Associate Project Manager - Conservation Outreach

Emirates Nature (EN) is a UAE environmental charity and non-governmental organization, established under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s representative in the Western Region and Chairman of Environmental Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).

EN works in association with WWF, one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. EN-WWF has been active in the UAE since 2001 and has successfully initiated and implemented several conservation and education projects and initiatives in the region.

EN-WWF works federally and in the region with offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah and is governed by a local board of directors.
It is our organizational objective to ensure a high performing workforce within our offices with highly efficient, skilled members all of whom will be unilaterally focused on supporting and delivering conservation activities within the UAE and our stakeholders.

The organization is functional by a Ministerial Decree as a ‘society’ institutionalized by the Ministry of Community Development, a federal governmental entity that resides within the UAE. In as such, this organization’s operational laws and workings coincides with that as a governmental institution that falls within any Abu Dhabi Government’s entities.

As an Associate Project Manager - Conservation Outreach, the successful candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing volunteer programmes, citizen science projects, leadership training and community consultation that contribute to EN-WWF’s conservation portfolio and are immersed and aligned to the organisation’s conservation goals.

He/She will support the development and implementation of inspirational, relevant, science-based and community-led nature conservation programmes and adapt them for different audiences, including rural communities and youth-focused approaches. These programmes should be tightly monitored and adapted, to ensure maximum impact.

The Associate Project Manager - Conservation Outreach planning, stakeholder management, community management, marketing and communications support. He/She will be expected to be a leader of our community to achieve measurable transformative impact at scale.

The successful candidate will work closely with other units (Strategic Partnerships, Marketing & Communications, Special Projects etc.) to ensure smooth operations and successful integration with the broader organizational goals. He/She will drive our communities towards action. Additionally, he/she will support with the management a team of coordinators, interns, freelancers, consultants, and volunteers and ensure full compliance with the policies and procedures of the organization.

Finally, the Associate Project Manager - Conservation Outreach will also be responsible for account management with assigned Partners.

• Drive the vision for transformative community engagement for conservation impact and resilient rural communities.
• Manage the capacity building process internally and externally around citizen science, voluntourism and rural community engagement. Ensure accurate data collection and adherence to protocol, compile citizen science and impact data.
• Participate in conservation portfolio activities to ensure immersion on projects and better understanding of project goals.
• Work on the development of volunteer and community outreach concepts and workplans for the EN-WWF community (including youth and schools).
• Manage the logistics preparations & needs for the successful delivery of activities in collaboration with vendors and partners.
• Contribute to admin tasks, formal and informal correspondence, field-work planning and permit applications.
• Responsible that vendors and project teams are following strict Health and Safety standards & manage the risk management for these activities.
• Develop content & accompanying materials.
• Contribute to impact reporting and M&E.
• Enhance the scalability of volunteer activities across all ages and through communities and link with behaviour change and citizen science campaigns.
• Support with the creation toolkits and with the organisation of workshops, meetings, trainings and majlis’.
• Work with the team to achieve a seamless volunteer experience.
• Keep abreast of international best practices and regional activities to ensure that the solutions that EN-WWF offers are always relevant.
• Identifying scope of work, creation of vendor proposals and engagement with vendors for contract development and deliverables.
• Lead on procurement, keep track of expenses and invoices and support budget management.
• Drive volunteer and community engagement, rewards & creation of a communities of action.
• Collaborate with the communications and marketing team to develop content specific for different audiences.
• Effectively train, mentor and supervise Freelance instructors, consultants, Interns, ambassadors, and volunteers to assist in advocacy and delivery of activities.
• Maintain an effective working relationship and foster collaboration with strategic partners and rural communities and ensure that there is effective coordination of all activities in support of joint objectives.
• Support the creation and execution of an activities calendar to maintain engagement.
• Manage digital tools and their evolution.
• Deliver a seamless chain of communication and support with enquiry handling and communications with the community.
• Work with the Communications and Digital teams to develop messaging and social media content for outreach initiatives.
• Lead the outreach team’s Arabic communication and generate content from onsite events and activities.
• Report on volunteer satisfaction and community insights as well as brand sentiment for adaptive management & contribute to impact reporting and M&E for membership products.
• Represent EN-WWF in meetings and government led workshops, to the extent possible.
• Identify strategic opportunities and support with fundraising.

Experience

• Experience and background in environmental sustainability, ecology, nature conservation or similar.
• Interest and knowledge of local biodiversity and its conservation.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and connections within rural communities.
• At least 10 years of experience and a strong working background in project management, outreach activities, citizen science, field volunteering or similar.
• Data literate and reliable with accuracy of data.

Education

• Degree in Environmental Science, Ecology or relevant field.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Arabic is 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.

• Ability to explain complex concepts in simple terms.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively, generating innovative ways to drive nature conservation.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills and ability to perform under pressure.
• Ability to influence, persuade and obtain consensus to achieve results.
• Energetic, creative, and confident public speaker.
• Proven stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrable ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Proactive and proficient at multitasking and analytical skills.
• Produce high-quality products/services with attention to detail.
• Supportive, constructive, and open to influence when dealing with others.
• Friendly, open, and sensitive to the satisfaction of others.
• Experience using social media for brand awareness and impressions. Excellent knowledge of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, and other social media best practices.

Internal - Liaising in close collaboration with Marketing & Engagement and Conservation

External - Liaise with stakeholders, consultants, suppliers, volunteers, corporates, schools, etc.

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 which promotes the overall mission of Emirates Nature-WWF, whether or not the 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 for Associate Project Manager - Conservation Outreach to the attention of Ms  Magdalena Tayoun on [email protected] before 30th June 2024.

Emirates Nature reserves the right to appoint a candidate prior this date.