Africa Blue Carbon Specialist

OFFICE LOCATION

Mombasa, Kenya

Lamu or Mombasa - Kenya

WHO WE ARE

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor.

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

Since establishing the Africa Program in 2007, The Nature Conservancy’s vision in Africa is to work towards fostering a sustainable future for people and nature, partnering with Indigenous communities across 55 million acres on the continent. Our efforts are firmly rooted in people, leveraging scientific and technical expertise as we collaborate with governments and organizations to conserve and enhance Africa’s shared resources in the 9 countries in which we operate.

TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for Indigenous people, strengthening leadership and resource management, and helping communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries management, ocean and source water protection, energy development and sustainable food production, working together and strengthening our resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change and habitat and biodiversity loss that stands to adversely impact the nearly 1.4 billion people that share Africa.

TNC’s Africa Ocean work seeks to enable conservation outcomes via sustainable financing at large coastal and marine ecosystem scales by supporting policy and regulatory frameworks, as well as local capacity, with an emphasis on linking science and communities to habitat protection, restoration, and management. TNC and partners are implementing an ongoing project on ‘Strengthening Mangrove Management in the Northern Coast of Kenya’, in which we aim to secure, manage, and restore mangroves and associated ecosystems in Lamu and Tana River Counties (Kenya) for biodiversity conservation, community livelihood, and climate benefits. Beyond this project, TNC is scaling out this initiative in the region by working with partners to develop other mangrove protection and restoration projects that could eventually lead to the development of blue carbon projects in Tanzanian Coast, Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone. TNC is advancing applied NCS science and supporting scale up and implementation of Natural Climate Solutions projects while building on TNC’s long history of field-based conservation.

WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER

The Africa Blue Carbon Specialist provides scientific, technical, and project management support and leadership to priority projects. They will help develop and design priority projects to test key assumptions, verify progress, and evaluate impacts of specific conservation interventions, while also identifying or developing approaches and tools that can be used more broadly across TNC. Specifically, they will conduct NCS research; analysis; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning, contribute to and build science capacity, keep data records, write reports, and coordinate other activities specific to mangrove conservation and restoration in select geographies beginning with the North Coast of Kenya. They liaise with and develop strategic partnerships with relevant agencies, academic partners, conservation organizations, and/or private sector actors. They will engage through the NCS Prototyping Network with similar projects in multiple global geographies to share information and support peer-to-peer learning, leveraging on TNC’s code of conduct and competencies as a baseline to conduct their actions and be an example for others

WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU

The Africa Blue Carbon Specialist will lead the technical design, implementation, field management, and analysis of projects. The position will report to the Africa Forest Carbon Catalyst Director and work closely with the Africa Fisheries Strategy Manager, other global, regional, and local staff. The location for this position is Lamu or Mombasa in Kenya. No relocation or visa sponsorship or assistance is being offered with this position except for local labour employment requirements. This is an initial 2-year term-limited position with an extension of tenure subject to performance and availability of funds.

Specific roles and responsibility scope include:

Conduct Science

• Develop and implement NCS research, especially in the context of mangrove, blue carbon, and restoration/conservation activities.
• Perform fieldwork including ecosystem, carbon and/or co-benefit assessments, and field monitoring, working with local communities on data and knowledge collection.
• Lead and support the establishment of a MEL plan that provides knowledge to develop conservation strategies.
• Develop, clean, analyze, and maintain relevant spatial and non-spatial datasets, and share data and results with colleagues and partners.
• Prepare program materials including presentations, memos, scientific journal articles, and other communications and train others in project-relevant topics and skills.

Build Partnerships

• Develop strategic partnerships with relevant agencies, academic partners, conservation organizations, and/or the private sector.
• Represent TNC at priority meetings and on committees where technical input is required.
• Ensure program compliance with internal policies and external requirements.

Grow with the Team

• May facilitate engagement with stakeholders to support establishment of blue carbon projects, including designing, preparing, implementing, and evaluating workshops, meetings, and events.
• May provide support to include NCS science and MEL content in priority grant proposals.
• May supervise volunteers, interns, contractors, or temporary staff.
• May work flexible schedule and travel frequently throughout the region. Works independently, working with supervisor as needed.
• May work over the weekends, in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, in hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• BA/BS degree in biology, environmental science, climate, environmental engineering, natural resource management or related field and 5 years’ experience in natural resource management or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Familiarity with issues related to nature-based solutions to climate change.
• Experience collecting, manipulating, analysing, and interpreting scientific data.
• Experience preparing reports of findings.
• Experience working with local communities, partners, government agencies, and the private sector.
• Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in spoken and written English.
• Good project management skills to support the development and implementation of workplans, grants, contracts, and project budgets

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-language skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Master’s degree in a related field and 3-5 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education/experience.
• Experience with mangrove ecology and mangrove conservation and restoration.
• Experience with statistical analysis and/or remote sensing.
• Knowledge of voluntary carbon standards and the project development cycle process.
• Blue carbon analysis, accounting, and/or expertise in developing Blue Carbon credits, especially in mangroves or other marine habitats.
• Experience with Measures, Evaluation, and Learning constructs and implementation.
• Intimate knowledge of and sensitivity with local and in-country social, economic, and political conditions and issues.
• Experience identifying key stakeholders and building and maintaining strategic partnerships.
• Experience coordinating complex projects in a decentralized organization, working across teams, operating units, and functions to achieve optimal results.
• Experience in taking initiative and working independently or with minimal oversight.
• Willingness and ability to undertake extended periods of field travel (at least 40%) domestically and internationally.

WHAT WE BRING

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!

TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.

APPLY NOW

To apply for job ID 52901, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

Where legally permissible, TNC requires all new employees to be fully vaccinated and willing to keep up to date with vaccines that protect against COVID-19. By accepting an offer of employment, you agree to comply with this requirement, unless you are entitled to a legally mandated exemption.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.