Zambia Country Director at The Nature Conservancy

Founded in 1951, the Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable.  One of our core values is our commitment to diversity. Therefore, we strive for a globally diverse and culturally competent workforce. Working in 72 countries, including all 50 United States, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

The Zambia Country Director will be based in Lusaka with significant travel to the Kafue landscape (KNP and surrounding GMAs). The Country Director will be responsible for maintaining and growing the implementation of our conservation and livelihoods program to address critical threats to the Kafue ecosystem by using science and a rights-based approach to community development as well as some policy reform.

The Kafue ecosystem is TNC’s key geographical focus in Zambia. This is a 16.7-million-acre complex of largely intact woodland and seasonally flooded grasslands dominated by 5.5 million-acre Kafue National Park (KNP) and nine Game Management Areas (GMAs) that span an additional 11.2 million acres. It is Zambia’s largest conservation landscape and providing water for industrial, domestic use and energy production. TNC is working with diverse stakeholders in this ecosystem to create sustainable conservation and wealth generation models for the park and adjacent GMAs. TNC’s goal in the ecosystem is to create enabling conditions for growth of conservation and nature-based enterprises for the benefit of local communities, nature and Zambia’s economy.

The Country Director will lead TNC’s strategy, operations and programs in the Kafue ecosystem. Specifically, the position will provide programs and operational oversight in the ecosystem – which includes resource mobilization, partners relations and staff supervision, recruitment and coordination. The position will also oversee implementation of the Kafue Conservation Collaboration Agreement, coordinate and support activities while liaising with a range of stakeholders. This position will report to the Africa Conservation Director.

The Country Director will supervise a team of staff in the Zambia country office and will report to our Regional Conservation Director.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Zambia Country Director serves as the principle contact for government agencies and other strategic partners. He/She develops and maintains 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 country and the continent. The Country Director plays a leading role in donor identification and cultivation of partnerships to establish TNC as a major conservation partner in the country.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Geographic/programmatic size and scope is that of a large, complex business unit, multiple small to mid-sized business units, division/regional or a large program area spanning parts of multiple states/divisions.
• May be responsible for leading or co-leading a whole system program.
• Recruits, retains and manages high quality and effective multi-disciplinary staff with responsibility for performance management, training and career development.
• Broad management and leadership responsibility for 5+ staff members.
• Develops long-term strategies and achieves strategic goals and objectives
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.
• Makes independent strategic decisions frequently based on analysis, ambiguous information, experience and judgment.
• May require frequent travel domestically and/or internationally and evening and weekend hours.
• Ability to communicate clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and French.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS degree and 10 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Experience directing a major program or project of strategic importance, including management/supervision of multi-disciplinary teams and meeting deadlines.
• Experience working with current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
• Experience negotiating complex project deals with government and non-government partners
• Experience influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans at the state or country level.
• Experience with financial management of a large program.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• 10-12 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.
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.
•  Politically savvy.

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