Technical Specialist, Enterprise Development, Kenya at Fauna & Flora International

Africa Programme

Working closely with local partners, Fauna & Flora currently operates in 13 countries in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, and is implementing a range of projects focused on species and habitat conservation, biodiversity planning, protected area management, institutional development and capacity building, sustainable use and community-focused wildlife management initiatives. With waterfalls and mountains, deserts and rainforests, wetlands and savannah, Africa is a continent of true splendour. Beneath its wild and ancient landscapes lie resources literally as rich as diamonds, copper and coltan, and its wildlife is as diverse as its cultures. Africa harbours fauna and flora as magnificent as its terrains, including large mammals that occupy huge expanses of land. Mountain gorillas, pygmy hippos, mpingo trees (whose timber is prized for musical instruments) and the desperately rare northern white rhino are just some of the species symbolic of this region. Some of the work currently being undertaken by Fauna & Flora in Africa is the protection of mountain gorillas, African elephants and lions from deforestation and poaching.

Kenya Programme

Fauna & Flora has been championing wildlife conservation in Kenya since our foundation in 1903. A century later, we have opened an office in Nairobi and established a formal country programme, since when we have been supporting local partners to protect key habitats and species. In particular, we have played a crucial role in establishing a number of wildlife conservancies in northern Kenya that protect wildlife while also supporting sustainable local livelihoods. One of our most notable success stories has been the establishment and ongoing support of Ol Pejeta Conservancy. In 2003 Fauna & Flora, with the help of the Arcus Foundation, purchased a 364 km2 cattle ranch that forms part of a critical wildlife corridor at the foot of Mount Kenya. The ranch was converted into a wildlife conservancy and ownership was transferred from Fauna & Flora to a Kenyan non-profit entity in 2005 under a long-term management agreement. The project safeguards the conservancy’s wildlife, including East Africa’s largest black rhino population and the world’s last remaining northern white rhinos. It also provides a sanctuary for rescued chimpanzees and generates income through wildlife tourism, which is reinvested in conservation and community development.

Fauna & Flora has also been supporting the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) since its inception in 2004. This community-led organisation has developed a network of community conservancies across 44,000 km2 each of which is helping to transform people’s lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources. Beyond our terrestrial conservation programme, we are supporting the efforts of coastal communities in the south of Kenya to secure greater involvement in the management and husbandry of their marine resources.

The Opportunity

Fauna & Flora is seeking a Technical Specialist, Enterprise Development to support our conservation projects in Kenya. In this pivotal role, you will drive efforts to shape and respond to the conservation enterprise and finance agenda, with a focus on tourism, agribusiness, and the blue economy. You will collaborate with partners to develop nature-positive business models that foster economic growth through enhanced tourism revenues and diversified income streams from agribusiness, fisheries, and emerging conservation finance opportunities.

The ideal candidate will have experience in developing conservation enterprises in Kenya and an understanding of pertinent policy and regulatory environments. Essential skills include strategic thinking, effective communication, mentoring, project management, proposal writing, and donor reporting. 

If you are ready to make a difference and contribute to innovative, sustainable conservation efforts, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Join us in advancing conservation enterprises that create lasting impacts for people and nature alike.

Terms and Conditions

Start Date:                            As soon as possible                

Duration of Contract:           Permanent

Probation Period:                 6 months

Gross Salary:                        USD 36,535 per annum

Location:  Fauna & Flora Office in Nairobi, Kenya. With travel to domestic project sites as required. International travel to Fauna & Flora’s head office in Cambridge, UK may be required.

Benefits:  25 working days’ annual leave entitlement plus national public holidays observed in Kenya

Hours of Work:  This is a full-time position, working 40 hours per week Monday to Friday inclusive. These hours may vary depending on the requirements of the job in the field.

Job Description

Job Title:                                Technical Specialist, Enterprise Development, Kenya              

Reports to:                             Country Manager, Kenya Programme            

Key working relationships:  Kenya Programme Staff

Senior Programme Manager, Eastern Africa

Africa Programme Staff

Fauna & Flora Finance and Enterprise team, SAGE

Other Fauna & Flora Cross-Cutting teams

Purpose:

The Technical Specialist, Enterprise Development will work with Fauna & Flora staff and partners to create a portfolio of nature-positive enterprises in various sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and fisheries. These enterprises should have clear biodiversity and social impacts and aim to enhance the financial resilience of conservation efforts within priority projects in Kenya, under the direction of the Country Manager and in collaboration with the Enterprise & Finance technical staff from the People & Nature team.

This role is responsible for ensuring all approaches align with the delivery of the Fauna & Flora Strategy and Business Plan. The individual will identify current and emerging themes related to enterprise development in conservation in Kenya and facilitate the implementation of responses from Fauna & Flora and its partners through high-quality and collaboratively developed projects and funds.

