Country Director at Conservation International

Reporting to the Senior Vice President for CI’s Africa Field Division, the Country Director ensures compliance with CI policies, funding agreements, and local requirements. Additionally, the employee is responsible for managing the country program and all its component projects, leading the team, raising funds and managing financial and other resources. The employee will also ensure that the program is integrated with CI’s strategic fundraising and partnership goals and works in collaboration with other CI technical and operations units to support the needs of the field programs.

The Country Director directly manages staff, interdisciplinary teams, and/or outside partners. The employee works with a high degree of independence and serves as a technical expert in CI’s multidisciplinary approach of conservation. The employee exercises a high level of creativity and strategic thinking to efficiently manage the country program and build the local capacity within environments that are complex and full of challenges.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program planning and strategy

• Provide strategic vision and direction for the Kenya program and develop a country strategy, including alignment with the overall CI mission and vision as well as the relevant regional and global strategies.
• Ensure efficient and effective implementation of Kenya’s country strategy, including adequate monitoring and evaluation to ensure the integrity of the national program.

Alliance development and maintenance

• Position CI appropriately in Kenya and represent CI nationally.
• Plan, develop and maintain a network of strategic partners and alliances that supports the successful implementation of the program’s strategy, including from the civic, public and private sectors.
• Provide advice to key governmental and other key partners to ensure sound decision-making on themes related to conservation and CI’s Kenya strategy.

Project management 

• Ensure effective and efficient delivery of projects, supervising Kenya program’s project managers to ensure delivery of planned results, including the supervision of partners’ and sub-grantees’ project execution
• Overseeing projects and components that contribute to increased resilience of ecosystem and ecosystem services and support Kenya's national policy of  Ending Drought Emergencies, as outlined in Kenya Vision 2030. 

Fundraising and proposal development

• Proactively raise funds to support Kenya’s program and projects, including identifying and cultivating new sources of funding from national and international sources and ensure efficient proposal development.
• Participate and collaborate in regional fundraising initiatives led by the Africa regional team and by US- Arlington based teams

People and program management

• Build, develop and maintain a highly efficient and capable team that delivers the program’s strategy and ensures operational excellence.
• Directly supervise, lead and mentor a team of technical and administrative staff 
• Ensure operational excellence, including managing the financial resources of the program and addressing all legal matters of the program.

Participation in institutional processes

• Participate as a member of the Africa Field Division Senior Leadership Team in meetings and other mechanisms to contribute to the formulation and evaluation of regional plans and strategies and determine priorities.
• Participate in any annual or other institutional planning meetings and processes, representing the Kenya program, and contribute to the formulation of national plans and strategies and determine priorities.
• Participate in regional or institutional strategic groups as requested

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Master's degree in biology, environmental studies, natural resources management, geography or a related field and minimum of 10 years of experience with conservation NGO, preferably in developing countries, or equivalent combination of degree and experience. 
• Minimum of 10 years experience of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning and programmatic evaluation as well as in information analysis, synthesis, management, monitoring and report development.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting programmatic planning by linking strategic plans and workplans.
• Project management experience, including management of substantial project/program budget.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and supervise a team.
• Strong communication skills, preferably writing skills capable of peer-review publishing.
• Self-starter, willing to take initiative on solving problems and providing follow-on assistance.
• Ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts. 
• Ability to adapt and flex with changing duties and priorities in a dynamic work environment.
• Strong organizational and financial skills.
• Fluency in English and Swahili.  

Preferred

• Degree in marine science or a field related to marine conservation such as biology, environmental studies, natural resources (such as fisheries or marine protected area management).
• Field experience in developing countries and multicultural settings.
• Knowledge of sustainable development and green economy concept.
• Field experience in forestry, restoration, conservation, REDD+, policy and/or development.
• Passion for the conservation of nature and a commitment to CI’s vision and mission

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Local and international travel of not less than 25%, occasionally in difficult travel conditions.
• Ability to work in remote locations or under difficult working conditions.
• This position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. Applicants will need to have the ability to live and work in Kenya without employer sponsorship.