Local recruitment: Project manager: Northern and Eastern Cape Drakensberg

Description

(This is a 2-year contract based in or around the towns of Bergville or Winterton)

WWF is the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisation, with over 6 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF South Africa (WWF-SA) is a national office that is part of the WWF network. We are a local NGO that has worked for 50 years with the aim of inspiring all South Africans to live in harmony with nature, for the benefit of our country and the wellbeing of all our people. Our work is challenging and exciting and we love what we do. To join our team, you need to be brilliant at what you do, passionate, results-orientated and have a positive attitude.

Background

WWF has made it a strategic priority to secure the Strategic Water Source Areas, the 10% of the land area of South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho that supplies 50% of South Africa’s surface water resources. The ecosystems in these highly biodiverse, complex landscapes provide a range of ecosystem services. WWF’s goal is to secure these landscapes using a range of enabling, implementation and adaptive mechanisms designed to strengthen the functioning of these ecosystems and improve the water and food security of local and downstream communities.

Within the SWSAs, WWF works through the modality of local multi-stakeholder partnerships. These partnerships include representation from government, NGOs, local communities and traditional leadership, academia and the private sector, and are convened to promote governance of natural resources, learning, cooperation and innovation. These partnerships have produced numerous innovative and effective approaches to securing Strategic Water Source Areas, including the implementation of and Community-Based Conservation solutions, Nature-based Solutions and Natural Climate Solutions, green business development and novel communications campaigns such as the Journey of Water. WWF plays the role of a partner and a funder in these partnerships, often funding the operations of the partnership and specific water stewardship projects designed to address the needs in the landscape.

In the Eastern Cape Drakensberg SWSA, WWF has supported the operation of the Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership (UCP), and has worked closely with local partners Environmental and Rural Solutions, Lima and Conservation South Africa in implementing numerous water stewardship projects to enhance ecosystem functioning and livelihoods in this landscape. This partnership has been running for 10 years and is an advanced stage of maturity, but now requires significant support to help it transition and grow.

In the Northern Drakensberg SWSA, WWF has helped to facilitate the establishment of the Northern Drakensberg Collective (NDC). By working with local partners Wildtrust, the Institute for Natural Resources and Mahlathini, WWF is funding numerous water stewardship projects to address the needs of the landscape. The NDC is a newly established partnership and needs support to cement itself as an influential entity in the landscape.

This role will be based in the Northern Drakensberg SWSA but will require regular travel to the Eastern Cape Drakensberg area (approximately 1 week in 8). The role will require approximately 60% of its time to be dedicated to the Northern Drakensberg and 40% to the Eastern Cape.

Minimum Requirements

• B.Sc. Hon or equivalent, in either of the following: water resource management, catchment management, environmental science, ecology, conservation, water governance. 
• At least 5 years’ experience of working on water stewardship/integrated water resource.  management/catchment management water governance issues.
• Experience of living or working in rural areas and engaging a range of rural communities including.  traditional leaders and people living on communal land to commercial farmers and government officials. 
• Knowledge and experience of Nature-based solutions, Natural Climate Solutions, Community-based Conservation, or other similar conservation approaches is essential.
• Experience of convening communities or practice and facilitating multi-stakeholder fora. 
• Technical capacity to translate water stewardship approaches into water related strategies/action plans and to manage project implementation.
• Efficient project management and administrative experience and leadership? skills are essential.
• Ability to work collaboratively and facilitate solutions focused engagements in a multidisciplinary and diverse working environment.
• Negotiation and diplomacy skills and ability to engage at senior management level in business as well as at a local level.
• Strategy development expertise as well as knowledge of key issues in water stewardship, water resource management, related policies and legislation and sustainability essential.
• An innovative and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Self-starter with ability to initiate new working relations and self-manage areas of work critical to achievement of deliverables.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, presentation, and communications skills.
• Computer literacy essential (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of the local catchments, institutions, role players, ecosystems etc. is advantageous.
• Fluency in English and a local language of the Northern Drakensberg areas is essential.
• Code 8 driver’s license with dirt road driving experience.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Consolidate and grow the Northern Drakensberg Collaborative and the Umzimvubu Catchment Partnership, ensuring that the partnerships are well established and demonstrate their value to partners.
• Collaborate closely with local implementing NGOs, including ERS, INR, Wildtrust, Mahlathini and Lima.
• Develop networks and cultivate relationships in order to increase engagement/participation by key stakeholders in the partnerships and ensure that they continue to attract a vibrant voluntary community of stakeholders.
• Water stewardship projects are catalysed and implementation is effectively coordinated and/or supported.
• Unlock funding opportunities and catalyse new water stewardship projects through strategic engagements with funders.
• Project manage existing and future projects ensuring that they deliver successful outcomes in a timeous and locally acceptable manner.
• Actively lead and participate in the partnerships and any relevant communities of practice within them.
• Help to coordinate the various activities of the WWF Land and Biodiversity Stewardship, Sustainable Agriculture and Freshwater portfolios in the landscapes.
• Unlock funding opportunities through strategic engagements with funders, the WWF Business Development Unit and Freshwater management.
• Facilitate collaboration and learning between different partnerships alongside colleagues in the Freshwater Programme.
• Oversea monitoring, evaluation and learning on all WWF projects and of the partnerships as a whole.
• Develop communication that tell the stories of the partnership in collaboration with the WWF Communications team.
• Arrange and coordinate field trips in the landscapes for funders, colleagues, partners and other stakeholders.