Specific Duties:

Technical

• Provide technical input on enterprise development components of Fauna & Flora projects in Kenya. 
• Undertake research and analysis on enabling environments, markets, partners, costs, revenues, compliance requirements and on any other topics relevant to enterprise development.
• Track emerging opportunities for conservation enterprises in diverse sectors including tourism, agribusiness, fisheries and renewable energy. 
• Undertake feasibility assessments of new products and ventures.
• Undertake feasibility for market-based livelihoods approaches that can be scaled through community-led enterprises, cooperatives etc. and facilitate their formation.
• Write business models, including strategy and planning for nature-positive enterprises and projects, in collaboration with conservation and private sector partners and Fauna & Flora colleagues.
• Proactively identify individuals within the Fauna & Flora or partner organisations to mentor and develop the necessary skillsets for assured and impactful delivery of enterprise- related projects
• Develop financial models that align with business models and demonstrate financial viability and sustainability of nature-positive enterprises and projects.
• Develop finance models (such as eco-credits, Village Savings and Loan Associations) and micro-insurance.
• Collaborate with enterprise and finance specialists in the People & Nature team on the development of legal ownership models and structures for enterprises.
• Collaborate with enterprise and finance specialists in People & Nature team on the development of investment and fundraising pitches.
• Facilitate supply chain development including documentation, certification, promotion and engagement with buyers.
• Facilitate engagement with wider market system actors using value chain analysis and Participatory Market Systems Development (PMSD) and other relevant approaches to enterprise development.
• Design and deliver biodiversity impact models and metrics, and monitoring and evaluation plans, relevant to enterprise development.
• Working closely with the Technical Specialist, Livelihoods and Governance (Kenya), to 
  • ensure the business models developed have clear social benefits, and gender and social equity are carefully considered during design and implementation
  • develop robust governance structure for the enterprises, clarifying membership rules, ensuring equitable benefit sharing agreements, participation of women and men in the conservation enterprise

Project Management & Development

• Identify potential private sector partners and sources of funding relevant to enterprise development.
• Manage the local implementation and delivery of Fauna & Flora’s commitments within specific projects as directed by the Country Manager.
• Ensure full compliance with Fauna & Flora protocols, policies and procedures, ensuring work is done to high quality and within fund budgets.
• Apply technical input to the development of programme budgets and management of People & Nature funds, ensuring adherence to Fauna & Flora’s financial management system and policies and to specific donor requirements
• Undertake specific fund management responsibilities relevant to the enterprise component and in coordination with other project components, including:
• Lead Fauna & Flora and donor technical report writing and editing, coordinating the inputs of team members, cross-cutting teams, specialists and partners, ensuring accurate and timely technical reports as per Fauna & Flora and donor requirements
• Ensure all funding proposals and resulting contracts and grant agreements are appropriate to, and comply with, Fauna & Flora operating standards, the Fauna & Flora Delegation of Authority (DoA), and implementation context within the region.
• Delivery of grant funded projects within time-frames and budgets.
• Manage project inputs from relevant technical and operational staff and consultants, and implementing partners, ensuring appropriate contracts are in place where relevant.
• Ensure that project monitoring and evaluation is in place and fit for purpose, working with Fauna & Flora team (in Kenya and in Cambridge) to review results and adapt project implementation as required.
• Be responsible for fund finances and ensure all expenditure complies with donor and Fauna & Flora regulations, Fauna & Flora’s DoA, and Kenyan laws.
• Management of cash flow for relevant activities and accountability of funds, including required finance planning and reporting
• Prepare project financial reports, with support from the Finance Business Partner, East Africa and ensure timely, high quality and accurate technical, operational and financial funder and institutional reporting
• Ensure the regular back-up and appropriate storage of all project data and financial records, in line with in-country and donor auditing requirements, internal and donor reporting requirements, and ensuring there is sufficient detail for overall institutional auditing of Fauna & Flora. Under the guidance of the Country Manager provide active input and support, and when appropriate lead, new project development

Training, Communications and Engagement

• Develop and collaborate on training materials including documentation, talks and lectures.
• Develop and collaborate on articles, guidelines, briefing papers, templates etc.
• Provide training and mentoring on enterprise development to partners and communities.
• Contribute to a global Community of Practice on nature-based enterprise development as well as national and regional forums, networks and events.

Other 

• With agreement of the Country Manager perform any other tasks that may be requested from time to time, which are appropriate to the roles, skills and experience, and relevant to the scope of this role. 

Person Specification

Fauna & Flora Values

Values underpin who we are and how we act. Just as values shape who we are as individuals, they define us as an organisation, creating the culture of success for which Fauna & Flora is renowned. Our people exemplify our shared values, which are interconnected and interdependent:

• We act with integrity
• We are collaborative
• We are committed
• We are inclusive, supportive & respectful
• We get things done