BACKGROUND:

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. We currently manage 23 national parks and protected areas in 13 countries, covering over 20 million hectares in Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.

Gambella National Park was established as a protected area in 1973 and is 4,575 km² in size. It forms the northern anchor of a much larger contiguous system, with a network of protected areas in southern Ethiopia and neighboring South Sudan. The park hosts several wildlife species, including an important population of Nile lechwe, Ethiopia’s largest population of elephants; healthy lion populations, one of the most endangered giraffe populations in the world, and a shoebill population. Gambella also forms part of the white-eared kob migration between South Sudan and Ethiopia—the largest land mammal migration on earth, comprising around 6 million animals.

Job Overview:

The Strategic Projects Manager (SPM) is responsible for assisting the park management with overall coordination and management, strategic support, the development of new initiatives deemed necessary to support operations in Gambella National Park, and monitoring the implementation of special projects. This role will also provide proactive, high-quality, and comprehensive executive support to the Park manager, as well as perform general support tasks for all teams across the region’s current and future parks.

 Main Responsibilities

1. Administrative and coordination support for AP operations in Gambella

• Assisting with the overall coordination of administrative processes (including approval processes, investment approval forms, contracts, etc.) in support of the parks and strategic stakeholders.
• Support the planning and coordination of all meetings and platforms established to ensure the success of operations and maintain records.
• Providing monthly briefings to the Regional Director of Operations on key issues and centralized needs of the parks and ensuring follow-up on the implementation of directives.
• Maintain a timeline of key recommendations, conclusions, and action items from board meetings, steering committees, strategic and internal operations meetings, risk register updates, internal SOP audits, etc., and provide reminders for their implementation.
• Support the development and consistent coordination of special projects in support of the parks and the region (including special projects in the parks, feasibility studies, priority response plans, support for incubation partners, etc.).
• Provide support for fundraising initiatives, proposal writing, and donor compliance
• Develop innovative tools and mechanisms to improve knowledge of and compliance with SOPs among park teams.
• Develop and monitor the implementation of new initiatives deemed necessary to support operations based on lessons learned from adaptive management reviews.
• Identify and propose solutions and support the deployment of new operational processes and change management.
• Provide technical support for the conduct of studies, surveys, and inventories planned in the parks in line with the priority objectives of the parks and the region.
• Provide support for the conservation landscaping process within the context of management delegation in Gambella. 

2. Strategic support to strengthen impact in the region

• Analyze incoming and outgoing memos, submissions, and reports, and prepare and coordinate the drafting and submission of summary notes and strategic reports to aid in decision-making
• Assist in preparing lobbying and advocacy briefings as needed to support operations at the national or regional levels
• Conduct research as needed; map and maintain a database of strategic partners and potential/active organizations of African Parks in Gambella.
• Develop strategic briefings on African Parks’ contribution to national and regional strategies and commitments, including multilateral environmental agreements.
• Coordinate participation and contributions to strategic events and support due diligence processes regarding new developments in Ethiopia
• Design and oversee thematic working groups and strategic platforms established within operations in Gambella National Park
• Consolidate lessons learned and best practices from operations in Gambella National Park to compile impactful presentations and prepare compelling briefing notes highlighting the AP model.
• Support the process of expanding African Parks’ conservation impact in Ethiopia.

 Required skills, competencies, and experience for the position

• A minimum of a BA degree and preferably an MA degree in Project Management, Natural Resource Management, Diplomacy, or an equivalent degree.
• 8 years of experience in the development, direction, and management of projects in the fields of conservation, natural resource management, international development, and/or other related disciplines.
• Proven skills in drafting documents and coordinating in a multi-stakeholder context.
• Experience in developing strategic partnerships and in fundraising and fund management.
• Experience providing executive support to a senior manager

 Skills and Competencies

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to communicate complex ideas to a diverse audience and to establish or maintain relationships with other stakeholders.
• Understanding and appreciation of major nature conservation issues, particularly in the West African context.
• High level of integrity and professionalism
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion
• Strong organizational skills to optimize and prioritize conflicting demands in a busy environment, meet deadlines, and see tasks through to completion
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to take initiative
• Excellent self-management skills, including the ability to work effectively without direct supervision, and to manage and organize fluctuating workloads in sometimes stressful situations
• Ability to personally handle ambiguity and change
• Fluency in French is essential, and English is a plus.
• Commitment to the values of African Parks