Senior Regional Director - Africa

at  International Union for Conservation of Nature

Vacancy #:
7013
Unit:
TRAFFIC International
Organisation:
TRAFFIC International (TRAFFIC)
Location:
TRAFFIC - Southern Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
This role can be based in one of the three major TRAFFIC Offices in Arusha (Tanzania), in Pretoria (South Africa) or in Yaounde (Cameroon); other TRAFFIC locations in Africa may be considered for an exceptional candidate.
Reporting to:
Executive Director
Work percentage:
100%
Grade:
M2
Expected start date:
01 December 2024
Type of contract:
Indefinite
Closing date:
18 October 2024

BACKGROUND

TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working to ensure that global trade in wild species is legal and sustainable, for the benefit of the planet and people. At a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, TRAFFIC provides evidence, solutions, and influence to combat environmental degradation and ensure a nature-positive future. TRAFFIC has significantly grown in recent years, and our new 2030 Strategy lays out an ambitious vision for transformational change and impact.
We are seeking a Senior Regional Director for Africa to provide strategic leadership and direction for our work in the region. The Senior Director reports directly to the Executive Director, oversees a number of Programme Offices, and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
This role can be based in one of the three major TRAFFIC Offices in Arusha (Tanzania), in Pretoria (South Africa) or in Yaounde (Cameroon); other TRAFFIC locations in Africa may be considered for an exceptional candidate.
Mission and Strategy
Trade in wild species is one of the world’s most pressing conservation and development challenges.
Global supply chains for wild plants and animals provide livelihoods for hundreds of millions of the world’s poor. At the same time, illegal trade – one of the most profitable criminal activities worldwide – fuels environmental degradation and economic losses.
TRAFFIC was established in 1976 by IUCN and WWF to respond to the growing threats posed by illegal wildlife trade and overexploitation. We provide evidence-based solutions through rigorous research and analysis, rooted in science, data, and our expertise. Over the past decade, we have become the leading global trusted advisor to governments and intergovernmental processes, and bring public, private, and civil society stakeholders together in new partnerships.
Today, we have an international network of nearly 200 experts located in ten offices in Africa, Asia, Pacific, Europe, and the Americas – and leverage the conservation expertise of our founders IUCN and WWF, and other partners. We offer a strong network of knowledge across the environmental, social, economic, financial, and political and policy dimensions of trade.
Our new 2030 Strategy frames our mission, goals, and strategic priorities. Over the coming decade, we will drive TRAFFIC’s work to achieve two high-level goals to ensure that illegal and unsustainable trade in wild species will be significantly reduced and that legal and sustainable trade in wild species will provide increased social, economic, and environmental benefits for people.
Our five priority areas of focus include: strengthening global policy frameworks, improving the effectiveness of national policies and regulations, empowering communities, enabling responsible supply chains, and catalysing responsible consumption.

As we scale up action in the five priority areas, we will adjust how we work:

• Doing fewer things but doing them bigger and better
• Rigorously prioritising actions that contribute to the 2030 goals
• Sharpening our global leadership in data collection, use, and access
• Leveraging innovation and technology for impact
• Stronger focus on gender and rights-based approaches
• Selectively broadening our core partnerships

REQUIREMENTS

• A university degree and preferably a post-graduate qualification in a relevant discipline.
• A minimum of 10 years of work experience in the region at a senior level related to nature conservation, sustainable development, intergovernmental processes, policy dialogue, public-private partnerships, and the range of issues affecting the conservation, use and trade of wild species.
• A good understanding of the socio-political context and development aspiration of the region.
• Excellent strategic planning, project management, and partnership development skills, with significant examples of generating impact and influence related to nature conservation in the region.
• High-level representational skills and gravitas in a regional and international context, with strong diplomatic, political, cross-cultural, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated capacity for mission-driven leadership: building powerful collaborations, being authentic and creating trust, learning continuously and listening deeply, acting with courage, managing complexity and uncertainty, and caring for self and others.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, coach and lead a team with diverse skills, personalities, and backgrounds, and strong track record in effective delegation and empowerment of direct reports.
• A clear, inspiring and authoritative communicator with high-level English skills; working knowledge of at least one additional language in the region is beneficial.
• A significant track record of fundraising from regional and international donors.
• Demonstrated commitment to TRAFFIC’s mission and values.
• We are committed to promoting equality, valuing diversity, and working inclusively across our entire organisation. We seek to uphold these principles in our behaviour and practices – as an employer and as a global thought leader. TRAFFIC wishes to encourage applications from experienced leaders drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds who can drive and inspire change. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups, and candidates with disabilities.

CHARACTERTIC DUTIES:

The Senior Regional Director is responsible for providing overall strategic leadership and direction for our work in Africa. This includes oversight of the TRAFFIC offices for Southern Africa (located in South Africa), East Africa (located in Tanzania), and Central Africa (located in Cameroon), which are headed by a Programme Office Director.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

• Champion the development and implementation of multi-year regional plans designed that define TRAFFIC’s priorities and outcomes in the region, in line with the global 2030 Strategy.
• Lead and inspire a high-performing regional leadership team comprising of Programme Office Directors, including facilitating cross-learning across offices, and leadership coaching, performance management, and professional development of direct reports.
• Support Programme Office Directors to develop annual budgets and workplans for their offices to achieve the priorities and outcomes set out in multi-year regional plans and the global 2030 Strategy, in collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer and the Senior Director for Global Programme Office.
• Provide oversight and technical guidance for effective implementation of annual workplans, including delivery of agreed activities, portfolio monitoring, efficient resource management, compliance with operational policies and standards, and monitoring and evaluation of impact.
• Promote the development and maintenance of high-priority regional partnerships that enhance implementation and impact of TRAFFIC’s programme and projects in the region.
• Champion high-level policy dialogue and relationships with key regional policy making actors and organizations to deepen TRAFFIC influence in the region, and contribute regional perspectives to TRAFFIC’s global policy work with multilateral processes including CITES, in collaboration with the global Director of Policy.
• Conduct horizon scanning and risk monitoring to identify emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges in the region related to global wildlife trade, and feed into regional and global leadership discussions.
• Support the development of high-priority regional fundraising strategies and proposals in line with regional strategic priorities, and help market proposals to potential donors, in collaboration with the global Director of Development.
• Serve as senior external spokesperson for the region and contribute to the development and implementation of high priority regional and global communication messaging, in collaboration with the global Director of Communication.
• Support the quality assurance and technical review of TRAFFIC reports and other knowledge products, at both the regional and global levels.
• Contribute to the strategic leadership of the organization as a member Senior Leadership Team, Expanded Leadership Team, Compensation Committee, and other leadership structures, with a focus on bringing regional perspectives into global leadership discussions, and global perspectives into regional leadership discussions.
• Represent TRAFFIC in high-level global and regional fora as needed.