Current Vacancies at Nature Conservancy

• The Director of Engagement and Efficiency serves as a key strategic advisor and counsel to the Africa Regional Managing Director (RMD). They work in close partnership and in coordination with the Africa Leadership Team (ALT) to drive the execution of progress on key regional priorities, lead and manage projects with skill, and manage the Office of the Africa RMD and staff, ensuring effective and efficient operations, communication, and RMD engagement strategy. Through the Director’s work, they will enable the Executive Director to maintain an external role focused on fundraising, overall strategy, board of directors and key stakeholder engagement. The jobholder will report to the RMD, and preferably be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Specific Functions Include

• Strategic support – Provide insight, analysis, and recommendations to assist the RMD in decision making. Plan and participate in important meetings and retreats; work closely with the RMD to develop and execute strategic initiatives, ensuring they align with TNC’s 2030 Goals and mission.
• Operations management – Support RMD in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Africa Program, ensuring smooth functioning and efficient execution of plans. . Ensure a focus on efficiency, effectiveness, and continuous improvement of operational processes to enable better and more transparent decision making and planning and improved staff well-being. Coordinate activities across different departments and streamline processes to avoid duplication of effort and inefficiencies. Keep a pulse on the Africa Program, ensuring a good flow of communication between functions and assisting, as necessary, to connect the dots with others across the organization.
• Relationship building – Develop and maintain strong relationships with leaders, and colleagues at all levels. Foster effective relationships to support RMD’s objectives and to promote regional interests. Actively support a culture of accountability for execution and results.
• Communication & Liaison – Disseminate ALT’s top priorities, ensuring outcomes and action steps are clearly communicated and tracked appropriately, ensuring that strategies and projects stay on track. Document and communicate decisions and action items from meetings and ensure follow-up and closure of action items. Act as the primary point of contact and liaison between RMD and the various stakeholders, internally and externally. Represent RMD in internal meetings in his absence.
• Information management – Maintain a management reporting tool (dashboard) to track ALT member KPIs progress. Prepare and/or contribute to the preparation of reports, briefings, presentations, etc. for meetings and other priority issues involving the RMD. Ensure the RMD is properly briefed on strategic calendar events. Identify issues that impact the successful execution of plans, including elevating issues of which the RMD, and/or the Africa leadership should be aware, and framing ideas to solve the problem/mitigate the risk.
• Project management – Manage projects on behalf of the RMD. Develop project plans, timelines, allocate resources and monitor progress to ensure successful completion.
• Team Management - Manage a small team of professional staff, including responsibility for training, professional development, establishing clear directions, setting “stretch” objectives, and overseeing the execution of day-to-day work. Help to facilitate teamwork and communication at all levels within TNC.
• Self-Management – Be humble and curious; lead with compassion, embrace the power of trust and maintain confidentiality on sensitive matters, and be kind! Have fun and bring joy to the work you do!
• Maximize opportunity to act independently and resolve complex issues.
• Desire and ability to travel periodically (5-10% of year) to support RMD or ALT priorities.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU

• Are you looking for a career to help people and nature? Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that people and nature can thrive together. We’re looking for someone who is passionate, motivated problem-solver. Come join TNC and apply today!

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 7 years relevant experience working as Director of Engagement & Efficiency, a Chief of Staff, Chief Operations Officer, or similar role.
• Experience managing a multi-disciplinary team of professionals and staff including ability to motivate, lead, set objectives, and manage performance.
• Experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
• Experience in and understanding of evolving trends in organizational development and team management.
• Experience in developing Regional/Program-wide strategies and policies.
• Experience in financial and budget management
• Experience presenting to diverse internal and external groups such as donors, partners, and internal audiences from different functions.
• Experience in communication and presentation skills.
• Project management experience.
• Experience proactively managing complex, high profile or sensitive initiatives.
• Experience in working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to achieve objectives in an inclusive way.
• Written and verbal fluency in English.
• Experience and demonstrated ability to be effective and resilient in a fast-paced environment.
• Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience, especially related to Africa.

