Northern Tanzania (not) Landscape Programme National Coordinator

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Programme National Coordinator

Reports to Southern Kenya Northern Tanzania (SOKNOT) Transboundary Landscape Coordinator and Head of Conservation Programs, WWF-TCO

Supervises: Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Programme Staff

Duty Station: Arusha

• Background

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF Tanzania delivers conservation using a landscape approach and works in three terrestrial landscapes and one seascape. It is working to conserve the landscape’s biodiversity and build a secure and sustainable future for people and nature. The Southern Kenya Northern Tanzania (SOKNOT) trans-boundary landscape is one of the three WWF Tanzania terrestrial landscapes globally known for its high biodiversity, connecting eight national parks, three Game Reserves, six Forest reserves and 32 community wildlife conservancies and several community forest reserves (~ 134,000 km2). The landscape is shared with Kenya and is one of the priority landscape programmes for WWF Tanzania. The landscape is estimated to have over 30,000 elephants, over 250 black rhinos, and 3,500 lions. Other wildlife species include wild dogs, cheetah, pangolin, and rare/or endemic species. The landscape supports largest animal movement and the famous annual migration of wildebeests. The landscape has biologically important wetlands including Jipe, Challa, Natron, Magadi, Amboseli and river basins namely Mara, Pangani, and South Ewaso Nyiro. The SOKNOT is one of leading tourist destinations in East Africa. Its varied natural resources support the livelihoods and well-being of millions of people. The SOKNOT programme is seeking a National Coordinator to lead people, projects and interventions in the Tanzania component.

Major Functions

This position is responsible for coordinating the Tanzania component of the SOKNOT Transboundary Landscape programme interventions and providing leadership support to the conservation projects in the portfolio. SOKNOT Landscape programme coordination requires a dynamic and experienced individual to work with Government Institutions, District and Regional Government departments, WWF Network colleagues, Development Partners, Funders, International Non-Governmental Organization partners, Community Stakeholders and Civil Society Organisations. The position calls for a person with an advanced Degree in Wildlife, Forestry, Natural Resources Management or equivalent, an energetic and self-motivated approach, good leadership and people skills, strong ability to work with minimum supervision and a character focused on team building and motivation of others. The candidate is required to have a sound demonstrable technical background and experience in project planning, monitoring and evaluation, field coordination, staff management, fundraising, donor relations and management of multi-stakeholder projects and programmes. The candidate must have experience in managing teams of different cultures, behaviours and multiple technical disciplines. The candidate must embrace WWF Core Values, Behaviours and other guiding policies for maximising and delivering conservation impacts on the ground. As well as playing a key role in the growth and impact of the SOKNOT Transboundary Landscape programme, the postholder will support TCO in contributing to WWF’s wider vision, global goals, Road Map 2030 objectives and national goals.

• Detailed duties and responsibilities

• Landscape Programme Management and Oversight

• Guide day-to-day operations and supervise the Landscape Programmes/Projects to ensure effective delivery of both technical and financial reports as per the respective project objectives and contractual agreements with the donors.

• Liaise with the Head of Conservation Programmes and the Transboundary Coordinator in the preparation and reviewing of TORs for consultancies including those covering project planning, evaluations and assist in managing such contracts including ensuring timely receipt of deliverables.

• In collaboration with the TCO Head of Conservation Programmes and the Transboundary Coordinator, serve as a resource person in project planning, management and monitoring using the WWF Project Cycle Management Standards and the respective Monitoring and Evaluation Tools.

• Work closely with thematic leads and WWF Network Practice focal points to ensure good project representation for all thematic areas in the landscape and to boost the profile of the landscape programme.

• Participate and contributes to overall TCO’s strategic and annual planning processes.

• Provide close support to the WWF TCO Head of People and Culture in recruitment of staff for the SOKNOT Landscape Programme and conduct monitoring of staff performance i.e. overseeing annual staff performance reviews and giving feedback and mentoring support where needed.

• Supervise, and provide direct input to, the regular review of quarterly financial reports prepared by the WWF TCO Finance Department and provide feedback on possible misallocations.

• Work with the Head of People and Culture to develop work force and staff retention plans and identify key positions to be maintained for the programme to deliver conservation impact at scale.

• Establish networks, partnerships and maintain good relationships with stakeholders and partners, and generally represent WWF in the landscape.

• Develop and deepen existing donor relationships, ensuring that the programme maintains effective communications and good relations with donor partners, ensuring they are updated on impact and achievements.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of Conservation Programmes, Transboundary Coordinator and/or the Country Director.

• Technical Support and Implementation

In supervision of the Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Programme, the National Coordinator’s technical responsibilities are:

• Act as the overall coordinator of national Northern Tanzania Landscape Projects supported by WWF in Tanzania to generate lessons that can be shared with similar interventions within and outside of the WWF Network.

• Participate in the TCO regular Conservation Committee meetings.

• Ensure that landscape operations under WWF-TCO are in line with WWF Global and WWF Africa conservation strategies, targets and milestones.

