Africa Conservation Strategist

Position Title:  Africa Conservation Strategist 

Location: Remote –  Africa based 

Salary: Commensurate with experience. Salary to be determined by the regional market in the candidate’s country of residence.

Status: Full-time, salaried, exempt 

Reports to: Africa Conservation Director 

Note: A cover letter and CV are required for your application to be considered. 

Cover letter: In your cover letter please tell us about any prior experience that will be useful or leveraged in the Africa Conservation Strategist role. Please use 500 words or fewer. 

ABOUT US:

Since 1988, Rainforest Trust has been safeguarding imperiled tropical habitats and saving endangered species by establishing protected areas in partnership with local organizations and communities. With our partners, we have protected more than 51 million acres of vital habitat across Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Rainforest Trust is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that relies upon the generous support of the public to successfully implement our important conservation action.

HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR MISSION:

• Help ensure Rainforest Trust can grow its conservation impact in Africa by identifying and developing viable partners and projects that expand RT’s regional project portfolio.
• Increase our project success rate by working with key external stakeholders (including governments, NGOs, relevant orgs, institutions, etc.) to proactively identify potential project challenges and to unblock existing project barriers.
• Work in partnership with the Africa Conservation Director, US based Conservation staff, and grantees to increase project success, raise the profile of Rainforest Trust, and support fundraising by communicating regional impact, strategy, and vision to donors, Board, Government contacts, and others.
• Work collaboratively with US based Fundraising team members to identify funding opportunities and communicate project successes and challenges to a variety of donors and stakeholders including high level donors and other audiences.

TO SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE, WE’RE HOPING YOU’LL HAVE:

• Knowledge of the most critical conservation threats throughout Africa.
• Broad knowledge of protected and conserved area creation processes and opportunities in Africa.
• Fluency or proficiency in spoken and written French (required).  Fluency or proficiency in Portuguese is a plus.
• Existing relationships with experts, conservationists and government agencies in Africa and a skillset to develop new relationships as necessary.
• Demonstrated expertise in project management.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with a strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize, delegate, and ensure that deadlines are met.
• Clear written and oral communicator in public settings or with high-level donors with the ability to communicate the mission and impact.
• Experience translating technical information and data for a variety of audiences.
• The ability to collaboratively develop and implement problem-solving strategies.
• Experience with Asana, Salesforce, ArcGIS, Google Workspace and Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• A willingness to travel, and coordinate travel, both within the African continent and globally.
• Experience working with team members across different time zones.
• Ability to remain flexible and work within a collaborative and fast-paced international remote environment.
• Primary residency within the African continent.
• Commitment and enthusiasm for Rainforest Trust’s mission and respect for our core values: Nature & People; Efficiency; Transparency; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Partnerships & Collaboration; Science & Innovation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Rainforest Trust values the diversity of our planet and environment and wants our team to reflect the richness of the global population we serve. We believe that striving to maintain a demographically diverse workforce where employees are treated equitably and feel a strong sense of inclusion is not only an ethical imperative but also a key driver of innovation and excellence, enhancing our ability to fulfill our mission of conserving and protecting our natural environment.  

We put this belief into action by striving to apply a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to every aspect of employment, from how we hire and recruit, to how we determine compensation and benefits, to the training and development we offer, and the working conditions we create. 

Research shows that while cis-men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalized folks (especially groups that are underrepresented in the conservations field) tend to only apply when they check every box. So if you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single qualification, please still get in touch. We’d love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit!

We are an equal-opportunity employer and give all qualified applicants consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. 

WORKING CONDITIONS AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Rainforest Trust is a remote first organization and the incumbent will be expected to work primarily from home with an excellent internet connection.

This position will be required to travel between 20%-40% within the region. Occasional national and/or international travel may be required for organizational meetings and other events. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Ability to remain in a stationary position at a computer terminal for an extended period. The person in this position frequently communicates with colleagues both verbally and in writing and must be able to exchange accurate, neat and thorough information. 

ANTICIPATED SALARY 

The salary for this position is commensurate with experience. The actual salary for international hires will be determined by the regional market in the candidate’s country of residence. Information on other benefits may be found on our Careers Page.