The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) Call for Applications - Director of Intervention Program

Description of Organization

The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) is an umbrella group of organizations and institutions that work with marine mammals. The Network is responsible for organizing, coordinating and implementing measures aimed at reducing accidental mortality of marine mammals, rescuing animals in difficulty, and facilitating the acquisition of data from animals that have died in St. Lawrence waters.

The Network receives over 500 calls and handles approximately 300 cases a year. It documents and monitors cases, evaluates whether or not a response is warranted, responds as needed, or provides assistance to specialized response teams. QMMERN revolves around a group of more than 150 volunteers to assist in various types of interventions. The Network contributes to a number of research projects, in addition to helping manage a national data bank.

Coordinating the QMMERN and managing its call centre and new intervention program is the responsibility of the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research and conservation education with a focus on the whales of the St. Lawrence and their habitat.

Job Description

Beginning in 2019, the Network will launch an intervention program with mobile response units to cover all of southern Quebec. The selected candidate will be called upon to develop and implement this program, create intervention protocols and consolidate the network of partners and volunteers who can support response efforts. He or she will be responsible for training and coordinating teams and will participate in interventions.

The future Director will be required to complete a number of trainings and workshops with various partners of the Network in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada in the first two years of his or her mandate.

Primary Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the scientific coordinator and in close collaboration with other team members, the individual should be capable of assuming many of the responsibilities outlined below. However, the position will be tailored according to the applicant's strengths and complementarity with other members of the team.

Development Phase

• Develop and update procedures, protocols and response kits;
• Develop the volunteer network and its training program;
• Establish new partnerships.

Field Interventions

• Evaluate cases and determine appropriate interventions;
• Supervise interventions performed by mobile response teams, volunteers and support teams;
• Lend assistance to specialized response teams;
• Participate in handling calls and emergency standby duty;
• Prepare weekly debriefing meetings with call centre administrator.

Management and Communication

• Manage human resources associated with response teams (hiring, training, scheduling and meetings);
• Assist coordinator in certain management/administrative tasks;
• Assist coordinator of Canadian Marine Animal Response Alliance and various entities of Fisheries and Oceans Canada;

• Support call centre administrator and head of communications in the production of various communication tools.

Requirements of Position

Experience

• University degree in a relevant field (biology, veterinary medicine);
• At least 3 years of experience in coordination, project management or similar position involving multidisciplinary teams;
• Experience in crisis management and ability to work in the midst of an emergency.

Skills

• Excellent field work skills and physical ability to perform demanding work at sea and on land;
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills;
• Fluent in French and English (written and spoken);
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capacity;
• Sense of organization and planning;
• Ability to work under pressure;
• Versatile, resourceful and autonomous.

Availability and Motivation

• Highly flexible with regard to work schedule depending on the case(s) being handled;
• Willingness to be on call evenings, weekends and holidays;
• Motivated to fill position for at least two years.

Added Advantages

• Database management skills, knowledge of marine mammals, the marine environment, fisheries and eastern Quebec;
• Experience working at sea and operating watercraft;
• Knowledge of not-for-profit sector.

Working Conditions, Salary and Benefits

• Full-time position;
• Annual salary: $45,000 to $55,000;
• Duration of position: preferably long term, with a six-month probation period; 
• Possibility of working either out of Québec City or Tadoussac, with occasional travel;
• Mobile phone with plan provided;
• Scheduled start date: as soon as possible, no later than May 1.

Other benefits: friendly working atmosphere in an exciting sector offering the opportunity to work alongside researchers (marine mammals and related fields) and environmental education specialists with years of experience in stimulating projects, office at the Centre Culture et Environnement Frédéric-Back (Québec City) and a stone's throw away from the Saguenay Fjord (Tadoussac), seasonal social activities, possibility of accompanying research teams at sea.

To apply

Interested in this job offer? Email your CV and cover letter to reseau@gremm.org

Deadline: April 5, 2019

We thank all applicants for their interest; only selected applicants will be contacted.