• In collaboration with the TCO Head of Conservation Programmes and Transboundary Landscape Coordinator, liaise with Global Practices and regional initiatives and programmes to ensure that national and sub-national interests are addressed accordingly.

• Provide support and lead targeted fundraising processes for the Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Programme including developing project concepts and proposals within the landscape in collaboration with the Head of Conservation Programmes, Fundraising and Partnerships Manager and the Transboundary Coordinator.

• Supervise and monitor progress and impact during the implementation of field-based conservation actions in the landscape, focused on habitat restoration, connecting wildlife migratory corridors and dispersal areas, and improving community wellbeing.

• In collaboration with the Head of Conservation Programmes, assist in project planning processes as well as coordinating timely production of project documents, reports and proposals.

• Embrace the integrated landscape approach and strive to build a cohesive team in the landscape whilst working with other landscape leads within TCO for cross-landscape projects and programmes.

• Supervise the management, monitoring and development of TORs for project evaluations, ensuring strong analysis of impact and implementation of recommendations and findings.

• Participate in conservation related meetings, dialogues and discussions in the country and within the WWF Network and provide advice to the Head of Conservation Programmes and the Country Director on relevant conservation and landscape issues.

• Communications and Administration

• Oversee procurement of capital equipment for the Northern Tanzania (NOT) programme, working closely with the WWF TCO Operations Manager and Logistics staff in developing procurement plans.

• Lead regular discussions on internal lesson learning and ensure lessons are applied to an adaptive management planning process, together with programme staff and relevant WWF TCO colleagues.

• Work closely with the Head of Communications and others across the organisation to increase WWF’s profile and build and enhance the reputation within the donor community.

• Represent the organisation at meetings with donors and external events as required.

• Ensure that the WWF TCO Senior Management Team is kept well updated on the progress of the WWF TCO Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Programme, particularly the Head of Conservation.

Work with colleagues from WWF Tanzania and linked WWF offices and programmes including WWF Kenya, Regional Office and Practices to ensure updates and impact generated by the programme are communicated to different audiences and the WWF Network.Adhere to the WWF Network values: Courage, Respect, Integrity, and Collaboration.In collaboration with the ESSF Advisor develop the requisite Environmental and Social Management Frameworks (ESMFs) for Ruvuma sub-landscapes, ensure conflict and grievance resolution mechanisms are in place, develop risk registers and risk mitigation plans for the landscape and individual projects, and ensure all sub-landscapes have up-to-date Categorisation Memos to ensure sustainability of conservation impacts and receive due attention to safeguards requirements and processes.

• Profile and Required Experience

• A minimum of a master’s degree in Natural Resources Management, Wildlife, Forestry, environmental and/or natural sciences. An advanced degree (PhD) will be an added advantage.

• Energetic and self-motivated person, good leadership and people management skills, strong ability to work with minimum supervision and a character focused on team building and motivation of others.

• The candidate is required to have a sound demonstrable technical background and experience in project planning, monitoring and evaluation, field coordination, staff management, fundraising, donor relations and management of multi-stakeholder projects and programmes.

• The candidate must have experience in managing teams of different cultures, behaviours and multiple technical disciplines.

• The candidate must embrace WWF Core Values, Behaviours and other guiding policies for maximising and delivering conservation impacts on the ground.

• At least 7 years’ experience of working on complex programmes with multiple and diverse implementation partners and stakeholders, including high-level political engagement, community livelihood initiatives, including cross-cutting themes and delivering on multiple objectives.

• At least 7 years’ experience in programme development and management, including preparing and managing sizeable and complex budgets, technical and financial reporting, matrix working, programme monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring compliance with donor requirements for implementation.

• Good management, leadership and coordination skills and experience in leading and supervising remote teams.

• Proven experience in coordinating and monitoring projects including good M&E skills and experience in writing technical project reports.

• Outstanding interpersonal skills including the ability to build coalitions, negotiate, manage conflict with high-level diplomacy, solve problems and overcome obstacles.

• Demonstrated ability to drive multi-stakeholder engagement processes including stakeholder workshops, and to build capacity of multiple stakeholders to engage in landscape planning and management.

• Experience and skills in training, transfer of knowledge, communication and facilitation skills.

• A good understanding of governance structures in Tanzania.

• Willingness to work in the field and travel to remote areas within the region.

• Knowledge of computer software packages for word processing, databases and spreadsheets and use of the internet.

• Ability to follow deadlines, accuracy and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent knowledge and use of English and Swahili language.

• Working Relations:

• Internal: Interacts regularly with Tanzania Country Office (TCO) Senior Management Team, TCO Head of Conservation, SOKNOT Transboundary Landscape Coordinator, Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Project Officers/Managers/Assistants, Northern Tanzania (NOT) Landscape Interns and support staff, TCO Core Staff and Thematic Leads and wider WWF Network staff.

• External: Extensive work undertaken with partners including the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (Forest and Beekeeping Division, Tanzania Wildlife Authority, Tanzania National Parks Authority, Tanzania Forest Service and other related government agencies); Vice President’s Office (Environment); Land Use Commission; Donors and other NGOs and CSOs based in project areas and working in related interventions.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the nature of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organisational needs.