Saiga Conservation Alliance

Prepared by E.J. Milner-Gulland with input from the SCA officers

January 2020

This document sets out the Roles and Responsibilities of the people currently working for the Saiga Conservation Alliance, as of January 2020. It will be approved by the Steering Committee, and then will be routinely reviewed on a 3-yearly basis. If major changes are required in the interim, these will be made only with the agreement of the Steering Committee.

TRUSTEES

The Trustees are responsible for the good governance of the SCA and oversight of the activities of the Steering Committee and Officers, as laid out in the Constitution, which can be found here:

http://saiga-conservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SCA_Constitution_eng.pdf

The Chair of Trustees (E.J. Milner-Gulland) is responsible for convening meetings, keeping the rest of the Trustees informed of matters requiring their attention, acting as the link between the Trustees and the Steering Committee, and chairing the meetings of the Trustees.

The Honorary Treasurer (Anthony Dancer) is responsible for preparing and signing off annual accounts and reporting to the Charity Commission, working with the Programme Manager.

The Independent Trustee resident in the UK is currently David Mallon

The Independent Trustee resident in a saiga range state is currently Anna Lushchekina

The Trustees’ roles include:

  • Ensuring that the SCA is financially solvent
  • Ensuring that the SCA’s activities are appropriate and in line with its mission
  • Ensuring that good practice is followed in terms of governance and running of the charity
  • Supporting the activities of the Steering Committee when appropriate and requested (e.g. judging awards/competitions when SC members have conflicts of interest)
  • Acting as ambassadors for the SCA in all relevant forums

The Trustee role is ongoing (subject to re-appointment as set out in the constitution), unpaid and takes approximately 10 days per year.

STEERING COMMITTEE

The Steering Committee is responsible for executive and strategic decision-making. It is made up of active SCA members representing each range state and international saiga conservationists, as set out in the Constitution here:

http://saiga-conservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SCA_Constitution_eng.pdf

The Steering Committee’s roles include:

  • Engaging proactively with SCA officers on strategic planning, communications and fund-raising for the SCA in general and, through the SCA, for their own priorities
  • Promoting saiga conservation and building networks within and between range states
  • Engaging with international policy processes and action planning with, and on behalf of, the SCA (as well as their own organisations)
  • Judging awards and competitions (e.g. small grant programmes), unless the SC member has an actual or potential conflict of interest
  • Contributing to Saiga News, distributing it in their countries, and soliciting articles
  • Mentoring and supporting saiga conservationists (e.g. award winners) within their countries
  • Acting as ambassadors for, and representatives of, the SCA in all relevant forums

The Steering Committee role is ongoing (subject to re-appointment as set out in the constitution), unpaid and takes about 10 days a year. Current members of the Steering Committee are listed here: http://saiga-conservation.org/about-us/

OFFICERS

The Officers carry out the day-to-day activities of the Saiga Conservation Alliance.

Chair of Steering Committee: E.J. Milner-Gulland

The Chair of Steering Committee reports to the Board of Trustees. The key responsibilities are:

  • Strategic oversight of the SCA’s activities
    • Providing leadership and support to other officers
    • Editing and guiding production of reports and planning documents
    • Oversight of financial activity and reporting
  • Chairing meetings of Steering Committee and maintaining communications between the Steering Committee, Trustees, Officers.
  • Line management of the Programme Manager
  • Representing the SCA in international forums
  • Oversight of fundraising and outreach activities
  • Chairing meetings of the Steering Committee
  • Leading the SCA’s coordinating role for the CMS Saiga MOU and action plan

This is an ongoing, unpaid, role at around 0.5 days per week (10%).

Programme manager: Carlyn Samuel

The Programme Manager reports to the Chair of Steering Committee. The position includes strategic oversight of the in-country programmes and management of the global programmes, and routine administrative activities that can only be carried out from the UK. Key responsibilities are:

  • Supporting and line-managing the Projects manager
  • Strategic planning support
  • Leading the production of year start plan
  • Leading the production of annual year-end report
  • Contributing to formulating and implementing the SCA Strategic Plan
  • Donor engagement
    • Regular communication with donors – including seasonal updates and personal messages.
    • Management of donor list (including mailing list and donation history)
    • Personal engagement including attendance at events (e.g. WCN expo) where required
  • Network development
    • Regular communication with Steering Committee and Trustees, including monthly updates
    • Support to the activities of the Trustees and Steering Committee, including convening meetings, taking and circulating minutes
  • Management of SCA finances and expenses
    • Weekly banking / payment run and finances
    • Finances for yearly audit and fulfilment of charity commission requirements and regulations for auditing (supporting the Honorary Treasurer)
    • Oversight of SCA grantee awards, payments and reporting requirements, and production of timely reports for donors, Trustees and Steering Committee, in collaboration with the Project manager
  • Fundraising
    • Providing support for funding applications – working with WCN and Project Manager to apply for as many relevant funds as possible
    • Engage with potential new funders and develop existing contacts
    • Management of Christmas card mailing
  • Production of SCA periodic and final reports for WCN and other donors
  • Fulfilment of merchandise orders in the UK
  • Overseeing social media and outreach plan

 Currently the Programme Manager position is an ongoing role, paid at one day per week (20%). 

