Ruvuma Transboundary Landscape Coordinator

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position title: Ruvuma Transboundary Programme Leader

Reports to: WWF Tanzania Country Director and the Steering Committee

Location: Tanzania, Masasi Office with frequent travel to Mozambique

Introduction / Background

The Role: The post holder will provide leadership, strategic direction, coordination, collaboration and support fundraising for the effective management and implementation of the Ruvuma Transboundary Programme, in line with the Ruvuma Transboundary Landscape strategy to 2030 and relevant WWF Country Office and Regional Strategic Plans. The broad vision for this programme is ‘an ecologically flourishing and resilient transboundary landscape with people thriving in harmony with wildlife and ecosystems; by protecting the landscape through an integrated approach that balances development and environmental needs, the programme enhances climate resilience, safeguards biodiversity and ecosystem services and supports the coexistence of human and wildlife populations.’

This position acts as the overall strategic leader for the transboundary landscape programme, ensuring a holistic approach is taken that tackles the multiple drivers of biodiversity loss, builds a coalition of partners with which to coordinate and collaborate programmes, maintains strong and effective relationships with the Mozambique and Tanzania governments, raises the profile of the landscape internally and externally, both leads on and supports efforts to leverage funds, identifies gaps for new projects and opportunities to scale up, supports effective coordination and leads on impact monitoring at transboundary landscape level against outcomes and strategy.

Major Functions

Coordination and Stakeholder Management

• Effective coordination, collaboration, and delivery of the Ruvuma Transboundary Landscape strategic plan through engaging a wide range of partners, and which includes multiple conservation projects delivering the agreed goals and outcomes with technical collaboration with WWF Tanzania, WWF Mozambique, WWF National Offices, WWF International, WWF Regional Office for Africa and other technical experts.

• Advocacy and policy engagement at both National and Transboundary levels with the respective governments, partner NGOs, Regional Economic Commissions (including Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and other relevant bodies and institutions).

• In line with the Ruvuma Landscape governance structure, coordinate and facilitate as Secretary an internal WWF Ruvuma Advisory Group composed of key shareholders from WWF Tanzania, WWF Mozambique, supporting WWF National Organization offices and relevant initiatives and practices across the WWF Network.

• In line with the Ruvuma Landscape governance structure, coordinate and support the operation of and reporting into the landscape Steering Committee, co-chaired by the WWF Mozambique and Tanzania Country Directors.

• Provide leadership on nurturing excellent working relationships with the Governments of Mozambique and Tanzania, Regional Economic Commissions, Development Partners, WWF Regional Office for Africa and other regional bodies and institutions in Africa that are strategic for the goals of the transboundary landscape programme.

• Identify and develop excellent coordination with a wide range of key stakeholders (local, regional and national government, commercial, community, private sector, academia, and other local organisations) relevant to the transboundary programme.

• Work with WWF-Tanzania communications colleagues and the Network to develop a “Ruvuma Strategic Communications Strategy” that guides and ensures high quality communications outputs and ideas from the transboundary programme portfolio that support the key themes identified in the landscape strategy.

• Represent WWF at various events, fora and meetings at different levels (not just transboundary ones) and ensure effective coordination, collaboration and knowledge sharing between stakeholders, partners and donors.

Technical Leadership and Guidance on Projects implementation in the Landscape

• Provide oversight and guidance for all projects being implemented within the Ruvuma landscape, supporting and showing leadership where needed and nurturing a culture of coordination, collaboration, sharing and learning across the teams implementing conservation actions in both Mozambique and Tanzania.

• Provide strategic guidance and develop opportunities for the implementation of various projects on habitat and species connectivity, participatory land-use and governance planning, forest, water, agriculture and rangeland management, nature-based enterprises, transboundary collaboration, sustainable financing, livelihoods development and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Seeking to build a balanced portfolio of programmes working on these different themes which tackle different drivers.

• Work with Partnership, Business Development and Senior Management Team staff in WWF Mozambique, WWF-Tanzania and supporting WWF offices / WWF Practices to proactively fundraise for the programme through timely and quality responses to funding opportunities that will drive the financial sustainability of the programme.

• Work with WWF-Mozambique, WWF-Tanzania and supporting WWF National Offices / WWF Practice Communications and Knowledge Management staff to ensure both the conservation and social benefits generated by the programme are communicated to the general public, policy makers as well as the WWF Network.

• Work with WWF-Mozambique and WWF-Tanzania focal points, sector specific Programme Managers, Finance Departments and WWF partner offices to develop agreed work plans and budgets.

• Coordinate regular planning and monitoring meetings with staff supporting the delivery of the programmes and projects in the transboundary landscape.

• Lead the implementation and documentation of WWF’s Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (ESSF) across the Ruvuma transboundary landscape including ensuring commitment to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), operationalization of grievance mechanisms, risk assessments and risk mitigation, human rights-based approaches, in alignment with WWF internal policies and guidelines and international best practice.

• Coordinate the implementation of transboundary policy, advocacy initiatives and harmonization processes in close cooperation with policy experts, partners and relevant government authorities.

