Senior Manager, Classroom Africa at African Wildlife Foundation

About the Role

The Senior Manager for Classroom Africa will be responsible for the leadership of the program; overseeing the strategy review, program development and implementation while ensuring a key focus to overall AWF priorities and strategic direction in a landscape-based model.

Required capabilities for this position are a strong commitment to the program and organization by exhibiting a willingness to travel 50% of the time; being a team player with interpersonal skills and an ability to work closely and collaboratively with the landscape and country teams. Experience managing a large (5 – 7 ongoing projects) multi-million-dollar portfolio is necessary. Adaptability, flexibility, and commitment to the strategy are all necessary attributes.

Responsibilities

• Continuous improvement of Classroom Africa Strategy – v2.0
• Lead the implementation of the CA strategy in line with AWF’s priority landscapes
• Collaborate closely with landscape directors/managers and Country Directors in the adaptation and integration of the new strategy, ensuring a sense of ownership for the CA programs in their landscapes
• Support and facilitate dialogue with the Conservation Leadership Board sub-committee (Board Representatives) on the strategy review and general direction of CA
• Support fundraising efforts for effective implementation of the new strategy.

Manage and expand Classroom Africa program

• Lead the development and implementation of Conservation Education programs across AWF landscapes in Africa.
• Support landscape and country teams to integrate program-planning documents to the chosen program management system for general operations, new school development and ongoing support for each school.
• Supervise the Conservation Education Officer in ensuring that plans are updated on a weekly basis to set priorities and ensure effective management of the program.
• Provide oversight and guidance to the officer (s) and partners on programs and ensure quality implementation
• Ensure all programming aligns to AWF Rights based approach
• Support in setting up a criterion and a process for taking on infrastructure development or rehabilitation
• Supervise Construction Project Manager to ensure any school infrastructure projects align with Classroom Africa’s new strategy, are thoughtfully identified and coordinated through country programs.
• Support any maintenance activities of ongoing schools by developing and adhering to maintenance plans.

Collaboration with Youth and Leadership Programs

• It is critical that Classroom Africa works closely with the youth program and Conservation Leadership programs to:
• Ensure a flow of potential conservation leaders from the landscapes where we work
• Ensure effective marketing and story telling for the broader program
• Together with the landscape and country teams, develop the implementation of an overall partner strategy to ensure effective engagement and advancement of objectives and goals.
• Together with the landscape and country teams, develop and oversee implementation of an approach to improve quality of education for each school and achieve aims of academic excellence, including professional development for teachers.
• Work with relevant team members (both Classroom Africa team and landscape teams) to identify conservation education partners for each school, develop a conservation education work plan, and coordinate delivery of activities.
• Work with relevant team members (both Classroom Africa team and landscape teams) to identify relevant professional development partners for each school; with the head teacher and local education authorities, coordinate needed trainings.
• For each school, assess (if any) the needs for technology and media; identify partners and/or supplies for needed books and technology assets. Where technology is used, ensure training materials are procured and conduct training.
• Remain up to date on industry knowledge by tracking and reading publications, maintaining networks, following professional organizations, and attending conferences or seminars if needed.
• Build and maintain relationships with communities, education authorities, schools and other stakeholders as necessary to ensure effective operations of schools and successful achievement of Classroom Africa objectives at each school.

Site selection and program expansion

• Work with senior management, Senior Director of Project Management and Partnerships and Country Directors to develop potential new landscape proposals for Classroom Africa engagement; identify potential conservation need (impact) of Classroom Africa in a proposed landscape.
• Participate in school site scoping with landscape and country teams and other relevant parties / stakeholders as appropriate.
• Develop new site proposals for Classroom Africa Sub- Committee review and approval.
• Working closely with landscape teams, lead engagement with communities and local education authorities in the development and negotiation of new partnership agreements.
• Working closely with landscape teams support the develop program partner agreements, obtain necessary internal approvals, and work with landscape teams to execute agreements with communities and relevant education authorities.

Financial and operational management

• Oversee and approve financial transactions (payments, invoices, contract development) for the Classroom Africa program.
• Monitor expenditures to ensure program operations and schools are within the approved budget.
• Identify programmatic funding gaps and needs; liaise with the fundraising teams to ensure efficient communication of Classroom Africa fundraising priorities.
• Prepare financial reports for the Classroom Africa Sub-Committee, and senior management as requested.
• Document and publicize the impact achieved within target landscape.
• Develop CA annual budgets and support approval process by the leadership
• Continuously support the M&E team in the improvement of the
• Update programmatic M&E metrics for the Classroom Africa program and provide analysis for regular reporting.
• Collate data metrics for AWF Board of Trustee updates.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, environmental science, project management, or related field.
• Seven years of experience developing and managing programs in Africa.
• Experience managing complex projects with multiple partners, donors and stakeholders.
• Experience in identification and cultivation of field partners, development of partnership agreements, and management of partner engagements.
• Experience working and negotiating with communities and government agencies in an African context.
• Experience and ability to engage with senior management, trustees and donors.
• Ability and willingness to travel at least 50% of the time sometimes to very remote locations.
• Proven track record of ensuring timely, efficient and successful implementation.
• Ability to think strategically, to understand program’s role in larger conservation efforts, organizational strategic objectives and to develop creative, pragmatic approaches to forward planning.
• Ability to be team leader, including management of team resources (both financial and human), providing guidance and mentorship to junior staff, and ensuring team’s delivery of goals.
• Excellent English oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and cultural sensitivity; fluency in French considered an asset.
• Understanding of basic financial principles, budgeting, and cost analysis.
• Patience, listening skills, and a sense of humor.
• Demonstrated commitment to conservation of wildlife and wild lands.