The Jane Goodall Institute is currently recruiting for Executive Director assigned to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). JGI USA initiated the DRC Program in 2005 and began implementing integrated community-centered conservation and Roots & Shoots activities in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi Biega Landscape, an area rich in biodiversity with tremendous chimpanzee conservation potential. Currently, JGI coordinates the multi-stakeholder Ushiriki (‘union’ in KiSwahili) consortium implementing the IUCN Action Plan for Grauer’s Gorillas and Chimpanzees in Eastern DRC in partnership with over 20 active local and international partners in a 268,000km2 landscape across five provinces.
The successful candidate for the Executive Director role should be a senior-level professional with a proven track record of managing country programs, establishing, and maintaining excellent relationships with government and partners. The Executive Director is responsible for strategic leadership and oversight of the JGI DRC country office, including strategy implementation, program direction, oversight and accountability for resources and office operations, and work with stakeholders, including national, regional and local government officials, partners and donors to ensure success.
Qualifications and Experience
· A minimum of a Master’s degree in natural resource management, natural or biological sciences, economic growth, international development or other relevant discipline;
· A minimum of five (5) years in a senior management position in international development, such as relevant experience in managing a NGO, company, unit of a company, or experience as a Chief-of-Party or (or Deputy) for an international donor and/or foundation in the DRC or East & Central Africa;
· Demonstrated senior leadership and management skills in fostering teamwork, motivating others, managing organizational change, developing and sustaining strategic partnerships in a complex context;
· Excellent diplomatic skills and the ability to reach out to many different audiences, including members of the JGI organization, and the management and staff of multilateral and bilateral donor agencies, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, as well as members of civil society;
· Experience with all aspects of management including administration, finance, and human resources;
· Demonstrated mature judgment and integrity;
· Proven cross-functional management experience preferred, with ability to develop high-performing & motivated teams;
· Ability to work under deadline pressures and to manage multitasking requirements;
· Demonstrated communication skills, both verbal and written, including work with the media;
· Exceptional English and French written and oral communication skills;
· Knowledge of, or experience in, the application of the Conservation Standards (Conservation Measures Partnership, CMP) is preferred;
· Citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo is preferred.
JGI prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by U.S. or International law.
Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is an international non-governmental organization that continues Dr. Goodall’s pioneering work on chimpanzee ecology and behavior. Its mission is to understand and protect chimpanzees, other apes and their habitats, and to work towards creating an informed and compassionate critical mass of people who will help to create a better world for people, other animals and our shared environment. The breadth of JGI’s mission reflects Dr. Goodall’s personal philosophy that the survival of all species, including chimpanzees and humans, depends upon the collaboration of all people. In 2012, JGI formally adopted an ambitious 30-year goal to protect 85% of Africa’s wild chimpanzee populations in their natural habitats. In reaching this goal, JGI will capitalize on its considerable strengths and experience gained from working throughout the chimpanzee range, which includes 60 years of chimpanzee behavioral research at the Gombe Stream Research Center; over 25 years of developing people-and community-centered conservation strategies; impressive expertise in the use of geospatial technology to innovatively map and monitor human and chimpanzee use of forest resources; and a global environmental and humanitarian youth program—Roots & Shoots.
Under its Africa Programs (AP) Department, JGI USA implements community-based conservation activities in collaboration with other JGI chapters such as JGI Tanzania and other country offices like JGI Democratic Republic of Congo, JGI Republic of Congo, and JGI Uganda. JGI USA Africa Programs partners include, but are not limited to, Arcus Foundation, Disney Conservation Fund, J.P. Fletcher Foundation, USAID, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS), and a strong individual donor base.
The JGI DRC office is located in Goma and currently consists of 12 employees. The Executive Director will supervise this full-time staff, implement the Institute’s mission in the DRC, and provide oversight of financial, technical, and administrative systems and processes to achieve desired results across the portfolio. This portfolio includes but is not limited to landscape scale ecosystem conservation, chimpanzee conservation, community-centered conservation, and environmental education. The Executive Director will report to the Vice President of Africa Programs, JGI-USA