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’s 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. To 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 nine countries where 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’s Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) strategy aims to transform the way natural resource decisions are made by strengthening the voice, choice, and action of IPLCs to manage natural territories in ways that improve lives and drive conservation. Our focus in Africa is to bring together IPLC, governments, business leaders, academics, NGOs, and others to secure resource ownership for IPLC; strengthen IPLC leadership and management capacity; and create livelihood opportunities that reinforce conservation and cultural values.
What We Can Achieve Together:
The Africa IPLC Strategy Directorwill provide leadership to the Africa IPLC Strategy and serve as the principle contact to government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations, and the academic community. They may play a leading role in donor identification, cultivation, and stewardship for the program and will implement, adapt, and scale the strategy. They will be responsible for building evidence and sharing lessons on best practices to support project teams to enable indigenous communities to secure rights to natural resources, build strong governance management in community-established institutions, and create enabling conditions that unlock both economic and non-economic incentives using nature-based solutions. The position will lead our partnerships with local conservation organizations by supporting the African Conservation Leadership Network to ensure our rights and equity approaches are integrated within all our strategic work with indigenous people and local communities. They will work closely with the human rights and equity team to implement environmental and social safeguards that help mitigate the impact of TNC programs and projects on people. To achieve this, they will support our place-based work and implement effective community-led conservation by strengthening IPLC governance, leadership, equity, and rights, and supporting nature-based community-led enterprises.
We’re Looking for You:
The Africa IPLC Strategy Director will lead the development and implementation of best practices in community-led conservation. They will collaborate with both private and state entities to ensure whole systems management of critical terrestrial, freshwater, and marine protected areas. This position will collaborate closely with teams across TNC, including Africa regional teams, the Global IPLC team, and the Global Equitable Conservation team. They will grow TNC’s IPLC strategy in the region, including Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia with a focus on freshwater, oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems, and climate. This position will report to the Africa Conservation Director. This position can be based in any country in Africa where TNC has an office
Roles and Responsibilities scope will include:
- Provide leadership to project teams to apply tools and systems such as free prior and informed consent processes, participatory rural and learning appraisals, and conservation action planning in designing community projects.
- Leads project teams to implement Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) good governance and natural resource management tools and best practices.
- Directs feasibility assessments, and support for developing, and enabling conditions to scale community-led nature enterprises opportunities.
- Supervise the Africa Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) program officer, Gender & Reproductive Health advisor, and the Equity & Rights advisor.
- Partners with the Development and External Affairs team, to raise public and private funds that help increase revenue streams for community engagement and enterprises.
- Ensure that IPLCs are benefitting from participating in the development and implementation of new models of funding such as the Project Finance for Permanence, Debt Swap, and Green Bond structures.
- Lead partnerships with local conservation organizations through the African Conservation Leadership Network (ACLN). They will be responsible for the recruitment of new cohort members and supporting the alumni to achieve their partnership objectives.
- Develop key partnerships with governmental agencies, community, private sector, funding agencies and NGOs to identify and resolve key challenges in community-led conservation and widely communicate solutions, innovative scientific methods, analysis, tools, and frameworks to address organizational and sector gaps in community-led conservation.
What You’ll Bring:
- BA/BS degree and 10 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience providing leadership and managing complex or multiple projects, including managing and supervision of multi-disciplinary teams; finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners
- Experience influencing, developing, and implementing conservation policy and plans at the state or country level.
- Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
- Experience communicating with and presenting to diverse audiences, including but not limited to donors; board members; employees; community-based organizations, indigenous people, and the private sector.
- Experience building partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including community or business leaders, government or legislative staff, program leadership and/or similar audiences
- Experience executing Community-led Conservation projects.
- Strong skills in critical thinking, research, and analysis with a proven ability to assess complex information to make strategic decisions.
- Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages .
- Possess strong interpersonal skills and political savviness. Must be a team player.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi-lingual skills (Kiswahili, French and/or Portuguese) and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated
- Written and verbal fluency in English and fluency in another language preferably French.
- 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.
- Experience in gender equity and women-led enterprises.
- Familiarity with sustainable livelihoods and relevant stakeholders in Africa, including stakeholders, policies and market opportunities related to grasslands, coastal, and freshwater enterprises (e.g., fisheries enterprises, livestock enterprises, women-led enterprises, ecotourism, etc.).
- Ability to work well in a highly matrixed, decentralized, and collaborative organization.
- Negotiation experience and political savvy.
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, 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.
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 cultures. 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 orientations, gender identities, 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 applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.