Africa Indigenous And Local Communities (IPLC) Strategy Director The Nature Conservancy

OFFICE LOCATION
This position ould be based in any Country in the TNC Africa Business Unit where TNC has an office/ Operations ( Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, or Zambia)

WHO WE ARE

The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.

One of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the 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 Director will 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.
Expereince with critical thinking, research, and analysis with a proven ability to assess complex information to make strategic decisions.
Experience communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages .
Experience with 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!