Reports to: Country Director
Location: Maputo, Mozambique
Position Managed: Coral Reef Scientist, Project Manager (COMBO), COMBO+ Technical Advisor (seconded to DINAB), Project Manager (Sharks & Rays), SBAPP project Coordinator, Blue Future Project Coordinator.
Country Program/Sector: Mozambique Program
Position Type: Full time
Coordinate with: Grants Manager, Procurement and Logistics team, accounting and finance team, human resources team, communications team, and administrative team.
Job Purpose
The Marine Director will support WCS Mozambique in the implementation of large-scale conservation-focused marine projects. S/he will also work with other WCS marine conservationists in development, planning, implementation and science components. S/he will contribute as a scientific advisor to marine conservation and integration. S/he is also involved in management, technical advice, fundraising and training. S/he will ensure that the program activities align with organizational goals, comply with regulatory requirements, and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of marine resources.
Major Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Program Development:
- Lead the implementation of the Mozambique Marine Program strategy, ensuring progress is monitored at least bi-annually, and adjust it as needed in line with WCS’s broader regional and global strategies.
- Develop and lead funding strategies, including proposal development for bilateral, multilateral, foundation, and private donors, ensuring alignment with WCS’s marine conservation priorities at national, regional, and global levels.
- Collaborate with the WCS Mozambique leadership to develop project and annual work plans, and budgets, and identify funding gaps.
- Ensure the program’s strategic objectives are met through regular planning meetings with project coordinators, tracking monthly, quarterly, annual, and long-term goals.
Financial & Grant Management:
- Ensure the marine program team complies with WCS and donor policies on grant management, expenditure, and reporting.
- Oversee financial management and reporting, working closely with the Grants Manager and finance team to ensure harmonized technical and financial reports.
- Manage online filing systems for all grants and utilize project management tools (e.g., Asana) to ensure deadlines and deliverables are met.
- Lead the writing, review and consolidation of high-quality technical and financial donor reports.
Monitoring, Evaluation, & Adaptation:
- Oversee M&E activities, ensuring that project plans are adapted as needed, and develop realignment or extension requests when required.
- Ensure data collected is of high quality and support the technical reporting and analysis of this data.
- Ensure regular reporting of progress toward strategic goals, adjusting plans as necessary based on M&E feedback.
Team Leadership & Capacity Building:
- Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team, including Environmental and Social Safeguards, M&E specialists, sub-grantees and consultants, setting annual objectives and conducting performance reviews.
- Identify capacity gaps, provide technical support and capacity-building to staff, and ensure skill transfer to local staff, particularly in project implementation, data collection, analysis, and field-level activities.
- If expatriate, provide guidance for the training of a Mozambican national for skills transfer.
- Oversee recruitment processes, define job descriptions, and co-lead hiring when necessary.
External Relations & Partnership Building:
- Liaise with government partners (e.g., Ministry of Sea, Inland Waters and Fisheries, Ministry of Land and Environment) to ensure strong working relationships.
- Represent WCS’s marine conservation work in Mozambique to technical partners, donors, government bodies, NGOs, and other key stakeholders.
- Coordinate donor relationships and manage communications with funders, including attending reviews and meetings as necessary.
- Collaborate with national and international research institutes and universities to develop joint research projects, attract researchers and oversee marine research aligned with WCS’s conservation priorities.
Communication & Outreach:
- Coordinate the implementation of the Marine Program communication strategies and plans.
- Ensure that conservation messages are effectively delivered locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Publicize WCS Mozambique marine program achievements through both popular and scientific media, contributing to scientific publications and ensuring the capacity-building of national staff.
- Promote education and scientific research within the marine program, ensuring engagement with local talent and students.
General Administration & Compliance:
- Work closely with the Country Director, Finance and remaining Directors to ensure compliance with WCS policies and smooth program operation.
- Ensure the marine program operates in compliance with national and international environmental policies and legislation.
Minimum Requirements and Job Skills:
- Over 8 years of experience in conservation programs or large-scale project management, particularly in marine conservation.
- Master’s degree or PhD from a recognized university in biology, ecology, or a related field, with a strong preference for marine ecology or biodiversity.
- Preference is given to candidates with training and experience in marine megafauna, elasmobranchs, artisanal fisheries, mangroves, seagrass, coral reefs, and conservation areas.
- Significant fieldwork experience.
Project Management & Technical Skills:
- Proficiency in project management methodologies, including monitoring and evaluation practices, with prior experience managing teams.
- Proven expertise in fundraising, financial management, multi-donor budget implementation, and writing performance reports.
- Strong statistical knowledge, with the ability to analyze scientific data and prepare clear, accessible reports.
Leadership & Coordination:
- Excellent leadership and coordination skills, with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, set objectives, promote collaboration, and ensure follow-through on deliverables and deadlines.
- Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines under pressure, with a high level of responsibility and methodical work habits.
- Highly organized and autonomous, with a strong sense of initiative and problem-solving skills.
Knowledge & Expertise in Marine Conservation:
- Knowledge or interest in current trends in conservation and natural resource management, particularly in Africa and Mozambique.
- Understanding of national and international environmental policies and legislation relevant to marine and biodiversity conservation.
- Experience with government and NGO contracting, grant-making, and legislative relations.
Other Considerations:
- Mozambican nationality preferred.
Additional requirements:
- Demonstrated experience developing external communications materials.
- Professional proficiency in English and Portuguese.
Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications, skills and experience, should apply via the link. We review received applications on a rolling basis
WCS is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value.
