Founded in 1951, the Nature Conservancy (TNC) 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 and scalable solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. This decade is critical for the planet; the global community must address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss to put us on a path to sustainability. We are committed to making a meaningful contribution to these challenges through our 2030 goals, which are aligned with the United Nations global agenda on biodiversity and climate. 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.

The Nature Conservancy Africa program follows a holistic approach to protect vital lands and waters, transform the way natural resources are used and managed and inspire to equip others to contribute to the shared vision of a healthy and sustainable future for Africa’s lands, waters, wildlife and people. We use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners.

Some 60 percent of Africa’s lands and waters are managed by the people who live on them. These people are undoubtedly the most vulnerable on Earth. A continuing threat is their lack of control over the communal lands and waters they depend on for survival.  And as the people struggle, so too does the wildlife that relies on the same resources. Therefore, our work in Africa is focused on perfecting the best examples of community-led conservation across the continent’s vast shared lands and waters.

Through our place-based projects in northern Kenya, northern and western Tanzania, western Zambia, Namibia, Gabon, Angola and the West Indian Ocean, we have the opportunity to protect hundreds of millions of acres of land, freshwater and marine habitat by building local institutions and cultivating a culture of conservation that also provides tangible benefits to people.

The Africa RMD serves as the senior executive leading this major geography.  They provide leadership for the design and implementation of programs and strategic actions for the conservation of biological diversity in Africa.  They ensure that strategies and activities reflect the Africa Region’s strategic approach and priorities and is ultimately responsible and accountable for the programs, partnerships, and conservation results throughout the region. The Africa RMD represents the Region broadly to TNC senior management, the Board of Directors, major private donors, country governments, bilateral and multilateral agencies, and NGO partners. They fundraise with public and private donors and ensures that sufficient resources are available to accomplish the regional/program’s objectives.  They build and direct the leadership team to provide managerial oversight for all administration, ensuring adherence to legal requirements and TNC policies and procedures.

• Leadership and Management. Model TNC core values and leadership competencies while leading and motivating the team towards shared organizational priorities, ensuring accountability and allocation of necessary resources and support across the region. Broad management and leadership responsibility with a team of 10 direct reports for a team of approximately 110 members in multiple geographies and time zones with a budget of approximately USD$38M per annum.
• Vision. Maintains a vision for the programs in the Africa Region that aligns with TNC’s 2030 Goals as part of our Shared Agenda and external trends. Creates and successfully communicates visionary approaches that leverage existing and new capabilities and/or partnerships to the practical problems of large-scale international conservation and fundraising within TNC.
• Strategy. Coordinates with leadership team and local teams to guide and execute the Africa Region strategies in support of TNC’s priorities, as well as co-creates equitable strategies with global and other internal teams that accelerate progress towards our goals.
• Plans. Responsible for creating annual financial, staff, and operational plans to prioritize and meet current and future conservation needs for TNC.
• Relationships. Forms and cultivates external partnerships to rapidly advance our international conservation work. Establishes and maintains effective working partnerships with staff, vendors, partners, academic institutions, and donors.
• Corporate Engagement: Builds and maintains relationship with top CEOs in Africa.
• Fundraising. Identifies and cultivates major donors and secures cash and in-kind donations. Nurtures long-term positive relationships with major donors interested in conservation work in the region and/or surrounding Shared Agenda priorities.
• Corporate Risk Management. Implements risk management strategies to ensure protection of TNC’s brand and reputation.
• Innovation: Applies innovation principles to maximize learning and impact across conservation, financial and operational strategies.

• Graduate degree in business, law, natural resource management or other relevant field and 10 years senior level experience in international conservation field, or equivalent combination, including 5 years’ experience at a senior level in international conservation field or management or equivalent combination.
• Graduate degree in relevant field.
• Experience in leading and managing a large multi-disciplinary team, including managing senior level leaders, including modeling and holding others accountable for operating in alignment with organizational values and ethics while delivering value added support to business unit leaders.
• Experience designing, implementing and directing complex or multiple of project of strategic importance with focus on systems change.
• Experience in evaluating and/or negotiating complex, high profile or sensitive agreements.
• Experience working with the politics, society and environmental community of the geographic Region.
• Experience communicating with and presenting to diverse audiences including donors, board members, employees, outside partners, or equivalent.
• Experience in fundraising, including identification and cultivation of major donors.
• Experience managing a board of advisors
• Willingness to travel 30-45% of time often to remote locations.
• Fluency in English and in a predominant language of the Region if other than English (if required).

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-lingual skills and/or multi-cultural experience appreciated.
• Experience managing an international board in the Region.
• Experience delegating responsibility and authority to staff and clearly defining expectations.
• Knowledge of diversity and inclusion initiative in the workplace.
• Ability to foster an environment of creativity and professional growth in a complex, multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent contacts throughout the region.
• Experience dealing with challenges, identifying important issues and conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
• Superb communication and presentation skills; ability to persuasively convey the mission of TNC and regional programs and priorities to diverse groups, including donors, partners, Board members and others who are critical to the organization’s overall prosperity