Company information

Compassionate Carbon Tanzania Ltd is a mission-driven organization launched by Compassionate Carbon LLC and Eden: People+Planet.

The organization specializes in developing and implementing landscape-scale forest carbon projects through Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).

Compassionate Carbon Tanzania collaborates with local communities to restore landscapes, create jobs, protect ecosystems, and mitigate climate change.

The organization’s projects integrate nature-based solutions to help meet global emissions targets while ensuring community ownership and long-term sustainability.

The Rubeho Mountains Carbon Project is a significant initiative in Tanzania focused on native forest restoration and community-based conservation efforts.

Position summary

The Forest Protection Manager will lead frontline forest protection for the Rubeho Mountains Carbon Project, safeguarding community forests and adjacent reserves.

The role ensures effective patrol systems, proactive fire management, and team readiness. Working to support Village Land Authorities, Tanzania Forest Services (TFS), and local government, the Manager will strengthen systems to maintain coverage, deter illegal activity, and enable rapid response.

The Forest Protection Manager will lead field staff and community forest guards, build strong community partnerships, and use data and performance metrics to continuously improve protection outcomes.

educational

This is a hands-on leadership position requiring strong execution and a commitment to community-led conservation.

Essential responsibilities

Forest patrol and protection operations

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Lead and oversee patrol systems across project sites, ensuring consistent coverage of community and government forests.
• Establish patrol schedules, routes, and protocols to maximize effectiveness and reduce predictability.
• Provide oversight and capacity support to village councils and VNRCs in the management of forest guards.
• Ensure timely detection and response to illegal activities.
• Adjust patrol strategies to focus on high-risk areas or seasons using risk assessments, local intelligence, and incident trends.

Fire prevention and response

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Develop and implement fire management plans covering prevention campaigns, preparedness, detection, and response.
• Support community sensitization on fire prevention and use practices.
• Establish fire breaks, fuel management practices, and early warning systems.
• Lead fire response teams, conduct drills, and coordinate suppression efforts with local authorities.
• Monitor fire risk conditions and maintain emergency plans.
• Ensure safety protocols are strictly followed.
• Conduct post-incident reviews.

Training and capacity building

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Design and deliver training for VNRCs and forest guards on monitoring, fire management, safety, reporting, and first aid.
• Ensure ongoing competency through refresher trainings, field drills, and mentorship.
• Facilitate cross-community learning and knowledge exchange.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and adapt methods to address gaps.

Equipment and resource management

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Manage procurement, distribution, and budgeting of patrol and firefighting equipment.
• Ensure teams are equipped for safe and effective operations.
• Support VNRCs with oversight of equipment maintenance, inventory control, and accountability systems.

Monitoring, data, and reporting

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Implement data collection systems for patrols, incidents, and fire events.
• Ensure accurate and timely field reporting.
• Maintain centralized data systems.
• Track key performance indicators, including patrol coverage, incidents, and response times.
• Use insights from data to improve protection strategies.
• Align reporting with Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) and project requirements.

Community and stakeholder collaboration

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Coordinate with Village Councils, VNRCs, Tanzania Forest Services, and other authorities on forest protection.
• Align activities with Village Land Use Plans, forest management plans and agreements, and national regulations.
• Liaise with law enforcement on serious incidents.
• Support community engagement.
• Provide input to FPIC and conservation processes.

Project planning and integration

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Contribute to annual planning and budgeting for patrols, training, and fire management.
• Identify gaps and recommend improvements to protection systems.
• Ensure alignment with project goals, carbon standards, and national policies.

Safety oversight

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Build a strong culture of safety and accountability.
• Enforce safety protocols.
• Ensure compliance with organizational and regulatory standards.
• Conduct regular safety briefings.
• Promote consistent use of personal protective equipment.

Team leadership

The Forest Protection Manager will:

• Provide leadership and mentorship to any direct-report field staff or volunteers.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance team environment.
• Set clear performance objectives, such as patrol coverage and incident reduction.
• Monitor results and address performance issues in a timely manner.

Other duties

The Forest Protection Manager will perform other duties as assigned.

Education and experience

Applicants should have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in forest conservation, protected area management, or community-based natural resource management.
• Preferably 7 or more years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience managing forest patrol or fire management operations.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with community forest governance structures, such as VNRCs or similar community forest guard programs.
• Demonstrated experience working with government forestry or wildlife authorities.
• Experience working with community-based conservation or enforcement initiatives is an advantage.
• Familiarity with FLR, REDD+, and forest carbon projects is an asset.
• Familiarity with Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification systems for carbon or conservation outcomes is an asset.

