Africa Climate Adaptation Lead at Nature Conservancy

Roles and Responsibilities

• Design and implement TNC Africa Climate Adaptation Strategy including a robust and scientifically sound theory of change, to accelerate and scale the deployment of NBS.
• Coordinate a regional climate adaptation team to provide high-level support and coordination for climate adaptation work through the implementation of nature-based approaches to adaptation, science and other policy and finance mechanisms.
• Design, coordinate, collaborate, implement, support complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs in multiple countries, and coordinating the work of other professionals, inside and outside the organization.
• Incorporate cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
• Provide adaption policy support to inform adaption workstreams in the UNFCCC and other national and regional adaptation policy processes, including the Global Goal on Adaptation.
• Maintain and build on TNC’s role as a major conservation and adaptation partner within the Region’s NBS community.
• Serve as the principal climate adaptation contact and develop and maintain productive collaborations with governments, communities, other conservation organizations, and foundations – as well as with TNC staff in other regions and globally.
• Build capacity internally and externally for NBS design and implementation, including strategies for understanding and addressing barriers, and support the build out of extensive outreach and training opportunities.
• Build the capacity of partners and local actors such as coastal and fisher communities, pastoralists, and smallholder farmers to manage better and address adaptation needs and actions
• May require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally and evening and weekend hours.

What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS degree and 7 years’ experience in conservation practice or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Extensive understanding of the science of and experience in implementing climate change adaptation projects, natural climate solutions and nature-based solutions in general.
• Experience working with and advising on current trends and practices in climate science and nature-based approaches to adaptation, especially in an African context.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including managing finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting, and achieving objectives and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
• Experience working with communities and actors at local/community level on climate related and resilience building issues.
• Experience negotiating.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Fluency in French an added benefit.
• Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• 7-10 years’ experience in conservation and climate adaptation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing, and implementing adaptation and conservation policy and plans.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in climate adaptation and NCS in Africa.
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
• Politically savvy.
• A passion for nature and wild places.