BirdLife International Careers

The overall responsibilities and deliverables are:

• kick-off and closing workshops reports.
• A comprehensive feasibility study report including market analysis, stakeholder analysis, and regulatory assessment.
• The study should include relevant technical & geographical information.
• A set of tailored biodiversity conservation criteria for certification tailored to the country specificity.
• A detailed action plan for pilot implementation and scaling of the certification.
• Regular progress and impact reports throughout the project duration.

• This pivotal role will oversee the implementation of BirdLife’s conservation strategy, aligning global aspirations with regional delivery through a network of dedicated Partners. You will lead and manage the BirdLife Secretariat’s six regional Directors and the team responsible for coordinating the six global conservation programmes: agriculture, climate change, flyways, forests, marine and preventing extinctions.

Responsibility

• The ideal candidate will bring a wealth of strategic leadership and management experience gained in an international, diverse and multi-stakeholder environment, with a deep understanding of global conservation challenges and approaches. 
• You will bring a proven track record of influencing for impact, fundraising and a demonstrated capacity to manage and maintain high level donor relations. 
• With strong communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills, you will have a high level of emotional intelligence and the ability to listen and engage with a wide range of stakeholders both internally and externally as well as be a compelling ambassador for BirdLife International. 
• Your deep commitment to BirdLife’s values and approach will be evident through your ability to foster collaboration at local, national, and international levels to ensure the effective delivery of the BirdLife International’s conservation endeavours.

• We are seeking a highly motivated, skilled, and experienced individual to support implementation of BirdLife International’s Africa policy work and contribute to achievement of the Africa Regional plan as well as the Global Policy Plan to address the biodiversity and climate crises. Supporting site casework in securing Africa’s iconic sites from threats and damaging development and expanding the African Site Casework Emerging Threats (ASCET) Taskforce.

Responsibilities:

• Support ASCET in the development of strategies for site casework, support convening of meetings and follow up on ASCET decisions.
• Support the disbursement, track implementation and reporting by partners on funding from the Emergency site casework Fund.
• Support Secretariat work on the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and other biodiversity-related agreements, including supporting BirdLife International partners to effectively engage nationally.
• Support strengthening of linkages with key regional and subregional agencies to support resolving of the biodiversity crisis, safeguarding of nature and site protection.
• Support capacity building of partners in relevant themes and topics.
• Support resource mobilization for policy work in collaboration with the Line Manager and the fundraising team.
• Ensure effective implementation of assigned projects, including developing workplans, ensuring effective Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL).
• Ensure donor requirements for project monitoring and reporting for each assigned project are achieved in a timely manner. 
• Represent BirdLife at relevant policy meetings as assigned by the Line Manager.
• In collaboration with the communications team, ensure policy, site casework and project outcomes are effectively communicated to BirdLife partners and the public.
• Any other duties that may be assigned by the Line Manager.

Required skills, experience, and qualifications: 

• Degree in conservation, environmental law/policy, or natural sciences.
• Additional qualifications in conservation or related fields an added advantage.
• Knowledge of the conservation/environmental sector within Africa.
• Clear understanding of the triple planetary crises and the role of civil society organizations in addressing them.
• Knowledge of Multilateral Environmental Agreements – especially the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the World Heritage Convention.
• Demonstrable experience in conservation, policy, natural resource management or related areas.
• Experience in biodiversity conservation is highly desirable.
• Experience in Multilateral Environmental Agreements engagement is highly desirable.
• Experience in project management, especially in managing biodiversity and Nature based Solutions related projects is a definite advantage.
• Experience in campaigning for nature is an advantage.
• Experience in engaging private sector stakeholders, especially developers and governments is an advantage.
• Good organizational and planning skills and an ability to adhere to deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure – responsive and flexible.
• Ability to work in a multinational, cross-sectoral and diverse cultural settings including relating with government officials, other civil society organizations and communities.
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills.
• Should be able to communicate with tact and diplomacy.
• Good writing skills are a definite requirement.
• Must work effectively within a team and with stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical skills
• Working knowledge of French would be an added advantage.
• Willingness to travel within the region.

Method of Application

Applications, including a covering letter summarizing the applicant’s suitability for the position, a detailed CV and names and contact addresses of three referees known to the applicant in a professional capacity, should be sent via email before the deadline to:  [email protected] (Policy Officer, Africa)

Applications, including a covering letter summarizing the applicant’s suitability for the position, a detailed CV and names and contact addresses of three referees known to the applicant in a professional capacity, should be sent via email before the application deadline of 17th May 2024  to: [email protected] (Head of Conservation) 

Responsibilities: The roles of the Finance Assistant will be:

•  Receive, track, and sort all payment requests confirming they are properly approved for processing.
•  Enter the ERP all approved vendor invoices for payment while observing segregation of duties.
•  Processing and timely submissions of statutory tax deductions with the relevant authorities.
•  Petty cash management and reconciliation.
•  Preparation of payment vouchers and cheques and ensuring that payments are made on time.
•  Support the staff imprest funds requisitions and liquidation processes.
•  Assists in preparing and posting journals.
•  Share remittance advice with supply chain for all processed vendor payments.
•  Perform banking roles such as cash depositing.
•  Ensure that all financial documents are properly filed for easy retrieval.
•  Support audits in retrieval of sampled documents.
•  Any other duties as assigned by the Finance Coordinator.

