The Africa Conservation Director oversees all aspects of TNC’s Africa Conservation Program, reporting to the Africa Regional Managing Director. The Africa Conservation Director is responsible for delivering conservation outcomes by managing regional strategy directors and country directors. This position will manage 7 to 8 direct reports and serve as the focal point for conservation management with a strong supporting team. TNC has staff in 7 African countries and is exploring work in several others currently. The Conservation Director will facilitate quarterly reviews with project and strategy teams to ensure we are delivering milestones according to schedule and budget. The Conservation Director will also be responsible for coordination between our Strategy leads and our Project (country) Leads. Conservation planning, priority definition and rigorous monitoring of our impact are key aspects of this position.
The Africa Conservation Director is ultimately responsible for delivering TNC’s conservation outcomes. S/He leads and manages a large team which implements conservation efforts. S/He will play a key role in fundraising and reporting to donors and helping the strategy and Country teams to maintain key relationships. The Africa Conservation Director will liaise closely with the Regional Director to adjust conservation priorities over time. S/He will join the Africa Leadership Team with peers responsible for Marketing, Fundraising, Operations and Government Relations.
The Africa Conservation Director disseminates best practices to the conservation team in Africa, ensures training and analyses to best implement organizational measures of success, and helps develop key partnerships. They build strategic, scientific and technical capacity in the field, develop key partnerships with public and private organizations in order to identify and resolve technical issues and to widely communicate solutions and best practices, and develop innovative scientific methods, analyses, tools, and frameworks to address the natural system needs.
They will help negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies, major institutions, and landowners to conserve and protect natural communities, and develop and implement cutting edge conservation strategies in a high profile geography and major philanthropic market.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Geographic scope is Africa with 80 staff, a large annual budget and people working in 7 countries.
- Manages the implementation teams for diverse projects and strategies
- Often helps coordinate the work of other professionals, inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
- High level management and leadership responsibility for 7-8 key TNC regional staff members.
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.
- Makes independent strategic decisions frequently based on analysis, ambiguous information, experience and context.
- May require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally, evening and weekend hours.
- 12 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience designing, implementing, and directing complex or multiple projects of strategic importance, including managing finances, supervising multidisciplinary professionals and coordinating the work of partners while meeting deadlines.
- Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
- Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
- Experience networking with high level conservation contacts and Government officials.
- Experience conceiving and implementing strategic and creative initiatives.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
- Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross cultural experience appreciated.
- Master’s degree and 12-15 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
- Knowledge of politics and society with respect to environmental affairs.
- Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
- Politically savvy.
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.