Senior Nature-based Solutions Project Manager (Africa)

BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL

Senior Nature-based Solutions Project Manager (Africa)

Application deadline: Sunday, 18th August 2024

• Locations: Cambridge, UK or Dakar, Senegal or Nairobi, Kenya or Remote based on
  application. Up to 30% time spent in Madagascar.
• Full time
• Contract: 2 years fixed term
• Salary: £40,000 – £45,000 pro rata plus competitive 12% pension benefit, subject to
  location, skills and experience
• Annual Leave: Subject to location

BirdLife International is the world’s largest and oldest nature conservation partnership.
Through our unique local-to-global approach, we deliver high impact and long-term conservation
for the benefit of nature and people. Our Forests Programme leverages the power of Partnership
to end deforestation and advance restoration and deliver landscape-scale conservation in the
world’s most important tropical forest landscapes.

Carbon finance is an important mechanism to help address the dual crises of climate change and
biodiversity loss. Many sites where BirdLife Partners are working to address deforestation have
high potential to use carbon finance to generate local and national economic benefits, advance
biodiversity conservation, and combat climate change.

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Senior Nature-based Solutions Project Manager to
support BirdLife Partners in their development of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) projects. The
role will have an initial focus in Tsitongambarika Forest, Madagascar, where the BirdLife
Partner, Asity Madagascar, has been implementing biodiversity and forest conservation for 18
years, with opportunities for engagement in the development of BirdLife’s ambitious global NbS
project pipeline.

In Tsitongambarika, the role offers a unique and exciting opportunity to establish a new REDD+
project in collaboration with an experienced national NGO, the Government of Madagascar and
community-led forest management structure, with support from a committed corporate partner.

The Senior NbS Project Manager will provide strategic management, coordination and direction to
lead delivery of BirdLife’s roles and responsibilities in the design, development and
implementation of NbS projects. As the focal point for BirdLife’s collaboration in the
Tsitongambarika landscape, the role will enable the development and implementation of a high
integrity certified REDD+ project, while supporting Asity’s organizational development and
leadership of the project.

Specifically, the role will:

1. Coordinate BirdLife International actions and responsibilities to deliver conservation in
   the Tsitongambarika Forest landscape (TGK) through support to Asity Madagascar
2. Provide strategic project management, including financial management and reporting, for the
   TGK project,
3. Coordinate multi-stakeholder partnership management and engagement, including with
   technical partners, Government, consultants, auditors, standards bodies, investors and donors,
4. Provide technical direction to the design, development and implementation of BirdLife
   Partner NbS projects,
5. Deliver readiness assessment, planning and strengthening for BirdLife Partners in relation
   to carbon projects, with an initial focus on Asity Madagascar, and
6. Develop, secure and manage BirdLife International grant funding that supports forest
   conservation and carbon project development.

This role presents a unique opportunity for an experienced senior project manager to put in
place a lasting legacy for forests and biodiversity in Madagascar, as well as for our national
Partner and the communities with whom we work. BirdLife is seeking an individual who can
deliver this critical role with a high level of professionalism and independence, enabling our
Partner to capitalize on the significant milestones achieved thus far.

The ideal candidate will have

1. Significant knowledge and experience of protected area and/or OECM management, including
   operations, budgeting, strategic planning, regulations, stakeholder engagement, etc.
2. Significant knowledge and experience of how to manage large, operationally and financially
   complex conservation or development projects with multiple stakeholders, including
   administration, financial planning and oversight, cash flow modelling, contracting and
   reporting
3. Knowledge of how to design, develop and implement high integrity and high quality forest
   carbon projects
4. Experience of implementing environmental/social development projects in developing
   countries, with an in-depth understanding of the challenges of rural forest-edge communities,
   ideally with experience in Madagascar
5. Experience of development or delivery of climate finance or carbon credit value chain
   projects, ideally with experience in REDD+ projects and carbon certification for VCS and CCBS
   and/or Plan Vivo or similar
6. Experience of engagement with government agencies, private sector, corporates or financial
   institutions, on climate or forest-related issues; Madagascar-specific experience is highly
   desirable
7. Experience of working in collaboration with national NGOs and/or community organizations,
   including delivering multi-faceted organizational development
8. Complete fluency in English required and working proficiency in spoken and written French
   essential, fluency an advantage

Please see the full job description for further details.

BirdLife values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the
community. Find out more about our Diversity statement.

We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture, a place where
we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We aim to promote a more inclusive environment,
which attracts all candidates and signals our commitment to celebrate and promote diversity.

We will consider putting into place appropriate reasonable adjustments for candidates who may
have a disability.

We are able to offer a hybrid model of working on site and from home/remote for most roles,
which helps to ensure a flexible work life balance.