Required skills, experience, and qualifications:

•  University degree in Finance, Accounting,
•  CPA 11 qualifications.
•  In-depth experience with Excel spreadsheets
•  Good understanding of local taxation in Kenya.
•  Proven track record working in a finance office in an NGO or commercial sector.
•  High motivation, desire to achieve; attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and ability to work to high standards with tight deadlines.
•  Team worker who can motivate others as well as themselves.
•  Excellent written and oral communication skills. Ability to work with people with various levels of competence.
•  Ability to analyse problems.
•  Flexibility and ability to work independently.
•  Computer literacy in all standard Microsoft office applications in particular MS Excel
•  Knowledge in ERP system an added advantage.
•  Oral and written fluency in English

Application deadline: 12th May 2023

Method of Application

Applications, including a covering letter summarizing the applicant’s suitability for the position, a detailed CV and names and contact addresses of three referees known to the applicant in a professional capacity, should be sent via email before the deadline  to: [email protected]  

Interviews:  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  

Responsibilities: 

Leadership and coordination of BirdLife Africa Forest Conservation Programme:

•  Lead roll-out of the BirdLife Forest Conservation Strategies in the GFWA.
•  Lead development and implementation of a Forest Flagship Initiative for Africa.
•  Establish a community of Practice for Forest Conservation work in Africa.
•  Strengthen links with other BirdLife Africa initiatives and Partners elsewhere in Africa.
•  Explore options for sustainable financing mechanisms for long-term management of priority forest landscapes.
•  In coordination with the Global Forest Team, lead the BirdLife Forest Landscape Accelerator Programme in Africa.

Management and development of forest conservation projects:

•  Provide strategic oversight and guidance for ongoing forest projects and collaborative work, ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities, and functions between BirdLife and Partners, and maintain good working relationships.
•  Supervise effective management of existing portfolio of forest conservation projects and ensure timely delivery of high-quality reports and other project deliverables.
•  Based on the list of priority landscapes identified in the Region, develop new forest conservation projects as per need to cover priority conservation gaps, and/or co-finance existing ones.

Mobilize resources (funds, partnerships, and information) for forest conservation in Africa:

•  In collaboration with the Fundraising team, enhance fundraising drive for forest conservation, including through i) cultivation and maintenance of relationships with donors and development institutions, ii) developing of strong concepts/proposals and matching them with funding opportunities, or iii) establish strategic partnerships with other institutions to join efforts with and improve likelihood of access to more substantial funding.
•  Ensure quality control of proposals, and compliance with both donor guidelines and BirdLife internal processes.

Promote BirdLife Africa's Forest Conservation achievements:

•  Represent BirdLife in international forums and be the focal person on BirdLife Africa Forest Programme.
•  Facilitate documentation and dissemination of lessons from forest conservation actions in Africa.

Provide specific support to Asity Madagascar in ensuring successful delivery of forest conservation portfolio in Madagascar:

•  Ensure delivery of high-quality report submitted to the Donor for the ongoing projects.
•  Oversee implementation of the forest project portfolio and provide technical support, guidance, input, suggest adaptive management as needed during the implementation to ensure implementation is on track.
•  Provide strategic support to Asity Madagascar, with support of the PCCD team.

Required skills, experience, and qualifications:

• Master's degree level in conservation, natural resources management, sustainable development, social sciences, rural development, environmental economics, forestry, or other relevant fields.
• Good understanding of forest and biodiversity conservation in the Africa context.
• Design, implementation, and monitoring of complex and multistakeholder conservation.
• Understanding of key institutions driving forest loss and conservation in Africa, their mandates and opportunity to influence them.
• Working with NGOs, government agencies, private sector, and community-based organizations
• Successful proposal development
• Proven work experience in project/programme management
• Significant relevant experience at senior management level in international conservation (with demonstrable experience in Africa) and organisational management
• Desirable: Experience in market-based instruments such as voluntary carbon markets, REDD+, PES, conservation trust funds and/or other areas of conservation finance is desirable, engaging with the private sector, including with corporates or commodity value and supply chains.
• Abilities: to act independently, in Finance Management, to motivate and collaborate with others with cultural sensitivity, to network and proactively engage with other organizations, including key donors, to work under pressure and meet deadlines, to manage and prioritize concurrent projects or areas of work, to write professional articles and give presentations to international audiences, to communicate complex processes and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences alike.
• Excellent oral and written English skills. Working proficiency in French would be an asset.
• Good analytical skills required.
• Promotes innovative ways to solve biodiversity conservation and community development issues.
• Effective at analysing complex environments and resolving problems with practical solutions.
• Ability to motivate and guide staff particularly in both line/non-line-management relationship.
• Collaborative, flexible, and respectful of others' knowledge and experience.
• Self-motivated, curious, and interested in new ideas.
• Competency in Microsoft Office Suite required. GIS/remote sensing skills would be an asset. Database management skills would be an asset.
• Frequent travel, up to eight weeks per year.

Application deadline: 15th May 2023

Method of Application

Applications, including a covering letter summarizing the applicant’s suitability for the position, a detailed CV and names and contact addresses of three referees known to the applicant in a professional capacity, should be sent via email before the deadline  to: [email protected]  

Interviews:  Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.