The World Wide Fund for Nature seeks a 

Project Manager, New Deal for Nature and People

Background: 

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the largest independent conservation organizations in the world, active in almost 100 countries. It has been working in the Congo Basin in Central Africa for more than 20 years. Our mission is to stop the environmental degradation in the world and build a future where humans live in harmony with nature.

Despite decades of effort, global trends on the loss of nature remain deeply worrying. 

Unquestionably, stopping biodiversity decline to secure the sustainable provision of vital ecosystem goods and services that underpin humanity’s sustainable development is an imperative.

To escalate the challenge to the top of the global agenda in 2020, WWF launched an ambitious, integrated network initiative to (1) radically escalate the political relevance of nature; (2) galvanize a cohesive movement across states and non-state actors to drive change; and (3) secure ambitious commitments and strong accountability mechanisms through relevant multi-lateral and non-state mechanisms to deliver change. 

WWF’s work on the New Deal for Nature & People is about securing the above ambitions. It strives to mobilize key stakeholders in order to encourage global decision makers to play a leadership role. Key stakeholders include the public and civil society, business and the financial sector, as well as political players. Effectively engaging the stakeholders require the strong involvement of teams and country offices across the WWF Network, supported by strong scientific research in order to make a strong science-based and economically sound case for urgent action. 

WWF Cameroon will launch her stakeholder engagement strategy in December 2019 with facilitation of two initiatives:

• New Deal Africa: Cameroon
• Biodiversity Engagement Facilitation -Engaging partners to stop biodiversity decline

The New Deal initiative will support WWF Cameroon to contribute to stopping global biodiversity decline and promoting a New Deal to improve the integration of biodiversity in public and private decisions.  The Biodiversity Engagement Facilitation initiative complements the New Deal. It will support WWF Cameroon to engage stakeholders to contribute to bending the curve on biodiversity decline by setting national and sectoral voluntary contributions. Collectively, the two initiatives will support scientific studies, training champions and CSOs ad collaborating with them to raise public awareness and advocate for political and business adherence to the New Deal, facilitating high level dialogue

Location: Yaoundé, Cameroon

Duration: Two years, renewable

Major Functions:

• Contribute to increasing awareness on the value and need to protect nature
• Contribute to securing support for the New Deal for Nature and People by 2020 from the public and civil society, business and the financial sector, and political actors in Cameroon
• Support at least two economic sectors to commit to reduce their pressure on biodiversity by 2030
• Contribute to advocacy for Cameroon’s support for a strengthened post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework with ambitious targets and robust implementation mechanisms
• Facilitate the domestication of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Main responsibilities:

• Support planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the New Deal and Biodiversity Engagement Facilitation initiatives in Cameroon.
• Maintain accurate project implementation accounts to facilitate easy retrieval, identification and verification of resources and expenditures related to project activities
• Facilitate field visits for internal and external stakeholders
• Develop ToRs for workshops, service providers or consultants, Civil Support Organizations (CSO) to assist with implementation of approved activities.
• Prepare requisitions for services and the purchases as agreed upon in work plans and budgets.
• Support for WWF Cameroon’s fundraising efforts to additional secure financial resources for the country engagement strategy

What you need:

Required Qualifications 

• MBA or a post graduate degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Natural Resource Management, Sustainable Development, or other related fields a plus
• 5+ years of work experience in working with public, CSOs and private sector stakeholders on conservation and/or sustainability including significant project management experience
• Further experience in public and private sector engagement on policy
• Fluency in French and English.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrated experience in building alliances, initiatives or platforms for change that leverage the capacity of partners
• A network of external relationships that extends WWF Cameroon’s current reach
• Evidence of agile proactive thinking combined with an optimistic approach within a realistic framework
• Budget management and fundraising skills
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Strong team player and internal organizational networker
• An understanding of the importance of working alongside indigenous peoples and local communities to deliver the best conservation outcomes
• Knowledge of policies and approaches aimed at safeguarding the rights and well-being of indigenous peoples and local communities

Required Behavioral Skills

• Adheres to WWF’s values: Strive for impact, listen deeply, collaborate openly and innovate fearlessly
• Proactive approach to meeting deadlines and delivering results with limited supervision

How to apply?

Email a cover letter and CV 

Thank you in advance for your interest in this position. Only those who meet the requirements will be contacted. If you have not been contacted Ten days (10) days after closing, consider your application unsuccessful.

Deadline for applications: November 17th, 2019.

WWF is an equal opportunity employer and committed to having a diverse workforce.