialist technical support for biodiversity compliance activities across designated Ports of Entry within the Region, including CITES permit administration, species identification, compliance inspections and related biodiversity matters.
• Provide specialist technical advice and support on complex biodiversity compliance and enforcement matters, including wildlife trade investigations, permit irregularities, seizures and other matters referred by operational officials.
• Promote the consistent implementation of biodiversity legislation, policies, SOPs, technical standards and operational directives across the Region through technical guidance, quality assurance and compliance reviews.
• Monitor and evaluate regional biodiversity compliance activities, analyse compliance trends and prepare technical reports and recommendations to support Regional Management and continuous improvement.
• Maintain and utilise biodiversity compliance information and reporting systems to support accurate reporting, performance monitoring and informed regional decision-making.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with DFFE, provincial conservation authorities, law enforcement agencies, prosecuting authorities and other relevant stakeholders to support biodiversity compliance and enforcement.
• Represent the Border Management Authority at relevant regional, national and international technical forums, intergovernmental structures and stakeholder engagements, as delegated.
• Develop and facilitate regional technical training, mentoring and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen biodiversity management and compliance capabilities.
• Provide specialist technical input into regional planning and the implementation of national biodiversity strategies, policies, standards and initiatives within the Region.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the Border Management Authority Act (BMA), 2020 (Act No. 2 of 2020).
• Sound knowledge of environmental legislation and its associated regulatory framework, including the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) Regulations, and other applicable biodiversity legislation, policies and regulatory frameworks.
• Sound knowledge of biodiversity management principles, species identification, CITES permit administration, wildlife trade regulation, biodiversity compliance systems and environmental enforcement practices.
• Knowledge of environmental compliance monitoring, quality assurance methodologies, compliance auditing and biodiversity risk management principles.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, performance management, monitoring and evaluation, data analysis, information management and reporting within the public sector.
• Knowledge of intergovernmental relations, stakeholder management and collaborative governance within the environmental regulatory environment.
• Knowledge of project management principles and the coordination of regional biodiversity initiatives.
• Knowledge of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999), where applicable to the management of public resources.
• Computer literacy with proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and other information management systems relevant to biodiversity management and environmental compliance.