Director East African Rangelands Program at Conservation International

Responsibilities:

• Develop program strategies, objectives, work plans, and metrics.
• Oversee and implement program activities and manage the program and technical staff.
• Represent CI East Africa portfolio on the Africa Regional Rangelands Executive Committee
• Monitor, measure, interpret, and share results on a regular basis.
• Distribute financial and progress reports; identify and implement refinements in work plans and strategies.
• Work across units to ensure that program activities are aligned with CI’s conservation and division priorities.
• Ensure program compliance with CI policies, funding agreements, and local requirements.
• Identify capacity-building needs. Implement and monitor efforts to address capacity gaps.
• Lead information sharing and cross-collaboration. Build stakeholder understanding and support through proactive communication efforts including fact sheets, statistics, and related communication materials.
• Hold conferences and other learning events to share best practices and lessons learned.
• Effectively engage stakeholders including donors, government and NGOs, technical colleagues, indigenous communities, and other partners important to program success.
• Represent the organization externally. Serve as a trusted and visible point of contact for CI.
• Identify opportunities for program growth and development.
• Play a lead role in ensuring program financial sustainability by identifying funding opportunities. Regularly partner with CI and HQ staff on funding proposals and regional/global fundraising efforts.
• Support and facilitate strategic alignment efforts and activities between rangelands work and experience across Africa Region within the Africa Rangelands Program (ARP).
• Support continental or regional scientific research projects that will promote the work and objectives of the ARP.
• Collaborate closely with the Herding 4 Health Program team to facilitate and adapt H4H model implementation as and where relevant in the East African context in ways that will build and expand the model’s applicability to support holistic impact in rangelands in E. Africa.
• Build strategic partnerships and strategies for delivery of animal health and production incentives, wildlife – livestock co-existence, value chain development, and improved rangeland management within communally owned ranches and conservancies.
• Support development of specialist training required for teams, stakeholders, and implementing partners in rangelands projects as well as the partnerships and agencies to offer such training services.
• Support and lead the expansion and amplification of the ARP into the East African region.
• Work directly with Country Directors and Project leads to ensure delivery excellence in all Rangelands-related work.
• Work directly with thematic and scientific leads to enable a ‘teams of teams” approach to multifaceted interventions (especially with regards to Climate Adaption/policy, Forest Restoration, Carbon Finance, and Biodiversity Conservation.
• Deliver the multi-year – GCF TWENDE restoration-related activities and the restoration components of the RRC project in the Chyulus.
• Directly supervise program and project staff as required, including overseeing the work of external partners.
• Manage the program’s budget and finances.
• Manage public or private funds; ensure compliance with donor requirements and CI policies.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• This position is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
• Working outside normal working hours. Ability to travel frequently in remote areas and in the forest.
• Ability to work with local partners, high adaptability to difficult conditions, and ability to teamwork.
• Supporting the staff in the implementation of other activities outside of its main responsibilities if needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology, Wildlife Management, Rangeland Science, Science Animal Science, Zoology, or Veterinary Science is preferred.
• 7 or more years experience working in East African rangelands projects, preferably Kenya, with a very good understanding of East African cultures, governance and policy, ecological context, and stakeholder networks.
• Program or project management experience, preferably in the global conservation, NGO, advocacy, or related for-profit arena.
• Excellent technical and analytical skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• 2 or more years of experience supervising others including multi-disciplinary teams.
• Team player and able to work effectively with diverse workgroups in a multicultural environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A record of success in influencing and partnering with key stakeholders and raising funds.
• Proven ability to multitask and meet priorities. Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and under minimal supervision.
• Fluency in English required.
• Preferred
• Advanced degree preferred.