Africa Freshwater Protection Specialist at Nature Conservancy

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU

Are you looking for a career to help people and nature? Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that people and nature can thrive together.

We’re looking for someone who is passionate, motivated problem-solver. Our team in Africa is dedicated to healthy freshwater ecosystems supporting people and nature. Join us!

The Africa Freshwater Ecosystem Protection Specialist is someone that has experience with freshwater ecosystem conservation on the African continent and is interested in a mission-driven approach to accelerating the protection of a set of freshwater ecosystem priorities across the continent.  The position requires understanding of what keeps a freshwater ecosystem healthy as well as skills in linking to marine and terrestrial protection priorities and actions of TNC and its partners, so that adequate funding can be brought to African freshwater ecosystem priority conservation on a long-term basis.  In this way, moving across sector, cultures and habitat realms is as critical to success as a knowledge of freshwater ecosystems themselves.  The position reports to the Africa Freshwater Ecosystem Protection Strategy Director and can be based in any of TNC Africa’s offices in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, South Africa, or Gabon.

The key roles and responsibilities shall include.

• Provide technical support on freshwater ecosystem protection to staff in priority Conservancy project areas including Lake Tanganyika, Gabon, the Cubango-Okavango Basin, and the Upper Kafue River Basin.
• Work with selected African governments in helping them improve their understanding, and fulfill their commitments, under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• Advance community and government-supported freshwater ecosystem protection projects in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, South Africa, and/or Gabon.
• Building partnerships across the NGO, government, and private sectors to achieve a set of targeted, but collaborative, freshwater ecosystem protection goals.
• Assist in fundraising for freshwater ecosystem protection projects led by TNC or partners.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• BA/BS degree and 7 years’ experience in conservation practice or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 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 objectives and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.                                       
• Experience negotiating.
• Experience working in conservation on the African continent
• Experience in protected area and/or community-based conservation area planning and implementation
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and ideally Portuguese and/or French.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Over 10 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing and/or implementing conservation policy and plans.
• Knowledge and/or experience of current trends and practices in freshwater ecosystem protection.
• Ability to develop practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
• Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives or related field.
• Politically savvy.