Vice President of CI Madagascar

Job Description

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a global challenge. Due to the fluidity of the situation, we periodically reassess our plans to reopen our offices. For the safety of our employees, our approach is tailored to the situation in each of the 30 countries we operate in. Travel is only conducted when absolutely necessary and safe to do so. Hiring managers will provide guidance on flexible work arrangements in accordance with country-specific safety policies.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Vice President (VP) – Madagascar is responsible for providing the strategic and programmatic direction of the country program, proactively identifying opportunities and trends for the achievement of institutional goals. The VP defines the vision for CI’s work in the country, provides strategic direction, technical guidance, and oversight for primary programmatic commitments, building and coordinating relationships among institutions for the implementation of projects, and contributes to the creation of national and regional policies that enable conservation.

The VP is responsible for senior-level program management and all its component projects leading the team, raising funds, managing its resources, risk management, and ensuring that program strategies, initiatives, and outcomes advance CI’s human development and conservation priorities. They represent CI in the country and have a key role in building alliances, which are central to CI’s conservation strategy, and ensuring that CI’s programs are multidisciplinary with a sound scientific base. They also ensure that the program contributes to organizational goals and is well aligned with CI’s global technical and administrative divisions. The Vice President provides broad programmatic, project, and technical oversight and continuously engages key internal and external partners critical to program success. The Vice President ensures that CI’s work is presented effectively to donors and key stakeholders to ensure strategic and sustainable partnerships.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President for CI’s Africa Field Division, the Vice President Madagascar ensures compliance with CI policies, funding agreements, and local requirements. The employee will also ensure that the program is integrated with CI’s strategic fundraising and partnership goals and works in collaboration with other CI technical and operations units to support the needs of the field programs.

The Vice President directly manages staff, interdisciplinary teams, and/or outside partners. The employee works with a high degree of independence and serves as a technical expert in CI’s multidisciplinary approach to conservation. The employee exercises a high level of creativity and strategic thinking to efficiently manage the country program and build the local capacity within complex and challenging environments. They strengthen, promote, and consolidate a corporate institutional image within the country and participate actively in the AfFD Management Team and other leadership networks.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Planning and Strategy:

• Provide strategic vision and direction for the Madagascar program and develop a country strategy, including alignment with the overall CI mission and vision as well as the relevant regional and global strategies.
• Ensure efficient and effective implementation of Madagascar’s country strategy, including adequate monitoring and evaluation to ensure the integrity of the national program.

Alliance Development and Maintenance:

• Position CI appropriately in Madagascar and represent CI nationally.
• Plan, develop, and maintain a network of strategic partners and alliances that support the successful implementation of the program’s strategy, including civil society, and public and private sectors.
• Provide advice to key governmental and other partners to ensure sound decision-making on themes related to conservation and CI’s Madagascar strategy.
• Lead on CI Madagascar’s policy engagements with the government of Madagascar.

Project Management:

• Ensure effective and efficient delivery of projects, supervising the program’s project managers to ensure delivery of planned results, including the supervision of partners’ and sub-grantees project execution.
• Lead strategic and annual planning processes on behalf of the program at regional and national levels, ensuring the integration of program objectives with global initiatives, monitoring and evaluating its progress.
• Represent the program in senior-level meetings with CI’s regional and global management teams, coordinating technical interactions globally.

Fundraising and Proposal Development:

• Proactively raise funds to support Madagascar’s program and projects, including identifying and cultivating new sources of funding from national and international sources and ensuring efficient proposal development.
• Participate and collaborate in regional fundraising initiatives led by the Africa regional team and by the Global teams.

People and Resources Management:

• Build, develop and maintain a highly efficient diverse, and capable team that delivers the program’s strategy and ensures operational excellence.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team by fostering effective communication, instilling organizational values and modeling competencies, and creating a collaborative and supportive work environment that attracts, develops, and retains talented and committed individuals while supporting their professional development.
• Evaluate and approve Madagascar’s annual budget, including workforce planning and overall management of the human resources of the program.
• Oversee reporting to donors and CI’s leadership.
• Ensure operational excellence, including managing the financial resources of the program and addressing all legal matters of the program.
• Ensure program compliance with CI policies, funding agreements, and local requirements.
• Fully accountable for managing external funds and ensuring compliance with donor requirements and CI policies.
• Fully accountable for the Madagascar office budget. Exercises direct budget authority and legally binds and commits the organization.

Participation in Institutional Processes:

• Participate as a member of the Africa Field Division Senior Leadership Team in meetings and other mechanisms to contribute to the formulation and evaluation of regional plans and strategies and determine priorities.
• Participate in any annual or other institutional planning meetings and processes, representing the Madagascar program, contribute to the formulation of national plans and strategies and determine priorities.
• Participate in regional or institutional strategic groups as requested.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• This position is based in Antananarivo, Madagascar
• Work is typically performed in an office environment.
• Ability to work extended and irregular hours.
• Flexibility in work schedule to accommodate time differences with HQ and the region.
• Frequent international travel of up to 50%, often to remote locations.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Master’s degree in biology, environmental studies, natural resources management, geography, or a related field and 15 or more years of experience with conservation or international development NGOs, preferably in Madagascar, or an equivalent combination of a first degree and experience.
• 15 or more years of experience of progressively responsible experience in strategic planning and programmatic development and management, private sector/government engagement, and international policy related to conservation endeavors.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting programmatic planning by linking strategic plans and work plans.
• Demonstrated understanding of Project management including management of substantial project/program budget in Madagascar or similar contexts.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising to support conservation and/or sustainable development agendas.
• Demonstrated network of and/or access to high-level decision-makers and opinion leaders in public and private organizations with an interest in Madagascar and Africa.
• Successful experience negotiating complex agreements with governments, NGOs, and other key supporters.
• Successful experience in building an enabling work environment for the team.
• Superb communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and supervise a diverse team.
• Strong communication skills, preferably writing skills capable of peer-review publishing.
• Self-starter, willing to take initiative in solving problems and providing follow-on assistance.
• Ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts.
• Ability to adapt and flex with changing duties and priorities in a dynamic work environment.
• Strong organizational and financial skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and French.

Preferred

• Demonstrated ability to achieve program goals with a high level of creativity and strategic thinking to effectively manage and build local capacity within extremely complex, challenging environments.
• Past work experience in Madagascar.
• Flexible and results-oriented with a high level of resourcefulness to deal with constant changes.
• Passion for the conservation of nature and a commitment to CI’s vision and mission.
• Knowledge of, Portuguese, Spanish, or any other major language spoken in Africa

To apply for this position please submit a resume and cover letter.

Application Deadline: July 22, 2022 (11:49 PM EST)

About the Organization

Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork, and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, biodiversity, and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.