KAZA Landscape Director at The Nature Conservancy

Job Description

OFFICE LOCATION

Livingstone, Zambia

Who We Are

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there are lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor .

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. T o quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

Since establishing the Africa Program in 2007, The Nature Conservancy’s vision in Africa is to work towards fostering a sustainable future for people and nature, partnering with indigenous communities across 55 million acres on the continent. Our efforts are firmly rooted in people, leveraging scientific and technical expertise as we collaborate with governments and organizations to conserve and enhance Africa’s shared resources in the 9 countries we operate. TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for indigenous people, strengthening leadership and resource management and helping communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries management, ocean and source water protection, energy development and sustainable food production, working together and strengthening our resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss that stands to adversely impact the nearly 1.4 billion people that share Africa.

TNC is expanding its work to the broader Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). KAZA TFCA is the world’s largest terrestrial transfrontier conservation landscape, established in 2011 and spanning five countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The upland areas of Angola and Zambia are crucial for maintaining the KAZA TFCA, contributing to hydrological connectivity, wildlife corridor connectivity, and the interconnectedness of cultures and heritage. The source water areas of the Okavango, Cuando, and Zambezi rivers, primarily located in the “Angolan Highlands Water Tower,” are home to diverse species and ecosystems, including Miombo forests and peatlands that act as critical carbon sinks and support healthy hydrological flows.

KAZA TFCA vision is to: ‘establish a world-class transfrontier conservation area and tourism destination in the Okavango and Zambezi River Basin regions of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe within the context of sustainable development .’ While the KAZA TFCA mission is: ‘to sustainably manage the Kavango Zambezi ecosystem, its heritage and cultural resources based on best conservation and tourism models for the socio-economic wellbeing of the communities and other stakeholders in and around the eco-region through harmonization of policies, strategies and practices .’

KAZA as an concept can be summed up as striving towards maintaining and achieving interconnectedness of freshwater resources – hydrological connectivity; wildlife – protected areas and corridor connectivity; people – connected cultures and heritage, most importantly recognition of KAZA as a co-existence landscape, hence importance of working with indigenous peoples and local communities (including protecting/securing their rights and economies within this broad landscape).

What We Can Achieve Together

KAZA Landscape Director will provide strategic direction to the TNC KAZA Program, build collaborations among KAZA partners, and lead the development and implementation of the TNC KAZA landscape strategic plan. The position will focus on the broader KAZA landscape and leverage on existing programs in Angola and Zambia which will include resource mobilization, partner relations, staff supervision, recruitment, escalated problem resolution, and coordination. Across the wider KAZA the KAZA Landscape Director will contribute to the KAZA strategic planning frameworks relevant to freshwater ecosystem health and wildlife connectivity in alignment with TNC goals. The KAZA Landscape Director will eventually directly and indirectly supervise a team of staff involved in the delivery of conservation programs/projects in the KAZA region and will report to our Africa Freshwater Strategy Director given the primary initial program focus related to freshwater.

WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU

The KAZA Landscape Director serves as the principal contact for KAZA Secretariat, KAZA partner states agencies, and other strategic partners for issues regarding TNC’s KAZA strategic plan and associated implementation. They will develop and maintain key partnerships with international, regional, national, and local governmental, multilateral, bilateral, private, and non-governmental organizations that help advance TNC’s conservation objectives in the KAZA landscape and the continent. The KAZA Landscape Director plays a leading role in donor identification and cultivation of partnerships to establish TNC as a major conservation partner in the KAZA landscape. He or she will also lead and coordinate implementation of all transboundary TNC KAZA Conservation Programs in collaboration with Angola and Zambia country programs while liaising with a range of stakeholders both internally and externally across wider KAZA. The position will be based in one of TNC’s offices in Zambia, ideally in Livingstone.

Specifically, The KAZA Landscape Director Will Deliver

Strategic Leadership

- - Develop the TNC KAZA landscape strategic plan and ensure its implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning progress review.
  - Provide TNC leadership with an account of the KAZA landscape impact and targets aligned with the overarching strategic goals.
  - Provide leadership for the establishment and implementation of TNC regional and global strategy projects and initiatives in KAZA landscape to ensure they are aligned with and contribute to the Africa strategic plan and TNC 2030 goals. This includes, but is not limited to:
  - Building and supporting cross organization and cross sector consortia of strategic partners to harmonize the goals and implementation of the TNC KAZA Strategic Plan with key KAZA strategic partners such as the KAZA Secretariat, Commonland, Peace Parks Foundation, and WWF.
  - Working directly with the KAZA Secretariat and KAZA structures including the Conservation Working Group, and all relevant sub-working groups to maximize integration of activities and amplify impact.

Program Development and Management

- Provide coordination of all in KAZA landscape programs and projects.
- Ensure all TNC KAZA landscape program and projects are implemented on time and on budget.
- Provide oversight of in KAZA landscape program and projects adaptation and provide quarterly program reviews and monitoring updates.
- Develop and monitor KAZA landscape program budget in line with allocated funds, in close collaboration with the strategy leads, the project/program leads and the finance team.
- Provide oversight of in KAZA landscape budget management, including operational costs and risks for budget adjustments.
- Create and manage TNC KAZA program teams specific to geographies and themes within the KAZA strategic plan.
- Create and support cross-organizational and cross-sector communities of practice to ensure scaling and expansion across geographies is based on effective implementation and learning.

Fundraising

- Play a key role in fundraising and reporting to donors by working closely with our private and public fundraising teams.
- Build fundraising alliances and consortia with other NGOs, community groups, government agencies and /or the KAZA Secretariat for shared impact.

Policy & Partnership Management at TFCA (?) Level

- Provide oversight for partner collaboration and policy development towards aligning TNC conservation goals to the development agenda of KAZA Strategies and Plans.
- Build, enable and support cross organization and cross sector consortia of implementing partners to realize the goals of the KAZA Strategy.
- Manage, monitor and nurture relationships with KAZA partner states-specific partners including KAZA Secretariat, relevant governments, communities, key stakeholders, and implementation partners.
- Relay feedback from partners to the rest of the organization.
- Relay opportunities to expand and scale activities within KAZA to the rest of the organization.

People Management

- Be responsible for day-to-day management of all future staff in the KAZA landscape program, and indirect supervision of select staff within the region.
- Manage and/or mentor multi-disciplinary administrative and conservation staff and be responsible for performance management, training, and career development.
- Facilitate effective collaboration and communication across multiple strategies, as well as the Angola and Zambia country teams, using matrix management principles.
- Make future KAZA Program hiring decisions, along with relevant TNC Africa management staff.

What You’ll Bring

BA/BS degree and 10 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience directing a major program or project of strategic importance, including management/supervision of multi-disciplinary teams and meeting deadlines.
Experience fundraising, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation
Experience working with current trends and practices in conservation in southern Africa and specifically Angola.
Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance.
Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and government agencies.
Experience negotiating complex project deals with government and non-government partners.
Experience influencing, developing, and implementing conservation policy and plans at the province or country level.
Experience with financial management of a large program.
Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English.

Desired Qualifications

Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated, particularly in Portuguese.
Over 12 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives and experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
Politically savvy.
Experience in building multi-partner collaborations and consortia across a wide range of diverse parties and sectors to build a shared agenda, integrated management framework and associated on-the-ground program of activities.

What We Bring

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, retirement pension stipend plan including employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.

APPLY NOW

To apply for job ID 55544 , submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ . Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact [email protected] .

Our recruiting process is a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [email protected] with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.