Manager, Policy, Conventions and Network

Division: External Affairs
Reports to: Vice President Global Leadership
Matrix Management: N/A
Supervises: At least 2 Program / Policy Officers, 1 Program Assistant, Focal points for
Policy / Country Policy Officers
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Position Summary
For more than 50 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has been a leading partner to African
governments, strengthening their capacity to achieve conservation and sustainable development. AWF
is seeking a dynamic and high performing individual to fill the position of Senior Manager, Policy,
Conventions and Networks Manager who will contribute to developing and implementing AWF’s 10 year
strategic objective (2020-2030) of promoting African leaders who drive shifts on policy, planning and
finance.
The Senior Manager, Policy, Conventions and Networks will lead in building country level policy teams
and initiatives. The role will seek to strengthen and build African Networks and movements for nature.
The role will play a strategic role in introducing the networks to key stakeholders towards enhancing
their influence and sustainability of the networks. The role will work closely with the VPGL in supporting
and engaging governments and multilateral institutions on the continent.
The incumbent will play a key role in devising strategies for how AWF supports the prioritization of
biodiversity and climate change as key to Africa’s economic and cultural future while helping to secure
financing necessary to realize that vision.
The position requires a collaborative approach and an ability to influence across cultural differences
given the international nature of this work. To succeed, the role will have to work closely with all the
global leadership team members, drawing on their expertise in forging national and regional
relationships that lead to the desired change.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
1. Advance AWF priorities with government in AWF priority countries
• Serve as a key strategic partner to AWF Country leads to help them devise strategy to engage in
policy, government decision making and development activities to help address drivers of
ecosystem degradation and wildlife loss in priority landscapes.
• Contribute to the development of tools and processes to guide AWF’s policy approach and
engagement.
2
• Support in the cultivation of high level contacts in national government and public donor
agencies across priority countries to develop and finance strategies that protect wildlife and
wild lands.
• Support in the engagement of a network of African leaders at the country level in multiple
sectors who speak out on behalf of wildlife and wildlands and build momentum for
conservation as a core pillar of growth in Africa.
• Support country directors to have the most up to date and strategic insights from AWF’s work
globally in their engagements with government and public donors.
• Support countries in leading and engaging in convening processes both at the local and
national levels.
• Contribute to embedding APAC outcomes with focus on IPLCs, Youth agenda embedded in
national processes.
• Research priority country and Africa level policy frameworks to identify gaps and linkages with
AWF priorities for influencing mainstreaming of biodiversity in national plans.
• Contribute to providing briefing documents, and thought pieces to support AWFs agenda
setting and thought leadership ends at the country level.
2. Oversee the Secretariat Functions of the Africa Protected Areas Directors Forum (APAD)
• Provide leadership and support in the development and refinement of engagement strategies
of Africa Protected Areas Directors towards driving shifts in policy, planning and financing
which leverage conservation as essential to sustainable development.
• In collaboration with the APAD Chairs and Co-Chairs, organise and coordinate the
implementation of the activities, including field missions, workshops and training as defined by
the APAD priorities and workplans.
• In collaboration with APAD Members, build and foster effective relationships and networks
across a range of national and regional stakeholders, including governments, IPLCs, Young
People, business groups, non-government organisations, development partners, and key
regional and multilateral stakeholders.
• Support the documentation of the process of implementation and lessons learned in the
delivery APAD activities for the purpose of dissemination of learnings.
• Identify opportunities for regional activities to support needs expressed by APAD members.
3. Oversee the Secretariat function of the Africa CSOs Biodiversity Alliance (ACBA)
• Seek to provide guidance and support to ACBAs coordinator in leading ACBAs strategic
direction and agenda.
• Build linkages between AWFs leadership and influencing initiatives and that of ACBA, always
seeking to foster a common voice and position on issues affecting Africa.
• Strategically foster linkages between ACBA and key stakeholders at regional or global level,
towards policy influencing and resource mobilization for ACBA and its members.
3
• Engage AWF as necessary in ACBAs convenings and initiatives, in ways that empower and allow
ACBAs leadership to flourish and thrive.
4. Lead and contribute to Regional and Global Processes
• Provide oversight of AWFs strategic engagement with global environmental agreements. Lead
in developing and or supporting AWF’s strategy and engagement with the United Nation
Framework on Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
its Global Biodiversity Framework , and Convention on International Trade on Endangered
Species (CITES) and other associated environmental agreements.
• Contribute to and at times lead regional processes and partnerships as linked with biodiversity
conservation including with the Regional Economic Communities.
• Contribute to the effective delivery of the Africa Protected Areas Congress Outcomes by
continuously positioning the Kigali Call to Action as the anchor for Africa’s decision making,
planning and implementation of climate and biodiversity initiatives.
• Contribute to developing a policy radar and trends analysis function for the organization and
its partners, by mapping out key trends on key issues of relevance to AWFs and Partners
priorities in priority countries and on the continent.
5. Support Policy Team Fundraising and Program Development
• Support in the engagement of national governments to gain support for AWF policy agendas
and public funding proposals.
• Contribute to proposal development in collaboration with Programme, Program Design,
Philanthropy and Marketing teams.
• Participate in strategic coordination and information-sharing forums; outreach and
presentation to donors.
• Cultivate and develop technical collaborations with key partners for fundraising as well as the
development and maintenance of donors and influencers and keep them informed of resilience
program’s achievements.
Requirements and skills
• Advanced degree in social and natural sciences, economics, international development or
related field.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience engaging governments in Africa and development partners of
Africa consistent with the above roles.
• Experience managing and building strong teams.
• Demonstrated success engaging bilateral and multilateral institutions working in Africa leading
to financing of development priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including public speaking.
4
• Education and demonstrated knowledge of the emerging business environment in Africa and
related impacts on natural resources.
• Computer literacy to use all MS Office packages.
• Ability to work in English and French is highly preferred.
• Existing relationships with African government and business leaders.
• Advance study of and experience working on development issues in multiple African regions.
• Extensive experience living and working in Africa and an ability to work in a cross cultural
environment.
• Demonstrated leadership in international policy and/or trade negotiations.
• Ability to make sound decisions based on analysis, consultation with others, experience, and
judgment.
• Experience communicating complex processes and ideas effectively to a variety of audiences
within and outside an organization.
• Ability to deal with proactive and reactive work and to take on new priorities as they arise.
• Excellence in achieving outcomes through partnership and matrixed teams.
• A passion for wildlife and wildlands.
Interested candidates are invited to view full Job Description and apply using this link :
https://recruiting.ultipro.com/AFR1000AFWI/JobBoard/20e4eecc-c532-4e6a-bb5f-39ea79059f29/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=f128087e-9fd5-411d-8d17-6c6892129b20
CLOSING DATE: January 12, 2024