Skills and abilities

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Commitment to modeling the organization’s Ethos in all professional interactions.
• Commitment to the organization’s values, vision, and conduct standards.
• In-depth knowledge of forest protection and law enforcement techniques.
• Knowledge of effective patrol strategies, fire prevention and suppression, and relevant forestry regulations.
• Ability to apply forest protection skills in a community-based setting.
• Technical knowledge of forest protection systems, fire management, and participatory land-use planning.
• Strong leadership and operational management skills.
• Proven ability to lead field teams and coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts.
• Ability to take initiative in remote field conditions.
• Capacity to make informed decisions independently in dynamic field situations.
• Excellent planning and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail in documentation and follow-up.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret patrol and incident data to adapt strategies and resolve challenges effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with diverse stakeholders, including communities, officials, and NGOs.
• Experience in facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
• Proficiency in standard office software, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with stakeholder databases or GIS/mapping tools for land use planning is a plus.
• Basic understanding of carbon projects or climate change mitigation is an advantage.
• Fluency in Kiswahili and English.
• Knowledge of local languages spoken in Kilosa and Mpwapwa Districts is an asset.

• Lead and oversee patrol systems across project sites, ensuring consistent coverage of community and government forests.
• Establish patrol schedules, routes, and protocols to maximize effectiveness and reduce predictability.
• Provide oversight and capacity support to village councils and VNRCs in the management of forest guards.
• Ensure timely detection and response to illegal activities.
• Adjust patrol strategies to focus on high-risk areas or seasons using risk assessments, local intelligence, and incident trends.
• Develop and implement fire management plans covering prevention campaigns, preparedness, detection, and response.
• Support community sensitization on fire prevention and use practices.
• Establish fire breaks, fuel management practices, and early warning systems.
• Lead fire response teams, conduct drills, and coordinate suppression efforts with local authorities.
• Monitor fire risk conditions and maintain emergency plans.
• Ensure safety protocols are strictly followed.
• Conduct post-incident reviews.
• Design and deliver training for VNRCs and forest guards on monitoring, fire management, safety, reporting, and first aid.
• Ensure ongoing competency through refresher trainings, field drills, and mentorship.
• Facilitate cross-community learning and knowledge exchange.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and adapt methods to address gaps.
• Manage procurement, distribution, and budgeting of patrol and firefighting equipment.
• Ensure teams are equipped for safe and effective operations.
• Support VNRCs with oversight of equipment maintenance, inventory control, and accountability systems.
• Implement data collection systems for patrols, incidents, and fire events.
• Ensure accurate and timely field reporting.
• Maintain centralized data systems.
• Track key performance indicators, including patrol coverage, incidents, and response times.
• Use insights from data to improve protection strategies.
• Align reporting with Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) and project requirements.
• Coordinate with Village Councils, VNRCs, Tanzania Forest Services, and other authorities on forest protection.
• Align activities with Village Land Use Plans, forest management plans and agreements, and national regulations.
• Liaise with law enforcement on serious incidents.
• Support community engagement.
• Provide input to FPIC and conservation processes.
• Contribute to annual planning and budgeting for patrols, training, and fire management.
• Identify gaps and recommend improvements to protection systems.
• Ensure alignment with project goals, carbon standards, and national policies.
• Build a strong culture of safety and accountability.
• Enforce safety protocols.
• Ensure compliance with organizational and regulatory standards.
• Conduct regular safety briefings.
• Promote consistent use of personal protective equipment.
• Provide leadership and mentorship to any direct-report field staff or volunteers.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance team environment.
• Set clear performance objectives, such as patrol coverage and incident reduction.
• Monitor results and address performance issues in a timely manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• In-depth knowledge of forest protection and law enforcement techniques.
• Knowledge of effective patrol strategies, fire prevention and suppression, and relevant forestry regulations.
• Ability to apply forest protection skills in a community-based setting.
• Technical knowledge of forest protection systems, fire management, and participatory land-use planning.
• Strong leadership and operational management skills.
• Proven ability to lead field teams and coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts.
• Ability to take initiative in remote field conditions.
• Capacity to make informed decisions independently in dynamic field situations.
• Excellent planning and organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail in documentation and follow-up.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret patrol and incident data to adapt strategies and resolve challenges effectively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with diverse stakeholders, including communities, officials, and NGOs.
• Experience in facilitation, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
• Proficiency in standard office software, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with stakeholder databases or GIS/mapping tools for land use planning is a plus.
• Basic understanding of carbon projects or climate change mitigation is an advantage.
• Fluency in Kiswahili and English.
• Knowledge of local languages spoken in Kilosa and Mpwapwa Districts is an asset.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in forest conservation, protected area management, or community-based natural resource management.
• Preferably 7 or more years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience managing forest patrol or fire management operations.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with community forest governance structures, such as VNRCs or similar community forest guard programs.
• Demonstrated experience working with government forestry or wildlife authorities.
• Experience working with community-based conservation or enforcement initiatives is an advantage.
• Familiarity with FLR, REDD+, and forest carbon projects is an asset.
• Familiarity with Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification systems for carbon or conservation outcomes is an asset.