Angola Partnership Specialist

The Ecosystems, Communities and Climate – Cubango-Okavango (ECCO) activity is a five-year program with USAID and private sector leveraged funding, to support communities of the upper Cubango-Okavango to sustainably improve their livelihoods – where conservation protects the landscape’s vital resources and improves human well-being.

This is an incredible opportunity to work with a wide range of organizations and bring together their interests and capabilities for the long-lasting benefit of people and nature and the restoration of the upstream, which will help sustain the Cubango-Okavango River Basin and its unique natural values, improve people’s lives, and foster a vibrant and sustainable economy in Angola.

The primary task of the Partnership Specialist will be to support high-quality management and support the coordination of the ECCO. The Partnership Specialist’s primary responsibility is to support the implementation of project priorities and partnerships with USAID and with Government officials, donors, institutional partners, and NGOs. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of the ECCO Chief of Party, in close cooperation with the TNC regional office and the Okavango Basin program team.

This is a four-year term-limited position. The position will be based in Luanda, Angola. No employment visas or assistance is being offered with this position except for the local labor employment requirements.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with ECCO partner organizations to further develop and monitor implementation progress of activities, project priorities, collective work plans and objectives of ECCO’s partners, and to communicate these to a wider audience of stakeholders and collaborators.
• Manage overall coordination, communication, and collaboration amongst different stakeholders and key actors within the ECCO landscape, including facilitation of stakeholder meetings, ensuring that conservation objectives are met and forge new partnerships towards common aims and interests. Specific targets and priorities within this area include:

o  Improved outreach, dialogue, and coordination with and between traditional leaders, community organizations and other private sector partners in the ECCO areas of influence;

o  Improved communication and dialogue with key government agencies on issues such as improved governance and management of ECCO’s objectives, community conservation initiatives, and other landscape-scale conservation planning;

o  Strengthened linkages and collaboration between organizations working on natural resources, development, and wildlife conservation within the landscape, and organizations working on issues of community development, agriculture, gender, fisheries, agriculture and community resource rights.

• Coordinate strategic communications with partners, organize and facilitate events, such as workshops, and develop and disseminate materials that communicate and reinforce the strategic vision of ECCO, USAID, TNC, and its partners, including compiling relevant reports and documents.
• Play a role in the collection, consolidation, and tracking of different sources of data relevant to understanding and monitoring key natural resource governance and management trends and processes throughout the ECCO landscape.
• Work as part of TNC Angola’s conservation team, ensuring close communication, collaboration, and learning with peers in the team.
• Through collaboration with TNC Africa’s conservation team, draws lessons from partnership development processes from across TNC Africa’s conservation portfolio and bring them to bear in an Angola context.
• Support the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system of the ECCO project by conducting site visits during the project implementation phase for each grant in assigned areas and supporting MEL plans for field-level projects.
• Support periodic research in the areas of influence and case studies to measure the impact of activities and assist with program-level evaluation.
• Assist program management activities such as work planning, and semi-annual reports and monitor activity progress, budgeting, reporting, and donor engagement.
• Work with TNC Communications and Marketing teams to identify and document stories of change and impact within the ECCO landscape.
•  Collaborate with the Chief of Party to schedule and coordinate Steering Committee meetings, co-chairs, and subgroups, both in-person and via webinar or other online platforms.
• Requires frequent domestic travel and occasional availability during evenings and weekends.
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, and under physically demanding circumstances.

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Business Administration, Economy, Natural resources management/conservation practice, or related field).
• A minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in international development projects on biodiversity conservation, conservation-oriented markets, and small and medium-sized agribusinesses programs.
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including staffing, workloads, and finances under deadlines.
• Experience in building, and maintaining relationships with host government entities, stakeholders, and the private sector.
• Experience in bringing partners together for a common goal and maintaining trust and collaboration over time. Ability to organize multi-stakeholder events.
• Experience in navigating complex organizational and partnership structures.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups, and government agencies.
• Experience in stakeholder management and coordination, preferably with the private sector and government
• Experience negotiating

Desired Qualifications:

•  A master’s degree with at least 7 years of relevant experience in international development projects with community-based organizations, biodiversity conservation, conservation-oriented market, and investment development, and small and medium-sized agribusiness programs, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience influencing, developing, and implementing conservation policy and plans.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in conservation and natural resources management in Angola
•  Excellent report writing, analytical, and communication skills, including oral presentation skills, knowledge management, and dissemination of findings in English.
• Outstanding process facilitation skills: ability to facilitate collaboration with diverse and complex groups of individuals and organizations, to forge and maintain common interests and shared objectives, and guide collective action towards collectively identified goals.
• Ability to work with remote teams and across time zones.
• Skills in facilitating, negotiating, and conflict management in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Proven communication skills in written, spoken, and graphical means in Portuguese and English.
• Competence in computer skills (e.g., Excel, Word, etc.).
• Valid Angolan Driving License.
• A passion for Angola’s wildlife and wild spaces.
• Good knowledge of USAID standards and tools.
• Ability to work independently with strong self-motivation.
• Politically savvy.