 

Project manager: Sasha Bukvareva

The Project Manager reports to the Programme Manager, and to the Chair of Steering Committee. The position focusses on providing ongoing support to the in-country and global programmes, administrative activities, outreach and communications. Key responsibilities are:

  • Supporting in-country conservation programmes
    • Develop and maintain relationships with in-country programmes and Steering Committee members (including through regular visits to projects)
      • Work with in-country Steering Committee members and colleagues to understand their saiga-related activities and how SCA can support this work
      • Create activity timelines for each country (to be used for funding and public outreach)
      • Create country saiga news and amplify stories through the SCA network/social media
    • Support to the Programme Manager
      • Drafting and circulating monthly activity updates to Steering Committee and Trustees
      • Support to in-person meetings as needed (e.g. minute-taking, translation)
      • Develop and maintain relationships with key partners (including WCN)
      • Liaise between in-country partners, UK-based officers and WCN to develop, write and submit funding proposals
    • Maintaining the Saiga Resource Centre and SCA websites
      • One-off updates to SRC, and thereafter regular website maintenance for these sections
      • Ongoing maintenance and content for the SCA website
      • Respond to photo queries
      • Add Saiga News to the websites and distribute twice per year
      • Send out SRC update emails to mailing list
      • Coordinate SRC activities with the ACBK CMS MoU coordinator
    • Social media
      • Instagram, Facebook and website update/posting
      • Help with sourcing/creating newsworthy stories for Social media and Saiga News

 Currently the Project Manager position is an ongoing role, paid at three days per week (60%). 

 

Programme Director (Uzbekistan programme): Elena Bykova

The Programme Director (Uzbekistan programme) reports to the Chair of Steering Committee and works closely with the Programme Manager and other officers. The position involves strategic development, implementation and reporting on the SCA’s activities in Uzbekistan. Key responsibilities are:

  • Coordination with other Officers to integrate Uzbekistan programme with other elements of the SCA’s activities
  • Management of the Uzbekistan programme
  • Strategic planning on an annual basis
  • Financial management and reporting
  • Reporting of activities as required by funders and Programme Manager
  • Research and conservation
  • Community based outreach programme (Ustyrt & Aral Sea region)
  • Saigachy reserve support
  • Government assistance and support
  • Coordination with other Officers and WCN, to fund-raise for the Uzbekistan programme
  • Supporting the CMS saiga MoU
  • Participation in SCA Reporting on Implementation of the saiga MoU
  • Supporting the Uzbekistan government in reporting and implementation of the MoU
  • Representing the SCA in international forums including CMS and WCN

Currently the position is an ongoing role, unpaid, estimated time spent is 1 day per week. 

 

Research and development officer, SCA Uzbekistan Program: Olya Esipova & Rustam Olimov

The R&D Officer (Uzbekistan programme) reports to the Uzbekistan Programme Director, with oversight from the Programme Manager. The position focuses on providing support to the Uzbekistan programme, but includes an outreach and communications element. Key responsibilities are:

  • Communication and engagement with donors:
  • Representation of SCA during international networking events / conferences (e.g. WCN Expo)
  • Feedback and assistance with social media campaigns
  • Assisting with educational and other projects in Uzbekistan
    • Assistance with Saiga Day and related activities
    • Supporting Uzbekistan Programme Director with other projects as agreed
    • Producing reports for these projects for Saiga News and donors
  • Designing and implementing research in Uzbekistan
    • Designing methodology to collect baseline data in Resurrection Island and surrounding area
    • Coordinating field trips to Resurrection Island and surrounding area
    • Collecting and analyzing the data
    • Contributing to grant proposals featuring Resurection Island study

Currently the position is an ongoing role, paid on a freelance basis based on a pre-agreed plan and invoices (roughly 10%, half a day a week).

 

Executive Editor and Advisory Editor, Saiga News: Lena Bykova and E.J. Milner-Gulland

The Editors of Saiga News are responsible for publishing Saiga News twice a year. The Executive Editor works closely with the reviewers and national Editors (see https://www.saigaresourcecentre.com/sites/default/files/2019-03/news_saiga-en_fin_small_site_1.pdf for a list). Key responsibilities of the Executive Editor are:

  • Collation of material, interaction with national editors, reviewers and advisory editor
  • Editing the Russian version of Saiga News
  • Liaising with Advisory Editor to align the English and Russian versions
  • Coordination of translation into six languages
  • Deciding on content and layout (with Advisory Editor)
  • Coordination of distribution and upload of Saiga News (with Projects manager)
  • Overseeing design and publication of each issue

Key responsibilities of the Advisory Editor are:

  • Copy-edit and review the English version (the definitive version)
  • Suggest contents and structure
  • Work with Executive Editor to plan and deliver Saiga News

Currently the Executive Editor position is an ongoing unpaid role, estimated time spent is 0.5 days per week. The Advisory Editor’s ongoing, unpaid, role is estimated at 10 days per year.

 

grou