Position Title: Program Assistant, Policy, and Partnerships

Division: Global Leadership

Supervisor: Vice President, GLT

Supervises: N/A

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Background

For more than 50 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has been a leading partner to African governments and Civil Society Organizations, strengthening their capacity to achieve conservation and sustainable development. AWF is seeking a dynamic and high performing individual to fill the position of program assistant to the Leadership and Policy program of work. AWF ‘s 10-year strategic vision sets out the first goal as promoting African leaders who drive shifts in policy, planning and financewhich leverage wildlife and wildlands as essential to development. This involves engagement with Pan African Networks, Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements and landscape, national and regional policy processes.

Job Summary

The Program Assistant will provide administrative and programmatic support to AWF’s engagements with government, civil society organizations and multilateral environmental agreement processes at the national, regional, and global level. The incumbent will work in collaboration with the policy officer in charge of the secretariat to support functions of the Africa Protected Area Directors (APAD), the policy officer in charge of support to landscape and country policy engagement processes, and the senior manager in charge of conventions, policy, and networks. The role will also engage with members of the global leadership team, through support to their meetings and planned engagements. The role will be closely involved in elevating African Voices through support to Advancing pan-African network collaboration for nature and people.

The successful individual requires an academic and professional background in conservation or comparable experience in the development sector, with capacity for desktop research, engaging a range of actors from government, civil society, and interest groups such as youth and indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), as well as demonstrated capacity for policy analysis, communications for non-profits and ability to balance working independently and with teams. The role requires flexibility to work online and in-person and may require minimal travel.

Responsibilities

Support core AWF’s administrative and coordination responsibilities of the GLT.

• Support in taking minutes of key meetings.
• Support procurement processes for services and project activities.
• Support project reporting, archiving of documentation and other relevant project outputs.
• Carry out any other relevant duties that may be assigned by supervisor from time to time.

Contribute to Regional and Global Processes

• Support event planning and coordination of GLT activities in relevant national, regional, and global meetings.
• Contribute to engagement plans for regional and global processes and partnerships / stakeholders as linked with biodiversity conservation including with the Regional Economic Communities.
• Contribute to GLT convenings and initiatives, in ways that empower and allow African leadership to flourish and thrive at national, regional, and global processes.

Support AWF’s programmatic and operational activities as host to APAD secretariat.

• Support coordination of the APAD quarterly and other regular meetings of APAD leadership and working groups.
• Support communication with APAD stakeholders such as government agencies and institutions, peer NGOs, youth and IPLCs networks.
• Contribute to planning, administrative, and budgeting processes including but not limited to consultancies, and team travel.

Support strategic communications and marketing of GLT initiatives.

• Work closely with AWF strategic communications and marketing team to support communications outputs related to GLT activities such as website content, promotional materials, reports, and external publications.

Requirements and skills

• A degree in social and natural sciences, economics, international development, or related field.
• At least 2 years’ experience working with Civil Society Organizations, International NGOs, African governments and or relevant experience working in the African development sector.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including public speaking.
• Computer literacy to use all MS Office packages.
• Fluency in written and spoken English required and knowledge of French will be highly preferred.
• Demonstrated familiarity with development issues and international policy processes.
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity in supporting events.
• Ability to make sound decisions based on analysis, consultation with others, experience, and judgment.
• Ability to communicate complex processes and ideas effectively to a variety of audiences within and outside an organization.
• Ability to deal with proactive and reactive work and to take on new priorities as they arise.
• Exposure to achieving outcomes through partnership and matrix teams.
• A passion for wildlife and wildlands.