About the job

An organisation is looking for an Oceans Strategy Director, please see some of their details below.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the development and implementation of the Africa Oceans Strategy in contribution to TNC’s 2030 targets and Oceans goals.
• Ensure the effective coordination and integration of oceans work for all projects and programs across the Africa Business unit.
• Lead the Africa Oceans team and work collaboratively with the Global Oceans Team to deliver the Africa Oceans strategy.
• Advance national-level planning efforts that increase ocean conservation outcomes, including climate mitigation and resilience plans and marine spatial plans.
• Guide reforms for marine fisheries and building local capacity for sustainable and legal fisheries management while supporting policies at national, regional and local levels to enable marine fishery reform.
• Oversee efforts to create and advance community-based strategies for better-managed coastal and marine areas.
• Support TNC Africa leadership by overseeing priority projects and serving as a technical resource on relevant ocean and coastal strategies and/or projects.
• Assess conservation opportunities, governmental policies and decisions, and the practices and views of other stakeholders and their potential impact on organizational conservation goals.
• Assess topics related to African ocean conservation and advise TNC communications, marketing, and philanthropy staff on issues related to oceans work in Africa and help ensure that TNC’s internal and external communications accurately reflect the strategy and conservation goals.
• Conduct research and analysis to support the development and implementation of ocean projects and strategies.
• Represent TNC’s Africa Oceans Strategy at relevant international and regional conferences and meetings, delivering technical presentations and expert input as needed.
• Support fundraising by developing and contributing to proposals and representing the Africa Ocean Program to public and private donors and seek to integrate sustainable financing mechanisms into the ocean’s programs.
• Lead the Africa Ocean Strategy budget development and ensure on time on budget project implementation.
• Assist in developing reports, presentations, and assessments on related topics, as well as internal and external communications materials that reflect the program’s objectives and priorities.
• Requires willingness and ability to travel up to 35% both domestically and internationally, and to work occasional weekends and evenings.

Competencies

BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS

• Builds productive relationships by interacting with others in ways that enhance mutual trust and commitment.

COLLABORATION & TEAMWORK

• Works collaboratively with stakeholders across levels, geographies, backgrounds, and cultures to improve decisions, strengthen commitment, and be more effective.

COMMUNICATES AUTHENTICALLY

• Communicates proactively and in a timely manner to share information, address important issues, persuade, and influence with the appropriate level of detail, tone, and opportunities for feedback.

Develops Others

• Takes ownership to help develop others’ skills, behaviors, and mindsets to help them strengthen their workplace contributions.

DRIVES FOR RESULTS

• Sets challenging goals and objectives based on a strong sense of purpose and high-performance standards and steadfastly pushes self and others for tangible results, while ensuring work-life balance.

LEVERAGES DIFFERENCE

• Demonstrates commitment to harnessing the power of differences strategically consistently sees, learns from, and takes strategic action related to difference; and demonstrates the self-awareness and behaviors to work across differences of identity and power respectfully and effectively with all stakeholders, Actively seeks to build and retain a diverse workforce and fosters an equitable inclusive workplace by drawing upon diverse perspectives.

SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP

• Thinks and acts from a broad perspective with a long-term view and an understanding of l)the dynamic nature of large-scale challenges and 2) the need for integrating five key practices: skillfully engaging appropriate people: providing a clear process for change; taking a holistic view of situations; focusing on a small number of strategic actions, while learning from and adapting them over time and being aware of how one’s own thinking or patterns of behavior may be limiting change.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

• BA/BS degree in a relevant conservation field and 10 years’ experience in marine conservation and management, ocean governance or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of and experience with ocean sector stakeholders and associated management and governance frameworks across Africa.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Experience directing a major program or project portfolio of strategic importance, including management/supervision of multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience working with current international and regional trends and practices in relevant areas of marine and coastal conservation.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups, and/or government agencies.
• A strong sense of diplomacy and experience negotiating.
• Experience influencing, developing, and implementing conservation policy and plans at local and country levels.
• International work experience.
• Experience presenting to and/or communicating with government or legislative staff, community or business leaders, program leadership, and/or similar audiences.

Desired Experience

• Master’s degree in Conservation Science or related field with over 10 years of experience in a relevant field of marine conservation or ocean affairs, with working knowledge of marine spatial planning practices, ocean governance frameworks, marine industrial and small-scale fisheries, multi-lateral ocean sustainable development and blue economy initiatives or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fluency in a language other than English, especially as relevant to areas where we work, and experience living and working in Africa.
• Knowledge of politics and society, especially in the African context, with respect to oceans, blue economy and international marine affairs.
• Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization, including with senior management and with Conservancy partners.
• Effective public speaker that will represent TNC and the Africa Oceans Strategy internationally at conferences and high-level meetings, including giving presentations and leading technical sessions as relevant.
• Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
• Knowledge of methods and standards of biodiversity information systems and initiatives and experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
• Politically savvy.