The Western Tanzania Program Director leads TNC’s strategy, partnerships, and delivery in Western Tanzania to achieve the Lake Tanganyika Basin 2030 goals:  durably conserving 30% of the Basin’s freshwater and terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and other critical habitats in a connected, transboundary network, sustained through conservation finance and governance and grounded in inclusive and equitable co-management systems.

Focusing within and around the Lake Tanganyika catchment area/ basin that includes the  Malagarasi–Muyovozi (Moyowosi) ecosystem, this role drives outcomes that: (i) upgrade the protection status and improve the management effectiveness of critical terrestrial habitats and wildlife corridors; (ii) implement the Regenerative Agriculture Multifaceted Initiative, sustainable fishing, and other community interventions around corridors and critical habitats to promote diversified, climate resilient livelihoods, reduce encroachment and address sedimentation; and (iii) strengthen community–government partnerships for shared monitoring and results‑based finance that enable durable, mutually beneficial conservation and climate resilience.

Reporting to the Lake Tanganyika Basin Director and based either in Kigoma or Tabora, the Western Tanzania Program Director is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the program implementation, including supervising a team of around 6 staff, and coordinating the overall work of other TNC staff and implementing partners. The Director will oversee the delivery of results, reporting, and other aspects of project direction including timely execution of budget and workplan, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), safeguards, and more. The Director will manage one or more large public grants and will demonstrate project management excellence and oversight for effective delivery. Working closely with TNC regional teams and cross-functional teams, they will engage with and pursue aligned opportunities and activities that advance broader Lake Tanganyika Basin outcomes for nature, people and climate. The role requires deep experience in landscape-scale conservation in Tanzania, community-based natural resource management, and the ability to translate science into policy and on-the-ground impact.

We’re Looking for You:

Want to help save the planet? 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 a passionate, motivated problem-solver. Come join TNC and apply today!

Role Scope and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, adaptation, and delivery of the Western Tanzania portfolio to meet Basin-wide 2030 conservation and climate resilience targets.
• Support the Lake Tanganyika Basin Director to design and implement the Lake Tanganyika Basin Conservation strategy in alignment with Africa Conservation strategy and other strategies such as Freshwater, Forest, Agriculture, IPLC, Science and Policy.
• Translate science and spatial planning into priority sites, corridor design, and management models that enhance connectivity and reduce fragmentation and conversion.
• Embed inclusive, equitable, rights‑respecting approaches (gender and social inclusion, FPIC, grievance mechanisms) across all work.
• Deliver the upgraded protection status and expand/secure networks of protected and conserved areas (e.g., National/Game Reserves, WMAs, VLFRs, Local Nature Reserves) through legal, technical, and participatory processes.
• Support participatory land‑use planning (e.g., VLUPs), conservation agreements/easements, and co‑management arrangements to secure critical habitats and wildlife corridors.
• Co‑design and oversee the scaling of the Regenerative Agriculture Multifaceted Initiative around corridors and critical habitats to reduce encroachment, restore soils and watersheds, and build community resilience; integrate extension, finance, and market linkages.
• Promote nature‑based enterprises and incentives aligned with conservation objectives.
• Mobilize and manage conservation finance, including results‑based finance, climate/restoration finance (e.g., REDD+, blue carbon), and public–private partnerships.
• Strengthen trusted partnerships with communities and their institutions; local governments and councils; national agencies, research institutions; civil society; and the private sector.
• Contribute to enabling policies and regulations for protected/conserved areas, co‑management, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, climate resilience, and conservation finance.
• Contingent on funding, lead and/or contribute to management and oversight of one or more large grants funded by public and/or private donors, including ensuring proper reporting and results delivery.
• Represent TNC externally and communicate program outcomes to stakeholders, media, and donors.
• Lead annual work planning, budgeting, and adaptive management; ensure high‑quality, on time delivery and learning.
• Recruit, lead, and develop a high‑performing, diverse team; model TNC values of respect, integrity, results and collaboration.
• Foster a safe, inclusive, and accountable work environment with robust safeguarding and incident reporting.
• Provides technical leadership for and supervisory management of the Western Tanzania program.
• Serves as the primary project liaison with the funder, in collaboration with regional and public sector engagement staff.
• Supervises the monitoring of key deliverables, outputs, outcomes, and budgets as per workplans and agreements with funding partners.
• Oversees delivery of partner scopes of work as well as environmental and social safeguards.
• Cultivates and develops partnerships with key stakeholders across sectors.
• Supervises and provides technical input into the project’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning functions and supervises compliance with the funder’s requirements.
• Supervises and provides technical input into the project’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning functions and supervises compliance with the funder’s requirements.

What You’ll Bring:

Minimum qualification

• • BA/BS degree and at least 10 years’ experience in natural resources conservation, climate adaptation, and/or rural development sectors or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Proven experience working in the conservation, climate adaptation, and/or rural development sectors in Africa, preferably Eastern Africa and Tanzania.
  • At least 5 years of experience leading and managing complex conservation, climate, and/or development projects and multidisciplinary teams in Tanzania or Eastern Africa, preferably as a Program or Project Director, a Chief of Party or Deputy Chief of Party.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication with a variety of audiences and decision-makers.
  • Multi-lingual and cross-cultural experience preferred. Fluency in Kiswahili and professional proficiency in English (written and spoken) is required.
  • Prior experience with public funder operating procedures, regulations, and reporting requirements, and overseeing public awards.
  • Experience directing, managing, and supervising multi-disciplinary teams, subgrantees, and subcontractors, and meeting deadlines.
  • Politically savvy.

Desired qualifications

• • Knowledge of Western Tanzania institutions and ecosystems, especially the Malagarasi–Muyovozi/Moyowosi landscape.
  • Over 10 years of experience leading and managing complex conservation or development projects and multidisciplinary teams in Tanzania or Eastern Africa, preferably as a Program Director, a Chief Of Party or Deputy Chief Of Party
  • Familiarity with Tanzanian laws and policies on land, water, wildlife, forests, fisheries, livestock and agriculture;
  • Experience engaging with relevant Ministries; local, regional and national institutions; and the private sector.,
  • Experience working with communities and applying safeguards (ESMS), Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), gender and social inclusion (GESI), and human rights-based approaches.
  • Strong analytical and communication skills;
  • ability to synthesize science and policy into compelling strategies and messages.
  • Politically savvy.

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of TZS 149,767,300 to 209,673,800 per annum.