Enterprise Development Manager

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.

The “Ecosystem-Based Adaptation and Mitigation in Botswana’s Communal Rangelands” Project funded by GCF aims to utilize collective management of livestock and ecosystems to restore Botswana’s communal rangelands, increasing the climate resilience of vulnerable populations and reducing GHG emissions. Over 8 years, the project will undertake activities in 104 villages in Ngamiland, Kgalagadi, and Bobirwa landscape areas, covering six administrative districts of Botswana. In these three areas, the Project is targeting improved management of 4.6 million hectares of rangelands. The day-to-day activities of the Project are implemented in each of the three Project Areas. Administratively, the project areas cover the following districts: Okavango and North-West Districts (Ngamiland Area); Hukuntsi, Tsabong, and Mabutsane Districts (Kgalagadi Area); and Bobirwa District (Bobirwa Area).

POSITION SUMMARY – This position is based in Gaborone, Botswana

The Enterprise Development Manager will provide oversight management of the GCF Project’s enterprise development strategies, within the project’s Component 3 framework. The Manager is expected to take leadership of all enterprise development functions including; enterprise identification and scoping, overseeing feasibility studies, providing or facilitating technical assistance, collaborating with Project Team and relevant Government Partners to broker investment into community enterprise. The Manager will ensure quality and reports to the Deputy Chief of Party.

The project has ambitious targets to spur sustainable enterprises development and will identify and provide technical assistance to community groups to grow local enterprises, while cultivating partnerships with the public and private sectors as well as other impact investors. Enterprise development is expected to foster the sustainability of long-term behavior change regarding positive environmental stewardship.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Enterprise Development:

• Work closely with project partners to develop and implement the project’s ED strategy, for adoption across the 104 project villages, through scoping, feasibility assessments, and delivering relevant enterprise support.
• Ensure common understanding (including training) on the enterprise development objectives and interventions of the project.
• Design and implement cluster-level business plans and protocols for climate-resilient financing across the proposed value chains for livestock markets across 104 villages, including natural products.
• Provide mentorship and close guidance to ensure the delivery of all enterprise development interventions with partners.
• Maintain proper project metrics on all enterprise development-related activities.
• Profile and explore potential to develop natural resource-based local enterprise development opportunities beyond the livestock stream.

Market Access Facilitation (Livestock)

• Drive strategic partnerships, including private sector engagements for market access avenues that support sustainable livestock management and ecological restoration.
• Develop strategies for incentive-based market linkages based on conservation outcomes as part of the Herding for Health approach with farmers.
• Provide strategic support to site teams through delivering market-readiness training initiatives.
• Engage livestock value-chain stakeholders to strengthen and establish new opportunities for community involvement along the value chain.
• Mobilize and facilitate market access funding, in collaboration with public and private-sector partners.

General Project Management: In close collaboration with Area Managers:

• Ensure effective coordination of all Enterprise Development project components, ensuring component specialists, site implementers, and other stakeholders are aligned to the project goals.
• Ensure all site implementers have up-to-date, coherent, and rigorous delivery plans, while ensuring that the execution plan is on course.
• Timely review of site implementer monitoring activities and data as prescribed in the site monitoring frameworks as pertains to the enterprise development workstream. Consolidate this data and information into coherent project-level monitoring data/info as per the project monitoring framework.
• Ensure area-level implementers deliver timely and holistic periodic ED-related reports (technical and financial), analyze and consolidate these into project-level reports.
• Contribute to the broader Africa conservation strategy, fostering economic resilience, environmental stewardship, and sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Frequent travel to project sites.
• Fieldwork in remote locations under varying weather and logistical conditions.
• May require extended hours during reporting cycles or evaluations.
• Supporting the staff in the implementation of other activities outside of its main responsibilities, if needed.
• This role will be a 3-year fixed-term assignment.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree and/or commensurate experience in the field of Entrepreneurship Development, Business Management, or Rural Development.
• 4 to 6 years of project management experience in rural enterprises development, rural economies, and business development services in Botswana.
• Excellent project management experience, including project planning, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, multi-stakeholder partnerships coordination, grants management, etc.
• Experience with development sector-funded projects is an added advantage.
• Strongly self-motivated with a high problem-solving attitude.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
• Strong experience working with donor-funded projects and or multilateral climate funds.
• Excellent communication, reporting, and presentation skills.
• Excellent organization and time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Preferred

• A postgraduate qualification will be an added advantage.
• Experience working with communal or rangeland-based livelihoods and ecosystem restoration programs.
• Familiarity with the project site area.
• Knowledge of Botswana’s policy frameworks related to enterprise development and sustainable agriculture.
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to respect and work well with people from different backgrounds and disciplines.
• Team player able to work effectively in a multicultural environment.

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: September 14, 2025 (11:49 PM EST)

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