• Periodically lead collaborative reviews of the Ruvuma Transboundary Landscape Strategy to incorporate emerging opportunities, updated data, new ESSF requirements, and pipeline developments.

Administration and Programme Management

• Hold overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Ruvuma transboundary landscape programme, including supporting the team to prepare workplans and budgets, effectively administer and track finances, monitor and evaluate programme effectiveness, ensure timely donor reporting, and effective coordination and cooperation between WWF Tanzania and Mozambique, WWF partners, donors and the wider WWF Network.

• Directly support in the recruitment of staff that are associated with the core functioning of the Ruvuma programme

• Build and manage a team of professional staff, ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and performance is managed with the required focus, and discipline and results in effective delivery. Seeking support from senior management at WWF-Tanzania / WWF-Mozambique as needed.

• Work closely with the WWF-Tanzania and WWF-Mozambique MEL leads to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and impact frameworks are in place and high-quality reporting for the Ruvuma programme, working closely with WWF programme staff and external experts tasked with delivery of measuring outcome and impact indicators for Ruvuma.

• Work with the Country Leadership and programme teams in WWF-Mozambique, WWF-Tanzania and supporting WWF offices and initiatives to proactively fundraise for the programme and ensure timely and high-quality responses to funding opportunities from a variety of sources that will enhance the financial sustainability of the programme.

• Ensure frequent travel and effective liaison between Tanzania and Mozambique offices, teams and partners.

• Report directly to the WWF-Tanzania Country Director and ensure regular engagement and updates are provided for the Ruvuma Transboundary Landscape Steering Group.

• Undertake such other duties as appropriate and as may be directed by the WWF-Tanzania Country Director and Ruvuma Landscape Steering Committee.

Key Skills/Competences

• Excellent strategic thinking and planning skills.

• Outstanding interpersonal skills including the ability to build coalitions, negotiate, manage

conflict with high level diplomacy, solving problems and overcoming obstacles.

• Familiar with protocols associated with working in Southern and East Africa.

• Excellent written, presentation and communication skills, with excellent fluency in spoken and written English. Swahili and/or Portuguese language skills will be an advantage.

• Visionary and results focused leadership approach with a thorough understanding of programme management disciplines.

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

• Genuine respect for the skills and perspectives of communities, partner organisations and the private sector.

• Awareness and sensitivity regarding cultural values and gender aspects when dealing with target groups and stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to engage with technical experts, to understand and fill data gaps, establish new research as necessary, and use scientific knowledge to inform programme design and monitoring.

• Awareness and experience of implementing landscape-level conservation approaches, especially transboundary initiatives, which support both biodiversity conservation and social development aims – ideally within Africa.

• Ability to understand the impact of climate change on the landscape and incorporate this into the work programme.

• Demonstrated ability of effectively working with communities to support natural resource management and improved livelihoods.

• Identifies and aligns with the core values of WWF: Courage, Integrity, Respect and Collaboration

• Experience of working with international development agencies and donors regarding regulations and reporting.

Experience

• At least 10 years’ working experience in wildlife/nature conservation and socio-economic development in Africa, with a proven track record in the design and implementation of large-scale programmes, preferably transboundary and within the Southern Africa region.

• At least 5 years’ experience of working on complex programmes with multiple and diverse implementation partners and stakeholders – including high level political engagement, community livelihood initiatives – with cross-cutting themes and multiple objectives.

• At least 5 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.

• At least 5 years’ experience in effectively managing staff and ensuring high levels of performance are achieved.

• At least 5 years’ experience in developing and securing funding at scale.

Qualifications

A Master of Science degree (MSc) in a relevant discipline (e.g. natural sciences, social sciences, conservation biology, landscape ecology, economics, conservation planning or related field). Holding a PhD will be an advantage.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Ruvuma Transboundary Leader has line management responsibility for the Ruvuma Landscape National Coordinator in the host country office (Tanzania). In the Mozambique office the Transboundary Leader is linked to the structure via the organogram via a dotted line relationship to the Terrestrial Landscape Coordinator and Ruvuma landscape staff, with whom it is imperative that s/he creates effective working relationships. In addition, the Leader works closely and consistently with landscape and country office staff in Tanzania and Mozambique, National Offices and across the WWF Network to ensure effective delivery of the Ruvuma strategy.

S/he is also responsible for managing certain project budgets directly, especially for transboundary projects as well as the budget for Ruvuma Landscape programme costs which include Ruvuma staff, office and some field activities, including sub-grants to local partners. The role also maintains oversight to help ensure that individual field project workplans and budgets within the Ruvuma geo-scope are aligned with and support the overall Ruvuma strategy.

Working Relationships

Internal: Interacts with other WWF staff daily, and as required coordinates and interacts with the WWF Mozambique and WWF Tanzania Country Directors, Conservation Directors and other Programme Leads as well as WWF Regional Office for Africa, WWF International, supporting WWF offices and other WWF Network staff.

External: Interacts with delivery partners and other stakeholders which may include local/county/district governments, national government and South African Development Community, staff at different levels, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, donors, and specialists/consultants.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the nature of tasks anticipated proactively from the Ruvuma Transboundary Leader. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organisational needs.