Project Manager – Climate Change & Natural Resource Management at Solidaridad Eastern & Central Africa Expertise Centre (SECAEC)

About the Role

Solidaridad East & Central Africa is seeking a Project Manager – Climate Change & Natural Resource Management to lead the planning, coordination and delivery of assigned projects in line with approved objectives, results, budgets, timelines, donor agreements and organisational policies. The role will translate Solidaridad’s Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) into practical interventions that strengthen climate-resilient production systems, promote regenerative and sustainable land management, restore ecosystems and improve the resilience and livelihoods of small-scale producers. In addition to project management, the postholder will serve as the ECA regional focal point for Climate Change and Carbon, supporting technical coherence, learning and collaboration across country programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead project planning and delivery, including workplans, budgets, schedules, procurement plans, results frameworks and risk registers; monitor progress and take timely corrective action.
• Manage project teams, consultants and implementing partners, ensuring clear responsibilities, quality delivery and compliance with donor agreements and Solidaridad policies.
• Monitor expenditure, forecasts and budget utilisation with Finance; manage project risks and ensure complete, accurate and audit-ready documentation and reporting.
• Serve as the ECA regional focal point for Climate Change and Carbon, connecting country teams, sharing tools and learning, and coordinating with regional and global technical colleagues.
• Promote climate-risk assessment, adaptation, mitigation, climate resilience and nature-based solutions, including climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, sustainable land use and ecosystem restoration.
• Identify and assess carbon-programming opportunities, including emissions reduction, carbon sequestration and regenerative land-use interventions; support GHG measurement, monitoring and reporting with qualified specialists.
• Contribute to preliminary assessments of carbon finance and market opportunities, ensuring attention to feasibility, integrity, safeguards, land and resource rights, consent and benefit sharing. Ensure carbon-related claims are evidence-based and appropriately validated.
• Provide technical guidance and capacity strengthening to project teams, producer organisations and partners; develop or contribute to practical tools, guidance, training and knowledge exchanges.
• Work with PMEL/MEL and Quality colleagues to integrate climate, natural resource and carbon indicators, maintain data quality, document results and lessons, and use evidence to improve delivery.
• Build effective relationships with communities, producer organisations, government, donors, research institutions, private-sector actors and climate/carbon stakeholders.
• Contribute technical inputs to concept notes, proposals, budgets and resource-mobilisation opportunities in collaboration with the Head of Programmes, Country Managers and Business Development colleagues.
• Coordinate across Finance, Operations, Communications, Business Development and technical teams to ensure effective project support and continuous improvement.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Climate Change, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Agriculture, Development Studies, Project Management or a related discipline. A relevant Master’s degree is an advantage.
• At least five years’ progressive experience managing donor-funded projects, including planning, budgeting, implementation, partner coordination, monitoring and reporting.
• Demonstrated experience in climate change, climate-smart agriculture, environmental sustainability, natural resource management or sustainable landscapes.
• Working knowledge of carbon programming, GHG measurement, carbon finance or carbon-market concepts; direct carbon-project experience is an advantage.
• Experience coordinating across teams, partners or countries and providing technical guidance or peer support.
• Strong experience in donor reporting, budget monitoring, risk management and contribution to proposals or concept notes.
• Experience engaging government, development partners, research institutions, communities and/or private-sector stakeholders.
• Ability to interpret technical information and translate it into practical actions, indicators and guidance for project teams.
• Professional training or certification in project management, climate change, GHG accounting, carbon markets, environmental management or monitoring and evaluation is an advantage.