Housed within The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Watersheds Strategy, the Nature for Water Facility (‘N4W’) is a technical assistance platform that provides hand-in-hand support to local champions seeking to develop watershed investment programs. N4W aims to enable 50+ ‘lighthouse landscapes’ by 2030 via a mixture of pro-bono and fee-for-service partnerships. For additional background on the program, please see the About, Services, and Portfolio sections of the N4W website.

The location for this position is flexible within countries in Africa where The Nature Conservancy is a registered NGO and has an established office in Africa (these include Angola, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia). Salary ranges will vary depending on the selected candidate's location. This is a 2-year, term-limited position, with opportunities for extension based on performance and funding availability.

Responsibilities or duties

The Engagement Manager teams with a Science Manager to jointly lead the overall success of N4W's place-based projects, supporting the establishment and delivery of watershed investment programs across a variety of geographic contexts. Typical deliverables for these project teams include landscape pre-feasibility analyses, business case/Return on Investment (ROI) assessments that combine economic and hydrological analyses, governance structure evaluations, sustainable funding strategies, long-term strategic plans, and capacity-building support to local partners.

Qualifications or requirements

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, political science, international development, or related field and at least 6 years of professional experience, or equivalent combination. Experience leading complex projects or strategic initiatives in an unstructured environment. Background in commercial evaluation of business models/project structuring, including financial modeling capabilities. Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance of teams and/or direct reports. Professional language competency in English required (both oral and written).

Desired Qualifications: 7+ years of professional experience in project finance, capital markets, or management consultancy. Graduate degree in an appropriate field, including (but not limited to) business, environmental or natural resource economics, engineering, or environmental management. Proficiencies in additional languages, especially Swahili, French, and Portuguese. Experience in Nature-based Solutions project design and implementation. Self-motivated and self-driven, able to work independently and remotely, and deliver tasks at the expected quality level, with appropriate supervision or guidance. A productive team player working in a collaborative, multi-cultural, and inter-disciplinary environment with the ability to analyze and synthesize technical information across disciplines.

Experience needed

At least 6 years of professional experience, or equivalent combination.

Any other provided details

Frequent domestic and/or international travel (expected 15%).

• Determining project scope.
• Mobilizing and managing multidisciplinary teams of internal and external experts to deliver projects against defined workplans and associated timelines.
• Identifying and engaging key actors and diverse stakeholders.
• Developing financial and economic appraisals (including related financial modeling) and communicating results across a variety of audiences/payers.
• Synthesizing high-quality research and analysis that combines technical, social, environmental, institutional, financial, and economic elements.
• Assessing ecosystem services benefits and conducting costing of watershed investment programs that rely on Nature-based Solutions to drive water security outcomes.
• Presenting outputs in stakeholder and/or client meetings, publications, and conference settings.
• Collaborating with N4W knowledge management staff to develop thought leadership publications.
• Provides mentorship, guidance and advisory support to project team staff and direct reports.

• Financial modeling
• Project management
• Stakeholder engagement
• Team leadership
• Research and analysis
• Communication
• Mentorship
• Swahili (desired)
• French (desired)
• Portuguese (desired)

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, political science, international development, or related field.
• At least 6 years of professional experience, or equivalent combination.
• Experience leading complex projects or strategic initiatives in an unstructured environment.
• Background in commercial evaluation of business models/project structuring, including financial modeling capabilities.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance of teams and/or direct reports.
• Professional language competency in English required (both oral and written).
• 7+ years of professional experience in project finance, capital markets, or management consultancy (desired).
• Graduate degree in an appropriate field, including (but not limited to) business, environmental or natural resource economics, engineering, or environmental management (desired).
• Proficiencies in additional languages, especially Swahili, French, and Portuguese (desired).
• Experience in Nature-based Solutions project design and implementation (desired).
• Self-motivated and self-driven, able to work independently and remotely, and deliver tasks at the expected quality level, with appropriate supervision or guidance (desired).
• A productive team player working in a collaborative, multi-cultural, and inter-disciplinary environment with the ability to analyze and synthesize technical information across disciplines (desired).