Overall Responsibilities:
The Eastern Africa and Madagascar Regional Director has broad management responsibilities that include:
•creating a powerful communication tool to prospective donors, trustees, partners, and the general public;
•improving and knowledge sharing, with a goal of achieving greater conservation impact by providing senior regional representation to governments, partners, meetings
and policy processes, and to ensure integration of WCS’s efforts across regions and provide nodes for global programs to engage;
•creating an opportunity to enhance the work of country programs and demonstrate a strategic preference (not prescription) for growth linked to impact and influence not
geographical sprawl;
•generating bolder, broader, and more forward looking conservation and fundraising ideas that will help WCS to influence, shape, and ultimately preempt donor priorities
rather than merely respond to calls.
•coordinating with Global Conservation Program staff (and particularly WCS country programs) to develop a mission, vision, goals and objectives for a WCS Eastern Africa and
Madagascar Regional Strategy:
•leading the region to address threats that are both common across countries and too large for individual country programs to address alone, and to increase the operational
support to Country Programs to manage expansion, increase impact and coordinate capacities;
•constructing the necessary capacity within regions to achieve our aspirations and advance the 2020 Vision;
•strengthening internal WCS systems to better position the organization to compete in a world of larger scale grants and policy initiatives. This includes overseeing the
development of administrative systems and their implementation, and the establishment of a business unit with the capacity to address comprehensive financial system reviews at the
country and regional scale. It is in this context that the Regional Director will work closely with the Deputy Director of Finance and Administration, Regional Finance support staff,
as well as the Country Program Finance Directors to create regional budgets and regional business plans.
•contributing to the development and implementation of a regional fundraising strategy, in consultation with the Executive Director of the Africa Program and the Executive
Director of the Marine Program that builds on emerging themes identified within the strategy and ensuring that new project ideas and funding requests for any WCS activities in the
region are aligned with regional strategic priorities including review of funding proposals for work in the region.
•encouraging cross-program learning and sharing of information. Facilitate cross-site visits for WCS staff in the Eastern Africa and Madagascar Region and participate in at
least one bi-annual coordination meeting between Eastern Africa and Madagascar Country Directors and senior technical staff.
The Regional Director has important personnel management responsibilities that include but are not limited to:
•ensuring that a system of accountability for WCS Eastern Africa and Madagascar programs is put in place with which to share results, evaluate progress and encourage critical
peer review.
•liaising with country program directors and Global Conservation Programs to ensure adequate operational support to country programs (through liaison with NY administrative and
financial program staff) in relation to relevant regional issues.
•ensuring regional personnel management for any regional administrative, financial or cross-cutting staff located in the region and will in the future provide direct line management
to country program directors of any new country programs developed in the region
Internal Qualification Requirements
Qualifications
A Master’s or Ph.D. in conservation biology, natural resource management, ecology, or equivalent experience, plus at least five years working experience in Africa. Experience working
in at least one Eastern Africa and Madagascar country is highly desirable. Familiarity with the conservation and management priorities, obstacles, and governance frameworks in the region
is required. Experience managing large conservation projects, project budgets, and staff. Excellent communication and inter-personal skills and demonstrated success in working with diverse
partners, including national governments, to achieve common objectives. Strong fundraising track record. Fluent English and French language skills required. Willingness to travel extensively
in the region. Commitment to conservation and to the mission of the Wildlife Conservation Society.
