Country Director, Cameroon (Full-Time / Permanent)

ZSL’s Cameroon Programme was established in 2007 and encompasses a diverse portfolio of projects to address existing and emerging threats to biodiversity. We take a landscape approach to our work with protected areas and communities at the core of this. Focussing on the TRIDOM landscape of south east Cameroon and Douala-Edea landscape, close to Douala, our portfolio of projects includes freshwater, mangrove and tropical forest ecosystems and a range of threatened species from elephants and pangolins to manatees and turtles.

ZSL are seeking an individual with extensive leadership experience to drive forward the Cameroon Country Programme. The successful candidate will be ZSL’s representative in Cameroon and be responsible for the management and the effective implementation of ZSL’s work in the country. The post holder will report to ZSL’s Senior Programme Manager for Africa. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain and expand ZSL presence in Cameroon, building on achievements to date, maintaining existing partnerships, exploring and developing new relationships and securing funding to support the programme.

• Lead the development, management, and implementation of the ZSL Cameroon Country Strategy.
• Responsible for making key, strategic in-country operational decisions in consultation with Senior Programme Manager for Africa and the Director of Conservation and Policy.
• Recruitment and management of staff, including performance monitoring, mentoring, and training.
• Ensuring that the country budget is appropriately managed, spent, documented, and reported on, both internally and externally.
• Responsible for the generation of accurate and timely financial and programmatic reports to donors, stakeholders, government, and ZSL.
• Track, manage and report on the performance of the Programme, including monitoring and evaluation of financial and technical deliverables and its impact.
• Identify fundraising opportunities and secure funds for the programme, including the preparation of fundraising proposals.
• Ensure full compliance with all ZSL UK and Cameroon policies, Cameroon legal and registration requirements, and conditions of grants.

This is a senior management level position which requires proven leadership experience and experience of managing multiple projects, teams of people and associated resources in developing countries, ideally Central Africa. The successful applicant will have a track record of securing and managing funds from a range of funding sources and experience of developing and managing relationships with partners and donors. Candidates should also have:

• An excellent standard of written and spoken French and English.
• Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing and evaluating strategic plans.
• A good knowledge and understanding of current international and Africa specific biodiversity conservation issues.
• People management, coaching and capacity building/development skills.
• Strong skills in project planning, financing, management, implementation, and evaluation.
• A good knowledge and understanding of current international and Africa specific biodiversity conservation issues.

Please note: The post will be based in Yaoundé with national travel to attend meetings and workshops and to visit field sites in Cameroon. Additional travel may be required to ZSL’s UK base, other country offices, conferences and workshops. The position is to start as soon as possible. A full job description is available from www.zsl.org/jobs

Applicants should apply through ZSL’s website www.zsl.org/jobs and include a CV (maximum 3 pages) and a covering letter detailing relevant experience and skills and stating why they want the position. We regret that we will only be able to contact applicants who have been selected for interview.

Closing Date: Midnight Sunday 13th January 2019            

The Zoological Society of London is a charity registered in England and Wales: no. 208728.