Project Manager – Marine Conservation

Emirates Nature is a UAE environmental non-governmental charity, established in 2001 under the Honorary Founder and President H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed’s vision for the United Arab Emirates. HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the Ruler’s representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) Board of Directors. We operate with offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah and are governed by a local board of directors.

Emirates Nature works in association with WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations.

Emirates Nature-WWF has been active in the UAE for two decades and is renowned for its commitment to biodiversity conservation, habitat protection, sustainable development, and community engagement. Some of our flagship projects include marine conservation initiatives to protect coral reefs and marine species, wildlife conservation programs focusing on endangered species such as Arabian oryx and sea turtles, habitat restoration projects in critical ecosystems, and sustainable development initiatives aimed at mitigating climate change impacts and promoting eco-friendly practices across various sectors.

It is our organizational objective to ensure a high performing workforce within our offices with highly efficient, skilled members all

The successful incumbent will be a highly organized and mission-driven project manager who will lead and ensure the successful implementation of high impact project(s) for Emirates Nature-WWF, with the goal of helping catalyse actions towards the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems in the UAE. The role requires a strong project management background and excellent stakeholder management skills, with general foundation in sustainability and environmental issues.

• Contribute to the development of project funding proposals.
• Define project scope, objectives, deliverables and conservation benefits in line with Emirates Nature-WWF’s conservation and strategic goals.
• Develop detailed project plans, timelines, resource needs, and budgets; ensure their alignment with project objectives.
• Identify stakeholders and establish governance structures.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and manage stakeholder engagement plans, collaborating with partners, communities, the private sector, government agencies, and other stakeholders to enable project implementation and incorporate their insights.
• Provide regular updates to leadership, sponsors, donors, and other key stakeholders to ensure transparency and alignment.
• Facilitate meetings, site visits, workshops, events and presentations, and prepare reports accordingly.
• Ensure effective communication and foster collaboration among project teams, operational units, and external stakeholders to support conservation goals and long-term sustainable development.

• Effectively manage the deliverables of project team members and consultants—both field and office-based—and provide coaching and mentorship to junior staff as needed
• Manage third-party vendors, consultants, and service providers; collaborate with Emirates Nature–WWF’s Legal team on contract preparation and related legal matters as needed.
• Promote knowledge sharing and the dissemination of lessons learned across the project and wider organization.
• Stay informed on international best practices and regional developments to ensure that Emirates Nature–WWF’s solutions align with both global priorities (including WWF’s focus areas) and local contexts

• Prepare and monitor project budgets, ensuring alignment with donor requirements and internal financial policies.
• Prepare project forecasts and track actual spending while ensuring that scope and schedule are within budget parameters.
• Liaise with Finance team on a regular basis to monitor project expenditures, activities costs, and financial decision-making.
• Assess resourcing requirements and manage the planning and deployment of resources for selected projects.
• Proactively identify potential risks related to scope, schedule, budget, and quality; escalate and communicate key risk factors to leadership, sponsors, and senior stakeholders as needed.
• Maintain a risk register throughout the project lifecycle to help facilitate risk discussions during project governance meetings.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies with clearly defined resolution pathways.

• Oversee project execution to ensure alignment with contractual obligations and donor expectations.
• Effectively manage assigned project(s), monitor and report on progress and achievements using relevant KPIs and program management frameworks.
• Conduct project evaluations at close-out and document key lessons learned.
• Prepare donor reports, internal updates, and presentations that effectively communicate project progress, achievements, and outcomes.
• Ensure all projects adhere to Programme Delivery standards as set by the organization.
• Oversee the operational requirements of the project and address any issues promptly to minimize delays.
• Proactively identify dependencies between project teams and reinforce clear communication to align on project delivery outcomes.
• Ensure accurate and up-to-date maintenance of all project documentation, including work plans, progress reports, risk registers, presentations, and meeting minutes.

• Support the development of reports, policy briefs, and discussion papers to facilitate stakeholder engagement and contribute to fundraising efforts
• Support the technical team in facilitating fieldwork activities—including site access, stakeholder approvals, logistics, and vendor engagement—ensuring timely execution within agreed timelines and budgets.
• Ensure all internal and external deliverables meet quality standards, align with stakeholder expectations, and are submitted within agreed timelines.
• Represent the organization during external meetings and workshops.
• Coordinate activities with local partners, field officers, consultants, and community stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with the Communications and Outreach team to design and implement an effective communication and outreach plan, ensuring alignment with the agreed scope, timeline, and budget.
• Collaborate with the Marketing team to develop and implement project-related campaigns, awareness initiatives, publications, and other marketing activities.

• Proven project management skills, including planning, budgeting, and reporting.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication abilities.
• Experience managing teams, consultants, and third-party vendors.
• Familiarity with environmental conservation, ideally marine/coastal ecosystems.
• Strategic thinking with strong problem-solving and risk management skills.

• 5+ years of experience in Project Management, Consulting, or a related field.
• Proven experience in all facets of project management, including planning, funding proposal development, monitoring, and reporting.
• Understanding of, or exposure to, marine and coastal ecosystems, including their protection and restoration.
• Experience in leading teams toward a shared vision and achieving project objectives.
• Working experience in the MENA region is desirable.

• Undergraduate or graduate degree in Business, Administration, Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minor in Environmental Science, Biology, or a related field is preferred but not required.
• Project Management certification is desirable.
• Fluency in English (essential).
• Fluency in Arabic (highly desirable).

Emirates Nature-WWF Focus: Acts as a member of Emirates Nature-WWF, placing higher priority on Emirates Nature-WWF goals than own goals and anticipating the effects of own area’s actions on others to ensure holistic Emirates Nature-WWF outcomes. External Orientation: Looks outwards ensuring WWF stays relevant, continues to anticipate and adapt to external environmental and global trends.

Delivering Quality Outcomes: Establishes stretch goals, plans, using best judgment and takes responsibility for planning to and delivering on outcomes.

Building Working Relationships: Builds collaborative relationships through the understanding and development of other’s and own ideas.

Communicating Effectively: Uses appropriate means of communication to convey messages, seeks input from others and ensures understanding.

Leading Change: Encourages and seeks out innovative solutions and brings people on a journey constructively and empathetically.

Managing Resources: Makes the right judgments based on financial and resource availability.

Analytical mindset: Champions data-driven marketing. Understands the significance of key digital marketing metrics and has the ability to translate data into actionable insights to optimize digital marketing practices and identify trends.

Pragmatic approach: Approaches interpersonal communication as well as strategy in a sensible manner. Has the ability to utilize existing resources to deliver impact making sure plans are feasible and prioritize the achievement of agreed KPIs within timelines and resource limitations.

• Internal: Works with all Units of Emirates Nature-WWF, Senior Management and Leadership.
• External: Works with Donors, Partners, Government and Local Authorities, Community Stakeholders, Private Sector and Academic Institutions, Third-party Consultants and Service Providers.

Emirates Nature-WWF is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diversity in the workplace and offer a flexible and diverse place of employment.

Emirates Nature-WWF staff participate wholeheartedly in general activities and events that require the full support and participation of all staff members, whether the focus of any particular event or activity has any bearing on the job description and assigned project objectives and activities.

Please send your application consisting of a cover letter explaining why you are the right candidate to work with EN-WWF and your CV with the subject ‘Application: Project Manager – Marine Conservation’ to the attention of Ms. Magdalena Tayoun at [email protected] before 9th May 2025.