Desired Experience

• Over 10 years of experience in senior management/ Chief of staff/ Director level leading strategy implementation and managing multidisciplinary teams in non-profit set up.
• Delegates responsibility and authority to staff and clearly defines expectations.
• Proven track record of success in handling confidential information.
• Experience with meeting facilitation and management.
• Demonstrated systems thinker and possesses political acumen.
• Ability to foster an environment of creativity and professional growth.
• Well organized and self-directed.
• Proven technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
• Knowledge of current and evolving trends in conservation, government relations, fund raising and non-profit management.

go to method of application »

• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist will join TNC’s Global Freshwater Fisheries strategy team and support implementation of fishery and fish biodiversity conservation and management projects with a primary focus in Africa. They will join a diverse team with expertise in governance, management, gender, ecology and rights, matching the socio-ecological complexity of freshwater fisheries. The Global Freshwater Fisheries strategy is part of the newly created Aquatic Food Systems pillar of the TNC’s Global Provide Food and Water unit.
• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist will work closely with on-the-ground colleagues, fishing communities, partner organizations and governments following a co-management approach to ensure freshwater fisheries are managed for the benefit of people and nature.
• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist will have two main responsibilities. The first is to contribute to developing resources, training materials, and implementation frameworks for freshwater fisheries program delivery from a global perspective. The second is to provide technical expertise and support TNC community-based freshwater fishery projects throughout Africa. Current TNC inland fisheries projects include Upper Okavango Basin ( Angola), Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania, Zambia, and lake-wide), Bas Ogooué (Gabon) and Upper Kafue Ecosystem (Zambia).
• Candidates with strong quantitative backgrounds in freshwater fisheries science, freshwater fish ecology, or socio-ecological dimensions of freshwater fisheries in the Africa region are encouraged to apply.
• The location for this position is flexible within countries where The Nature Conservancy is a registered NGO and has an established office, with a strong preference for countries in Africa. TNC is registered in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, Angola, and South Africa in Africa. This position might be eligible for relocation and immigration assistance.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU

• The Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist is a unique opportunity to advance the conservation and sustainable use of freshwater fish and freshwater biodiversity in Africa and globally. You will join a global conservation NGO to bridge the gap between theory and on-the-ground implementation to address people and nature needs.
• We are looking for someone who is passionate about freshwater fisheries to apply their technical expertise and experience to advance freshwater fisheries and conservation in Africa. Join TNC and apply today!

Specific Roles And Responsibilities

• As a core member of the Global team, support the delivery of the Freshwater Fisheries Strategy and its objectives.
• Support the development of the Global team’s Centre of Excellence, including leading the creation of a central repository of TNC and external resources related to freshwater fisheries.
• Work closely with TNC country teams in the Africa region to understand project needs and provide technical expertise on freshwater fisheries governance and management.
• Support TNC country teams’ engagement with communities, governments and other partners in fisheries community-based co-management processes.
• Apply a diversity of tools, methods and other resources and advance project implementation through a socio-ecological approach.
• Design and support end-to-end data pathways from survey design, training, analysis through to communicating results to inform management.
• Support project teams’ adoption of a broad approach to freshwater fisheries as people and nature, including accounting for freshwater environments, ecology, community gender and other socio-economic components.
• Deliver freshwater fisheries training to colleagues and partners.
• Represent the context, interests and needs of freshwater fisheries in the African region internally and with external partners.
• Advance knowledge exchange with other regions in the team’s portfolio of projects such as in Latin America.
• Where needed, carry out work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, in hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. travel may be required for approximately 20% of the time to succeed in this position.

What You'll Bring

• Master’s degree in a science-related field and two years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience leading and working with cross-functional teams.
• Experience synthesizing, interpreting, and communicating scientific information.
• Experience preparing reports of findings.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals.
• Experience working and communicating with a wide range of people.
• Proficiency in English for written and verbal communication.

Desired Qualifications

• A PhD in freshwater fisheries, freshwater fish ecology, socio-ecological dimension of freshwater fisheries, or another related study area.
• Experience with freshwater fishery governance and management in Africa.
• Experience with fishery-related data collection, analysis, and communication.
• Familiarity with human dimensions of fisheries.
• Experience training fishery managers, communities, and partners.
• Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Proficiency in French and/or Portuguese is desirable.
• Knowledge of software GIS and R applications appreciated.
• Proven negotiation skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to meet deadlines.