Executive Director - The Jane Goodall Institute

Position Title: Executive Director, DRC

Reports To: Vice-President, Africa Programs, JGI - USA

Location of Employment:  Goma, DRC 

Position Summary: The Executive Director is a full time position assigned to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  The JGI DRC office is located in Goma and currently consists of 15 employees.  The Executive Director will provide oversight of all JGO programs, activities, staff and budgets in the DRC, with technical, administrative and managerial support provided by JGI Africa Programs USA. This portfolio includes but is not limited to landscape scale ecosystem conservation, chimpanzee conservation, community-centered conservation, and environmental education. 

Background:

JGI USA initiated the DRC Program in 2005 and began implementing integrated community-centered conservation activities in the Maiko-Tayna-Kahuzi Biega Landscape.  JGI DRC is a locally registered entity that is part of the JGI USA corporate structure. As part of the Congo Basin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contains the world's second largest rainforest.  There are estimated to be roughly 70,000 to 100,000 chimpanzees in the DRC.  Threats to the great apes in the country include hunting for the illegal, commercial bushmeat trade, mining, deforestation and civil strife.  In response to these threats, JGI DRC is leading the implementation of a 10-year Great Apes Conservation Action Plan for eastern DRC in partnership with multiple stakeholders, including local and regional governments as well as local and international non-governmental partners.

JGI DRC is currently implementing programs in partnership with the following donors: Arcus Foundation, Paul G. Allen Foundation, Disney Conservation Program, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development (DFATD), and the United States Agency for International Development.  All JGI activities within the DRC are strategically connected to the overall goals and objectives of the CAP.    The CAP targets more than 66 million acres, which contain approximately 15,000 chimpanzees and somewhere between 3,000-5,000 gorillas. 

Major Responsibilities:

Will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:

• Ensure that all projects meet specific objectives and project teams complete contractual deliverables generally focused on conservation of chimpanzees and socio- economic development of local communities near chimpanzee habitats.
• Ensure all reporting (narrative and financial) is performed in accordance with reporting instructions and submitted in accordance with reporting schedules.  This includes reports to donors as well as the JGI USA Office. 
• Conduct regular (at least semi annually) employee performance reviews for direct reports and ensure that other supervisors under your purview are performing similar reviews for those who report to them. 
• In close coordination with the Operations Manager, ensure that all staff comply with all JGI strategies, policies, code of conduct, procedures (including security), and guidelines and to assure smooth project operations and effective staff performance.
• Ensure that employee workplans are complete, regularly updated, and respond to activities identified in grant agreements.
• On a systematic basis, assess employee skills, capacity gaps, and professional development opportunities to fill those gaps, in consultation with the VP for Africa Programs.
• On behalf of JGI and in close coordination with the CAP Program Coordinator, lead efforts to implement  the  Great  Ape Conservation Action Plan for eastern DRC.
• Represent JGI to the DRC government, USAID DRC Mission, other partners and stakeholders within the DRC as well as at international forums as requested.
• Coordinate JGI activities in the DRC with local, international, and regional partners including, but not limited, to Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation Society, Flora and Fauna International, UGADEC and local administrators.
• Manage the development and submission of Annual Operating Plans (i.e., JGI budgets) in accordance with JGI - USA guidance and schedules for all JGI activities and programs in the DRC.
• Coordinate the development and submission of information (narrative, budgets and support letter) to JGI - USA for incorporation in its response to international grant solicitations from donor agencies, foundations, the private sector and other funding entities for the development, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of amended activities and/or new initiatives in the DRC.
• Identify potential funding opportunities to support JGI projects in the DRC.
• Maintain effective communications with JGI - USA and with other JGIs world-wide, well as donors such as Zoos Victoria, Arcus, and others, as appropriate.
• Travel within the country and internationally, as necessary, to implement JGI goals and objectives in the DRC.
• Assist Dr. Jane Goodall and other Jane Goodall Institute staff when visiting the DRC.
• Participate and represent JGI in coordination meetings, security meetings and focus groups meetings.
• Monitor project accounts and controls for funding received from multiple sources of funding.
• Represent JGI and participate in annual fiscal control visits from the local DRC tax office.

Qualifications:

Education: A graduate degree is preferred, but an undergraduate degree will be considered with at least 8 years of experience.   Successful candidates will have degrees in one or more of the following fields: business management, natural resource management, international development, environment, rural development studies, or wildlife/conservation biology.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years relevant experience (with graduate degree) 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 a developing country context;
• Work experience in Central Africa and knowledge of Central African environmental and political issues, a plus;
• Proven cross-functional management experience preferred, with ability to develop high-performing teams;
• Ability to work under deadline pressures and to manage multitask requirements;
• Aptitude for program and/or project planning, management, and evaluation;
• Substantial experience in host government relations, and knowledge of international conservation policy issues ; 
• Proven ability to develop and maintain a network of high-level contacts with government officials, multi-lateral and bilateral technical and financial partners; demonstrated tact and negotiation skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively with local and international organizations, the private sector and with bilateral and multilateral economic development funding agencies;
• Proven knowledge and experience with donor government agencies and management of large agency grants; and
• Demonstrated mature judgment and integrity.

Skills:

• Professional level proficiency in verbal and written English and French is required (as defined by the US Department of State Foreign Language Institute).  Swahili speaking proficiency a plus; 
• Proficiency in budget formulation, development, and performance based budgeting;
• Adeptness at recognizing politically sensitive matters; 
• Highly entrepreneurial, energetic, and disciplined;
• Strong executive and resource management skills;
• Sound analytical, conceptual, and problem solving skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the capacity to influence without formal authority, and the ability to work with a multi-national team and across organizational boundaries;
• Strong organizational, leadership, team building/work, and communications skills with attention to detail; 
• Exceptional 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, and, importantly, communities; and
• Computer literacy.

Application Procedure:

Qualified candidates should submit their cover letter, resume and salary requirement toafricajobs@janegoodall.org by August 16, 2015 

Anticipated start date: September 15, 2015 

No phone calls please. Only short listed candidates will be contacted.