About Us

Job Vacancies

Organization Background: 

WCS is a US non-profit organization founded in 1895, dedicated to saving wildlife and wild places through science-based solutions and conservation actions. With over a century of experience and a global presence in more than 60 nations, WCS has played a pivotal role in establishing over 150 protected areas worldwide. Leveraging biological knowledge and fostering partnerships, the WCS office officially registered in the capital Ulaanbaatar in 2003. Over the past twenty years, WCS Mongolia has implemented activities addressing wildlife health, trade, animal movements, community engagement, and building awareness of and support for protected areas. Through the Mongolia Program, collaboration with governments, communities, NGOs, and industries is prioritized to maintain biodiversity, promote landscape connectivity, and contribute to sustainable resource management. The program's activities encompass wildlife research, protected area and community support, wildlife law development and enforcement, and sustainable infrastructure development. 

Mongolia Program Overview: 

Established in Ulaanbaatar in 2003, WCS Mongolia has remained dedicated to safeguarding Mongolia's wildlife and expansive landscapes for over two decades. Focusing on the Southern Gobi and the Eastern Steppe along with policy and capacity initiatives at the national level, WCS Mongolia's mission revolves around science-driven, landscape-level conservation. Collaborating with various stakeholders such as governments, communities, NGOs, and private sector, the organization prioritizes biodiversity preservation, landscape connectivity, and sustainable resource management at both local and national levels. Through an array of initiatives spanning wildlife research, protected area management, community partnership, policy development, sustainable infrastructure projects, One Health, and climate change adaptation, WCS Mongolia strives to ensure the long-term health and vitality of Mongolia's ecosystems. 

Job Summary:  

The Community Engagement Officer plays a key role in implementing WCS Mongolia’s community-based conservation work across the Gobi Steppe landscape. The position is responsible for strengthening and supporting herder groups and other community organisations, including facilitating their legal registration, developing management plans, enabling access to public funds, and promoting sustainable natural resource and conservation practices. The role requires close coordination with local governments, community leaders, partner organisations, and the wider WCS Mongolia team, as well as regular field travel to multiple soums and aimags. This is a full-time position with a three-month probation period and potential annual extension based on performance. 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Collaborate with existing community groups and support the establishment of new ones to implement sustainable natural resource management and conservation initiatives using participatory approaches.  

• Actively engage local communities in rehabilitation projects, biodiversity conservation, and protected area management to foster a sense of ownership. 

• Identify and promote biodiversity conservation practices that enhance economic resilience and empower community livelihoods. 

• Provide training for community groups on sustainable resource use, management planning, gain accessing public funds, and biodiversity conservation in refuge areas. Organize workshops that encourage participatory decision-making among community members. 

• Support the development of participatory business models and sustainable finance plans for community groups. 

• Promote gender mainstreaming by integrating gender considerations into all project activities, ensuring that the different roles, needs, and contributions of women and men are recognized and addressed. 

• Contribute technical insights to inform policy development related to biodiversity at various community and governance levels.  

• Lead and support M&E related to community engagement activities, including collecting field data, tracking progress against indicators, and contributing to project learning. 

• Document community engagement activities for reporting and knowledge sharing, capturing best practices, lessons learned, and success stories from initiatives.  

• Contribute to the development of a monitoring framework to assess the impact of community conservation projects. 

• Represent the project at community workshops and events, ensuring effective communication of project goals.  

• Assist in procurement-related tasks that support community work (not only purchases for community groups), including preparing specifications, coordinating with the community team, following procurement procedures, and overseeing receipt and delivery of items. 

• Contribute to grant-related work as requested, including inputs to proposals, reporting, and preparation of supporting documents.  

• Collaborate closely with the Governance and Community team and engage with other technical and operational teams across WCS Mongolia to ensure effective coordination and alignment of activities. 

• Support other WCS Mongolia program priorities as needed to advance overall stronghold areas for conservation in key actions. 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE: 

Education & Experience: 

• Master's degree in rural development, environmental management, natural resource management, or a related field.  

• 3 or more years of experience in project coordination focused on community development, preferably within the non-profit or environmental sector. 

• A solid understanding of gender equality and gender mainstreaming principles is important; prior experience in implementing these concepts and promoting women's participation in community initiatives is highly desirable. 

Skills: 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders and work independently or as part of a team. 

• Strong facilitation, presentation, and coordination skills, with a solid understanding of natural resource management, wildlife conservation, and pastoral communities. 

• Experience in organizing community workshops and focus groups.  

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective partnerships with local communities, herder groups, government agencies, and other stakeholders. 

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.  

• Willingness to travel to remote locations for direct engagement with local communities and stay for periods as needed.  

Language Proficiency: 

• Proficient in spoken and written Mongolian and English. 

Personal Attributes: 

• Positive attitude towards challenges with a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a team.  

• Strong interpersonal skills and the capacity to collaborate effectively with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.  

HOW TO APPLY:  

• Submit your 1) CV, 2) one-page cover letter explaining your interest and suitability for the position, and 3) copies of your education diplomas.   

• The subject line of your email submission should read “Application -Community Engagement Officer” and interested applicants should submit their applications to hrmongolia@wcs.org  

• Applications should be sent on or before 5:00 PM on January 12, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted;   

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.  
    

 Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Mongolia Program  

201 San Business Center, Amar Street-29, Small ring road, Sukhbaatar district, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia. Tel: +976-11-323719.