Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US non-profit, tax-exempt, private organization established with a long history in the wildlife conservation sector. They specialise in wildlife conservation through understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. They work in more than 60 nations across the globe, partnering with local communities and other stakeholders to address species, habitat and ecosystem management issues. These issues are critical to improving the quality of life of poor rural people whose livelihoods depend on the direct utilization of natural resources.
In Africa, WCS employs approximately 1,200 staff in 14 country programs focused across three major regions (Central Africa, Sudano-Sahel, and East Africa, Madagascar & Western Indian Ocean (EAMWIO)). The EAMWIO region itself comprises programs across six countries (Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania).
Based in Rwanda, Kigali – Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) seeks to appoint a
REGIONAL DIRECTOR
WCS’s work focuses on landscapes and seascapes across in six countries in the EAMWIO region, where they have national country programs. In these countries, they develop and lead long-term conservation initiatives and programs, provide technical trainings to build community and government capacity, provide high-quality data on species status and trends, and develop mechanisms for sustainable finance to support conservation. These country programs report to the regional director, based in the region. The regional office has enabled the organisation to improve the delivery of program oversight and administrative functions such as financial management, budgeting, accounting, and logistical support.
Key objectives of this position include:
Lead on the implementation of WCS’s EAMWIO regional strategy
Oversee the program development and fundraising strategy in support of field programs in the region
Ensure financial, administrative and programmatic systems are supporting regional technical staff and country program teams ensuring effective communication and coordination in delivering WCS’s regional conservation priorities and global mission
Build strategic collaborative relationships with key government agencies, development agencies, technical institutions, private sector and financial institutions, and philanthropies are established and maintained supporting WCS’s regional conservation priorities and global mission, including through policy, investment, and practice with sub-regional partners and programs.
Provide strong management support to, and ensure accountability of, country programs.
Represent WCS in regional conservation policy forums.
Overall responsibilities for the position include but are not limited to:
Creating a powerful communication tool to prospective donors, trustees, partners, and the general public;
Improving and knowledge sharing, with a goal of achieving greater conservation impact by providing senior regional representation to governments, partners, meetings and policy processes, and to ensure integration of WCS’s efforts across regions and provide nodes for global programs to engage;
Creating an opportunity to enhance the work of country programs and demonstrate a strategic preference for growth linked to impact and influence;
Generating bolder, broader, and more forward-looking conservation and fundraising ideas that will help WCS to influence and shape donor priorities;
Leading the region to address threats that are both common across countries and too large for individual country programs to address alone, and to increase the operational support to Country Programs to manage expansion, increase impact and coordinate capacities;
Strengthening internal systems to better position the organization to compete in a world of larger scale grants and policy initiatives. This includes overseeing the development of administrative systems and their implementation, and the establishment of a business unit with the capacity to address comprehensive financial system reviews at the country and regional scale;
The Regional Director must meet the following functional and experiential criteria:
A Master's or Ph.D. in conservation biology, natural resource management, ecology, or equivalent experience, plus at least fifteen years relevant working experience.
Experience working in at least one Eastern Africa and Madagascar country is highly desirable. Familiarity with the conservation and management priorities, obstacles, and governance frameworks in the region is required.
Experience managing large conservation projects, project budgets, and staff.
Excellent communication and inter-personal skills and demonstrated success in working with diverse partners, including national governments, to achieve common objectives.
Strong fundraising track record.
Fluent English language skills required, and French an advantage.
