Job Description

Job Advert Summary

(This is a 30-month fixed term contract position based in Newlands, Cape Town)





WWF is the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organisation, with over 6 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.





WWF South Africa is a national office that is part of the WWF network. We are a local NGO that has worked for 50 years with the aim of inspiring all South Africans to live in harmony with nature, for the benefit of our country and the wellbeing of all our people. WWFs work is for nature, for you.





Our work is challenging and exciting and we love what we do. To join our team, you need to be brilliant at what you do, passionate, results-orientated and have a positive attitude.

BACKGROUND:

The Cape Floristic Region Landscape Project Manager position contributes specifically to the securing of South Africa's Strategic Water Source Areas through supporting the use of various mechanisms grouped into enabling, implementation and adaptive management related mechanisms, within the Fynbos / Western Cape Landscape, Boland and Groot-Winterhoek SWSAs. The project management undertaken includes projects that shall assist in achieving WWF's 2030 strategy through contribution to all the targets, but with emphasis on Impact Target 1 (Secure and improve 5million ha) and Target 2 (Benefit 5 million people) within the Cape Floristic Region Landscape. Additionally, the position shall assist in effective and efficient operational functioning and project management, with a specific focus on oversight of two main donor requirements, reporting periods, deadlines and coordinating internal contracting and other processes.





The Project Manager will undertake the management of projects with a focus on land and biodiversity management for ecological infrastructure rehabilitation and protection, sustainable agricultural practices, climate resilience, SMME support, and community rights & empowerment to ensure that communities engaged through WWF projects are both empowered and have their rights recognized and acknowledged.

Minimum Requirements

Tertiary qualification in conservation / ecology / environmental management or hydrology or similar. Post graduate qualification will be an advantage. Project Management certification will be an advantage. 5 - 10 years of relevant work experience involving invasive alien plant management and a thorough knowledge of the Western Cape water supply system. Minimum 5 years experience in project management. Experience in tracking budgets and collating financial reports, bookkeeping knowledge an advantage. Experience in improving and implementing office administration systems or processes. Project management. Invasive alien plant management knowledge and experience. Excellent time management. Excellent planning and organizing skills. Excellent logistics. Planning and task execution. Communication skills. Report writing. Strong writing and verbal skills in English and at least another South African language. Relationship building skills and working within a team. Advanced level of computer literacy and office communication technology tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, NetSuite experience an advantage. Relationship management. Collaborative strategy development and knowledge sharing. Professionalism in personal interactions (both externally and internally). Attention to detail. Solutions-focus. Positive attitude. Valid Driver's license. Uphold the WWF Organisational Values. Uphold the WWF Leadership Commitment.

To apply, please submit a detailed CV and cover letter combined into a single document, fully motivating the relevant skills, experience, and creativity you can bring to the role. Kindly include the names, current email addresses, and telephone numbers of three relevant references.

Duties and Responsibilities

This role contributes to the securing of strategic water source areas through the following:





Project management of disbursement contracts, which includes:


Relationship management of implementing partners. Translation of implementer reports up to WWF standards, where necessary, as well as into funder reporting format. Manage and coordinate the dashboard of project reporting deadlines as per donor agreements. Assist in the monitoring and tracking of projects deliverables and reporting deadlines, payments, call for funds and project close outs. Support contract development and, in collaboration with Legal, assist in drafting of all new disbursement contracts and amendments. Further support required to track approval, complete checklists for legal department review.




These projects being managed shall relate to delivery on:

Improving governance and capacity by supporting embedded catchment/EI coordinators. This includes:

Project management of the extension capacity placed with the Berg River Water Users Association and associated project outputs (currently two projects), as well as any ongoing projects with MJP Environmental Services (currently two projects). This includes sign-off/verification field visits for implementation projects involving invasive alien plant management. Continued liaison with catchment coordinators, linking to the cross-sectoral extension body of work and the knowledge exchange and learning events. Contribute shared learning on coordinator role and modality to enhance capacity with Collective's institutional partners - including mandated institutions such as CMAs, provincial and local government.

Support partnership development and learning by:

Leading on all logistical support required for the B-GW SWSA Collective and knowledge exchange and learning meetings (such as booking and paying for venue, catering, workshop tools required) as well as for ad-hoc meetings with Collective members. Work with partners to develop technical rehabilitation, management, and protection mechanisms/approaches to deal with the top threats to the Boland and Grootwinterhoek Western Cape SWSAs - towards securing SWSAs. This includes the threat of high-altitude invasions, fire management and land degradation. Project management (including financial management, tracking deliverables, providing input for funding proposals) and monitoring and evaluation of WWF agreed upon projects in Boland and Groot Winterhoek priority landscapes. This may include support to the source-to-sea project, which falls beyond the Cape Floristic Region Landscape currently in development. Being WWF's representative on identified technical, operational and capacity development working groups and landscape platforms of the B-GW Collective; including but not limited to Greater Cape Town Water Fund, UBCEG, Upper Berg Environmental Platform. Support the technical, stakeholder and operational aspects of the Secretariat for the B-GW Collective (this includes liaison with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning). Ensure all projects supported through the Boland-Groot Winterhoek Collective feeds into the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) programme of work for the Collective, WWF's funder reports and WWF's organisational performance. Provide support to or input on several natural resource based SMME's operating within the Boland and Groot Winterhoek SWSAs, including project management of MJP Environmental Services; Intaba and nonCrete. Data and information support for the W Cape SWSAs working with other WWF GIS staff and external partners where necessary. Liaise with the Protected area expansion team especially the OECM priority project in the CFR Landscape.

Ensure efficiency in organisational responsibilities, including project, financial and administrative management:

Project management of the relevant embedded catchment coordinators (currently only at Berg River Water Users Association) and support in terms of coordination in the broader team with regards to other coordinator positions. Lead on processes for a relevant new project approval from the proposal phase to PAT approval including all disbursement contracts and amendments of contracts for projects including checklists. Support the efficient running of the projects through coordination and execution of organizational processes. Support financial management of project budgets and fundraising for operational costs and required salary costs for relevant WWF staff and relevant coordinators. Support project accountant (Finance and Business Support) and Project managers by providing information for scheduled donor reporting, financial analyses, forecasting, cash flow and project variances including the coordination and management of donor agreements and submit accurate cost recoveries for core and project staff to PAT (Grant accountant) Ensure monitoring and evaluation (M&E) statistics are provided to both to the funders and for the organisation's M&E processes. Support development of fundraising proposals for relevant projects. Contribute knowledge & experience to WWF strategy and organisational development processes. Ensure timeous development and submission of documents for internal processes. * Ensure ongoing maintenance of the Nissan vehicle and submission of relevant information to the organisation.