About the Project

Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is a global conservation organisation dedicated to protecting biodiversity and wilderness areas through sustainable resource management, partnerships, and promoting environmental and social equity.

In Zambia, Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) works in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) through the North Luangwa Conservation Programme (NLCP) to protect and conserve the North Luangwa landscape. The NLCP supports effective and efficient protected area management, with a wider focus on empowering communities to manage natural resources in the Game Management Areas adjacent to the North Luangwa National Park.

About the Position

The Project Manager: North Luangwa Conservation Programme MAZA Extension will provide project management oversight for the NLCP MAZA Extension Programme, and strategic and technical support to NLCP in line with our Linking Livelihoods and Landscape mission and the NLCP strategy.

The PM: MAZA Extension will be responsible for the MAZA Project oversight that links biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, community governance, and sustainable livelihoods through collaborative and strategic stakeholder engagement, cross-sectoral planning and management.

The Project Manager position will be based in Lusaka, Zambia, with travel to MAZA landscape sites around North Luangwa and Malawi.

Your Tasks

• EU NaturAfrica project governance
  Oversee all EU NaturAfrica MAZA Committee processes in accordance with the project proposal, MAZA TFCA structures, and in consultation with DNPW.
  Oversee the development and/or review of relevant policies, procedures, strategies and plans pertaining to transboundary governance, biodiversity and socio-economic outcomes.
  Oversee the review and/or development, implementation and monitoring of Safeguard policies, risk assessments, and Grievance Feedback Mechanisms (GFMs).
  Ensure adherence to all donor, administrative and financial procedures.
• Strategic Planning and Coordination
  Co-design and refine the NLCP MAZA Extension project with the NLCP team in line with the NLCP mission and strategic pillars, ensuring it reflects ecological priorities, socio-economic realities, and institutional capacity.
  Manage the EU NaturAfrica project (strategic, work plan, grant management support, grant reporting, impact reporting, budgets, MERL and TFCA engagement), and integrate with other NLCP MAZA projects.
  Manage the relationship with the EU NaturAfrica sub-grantee Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) to ensure timely project implementation in Malawi and reporting.
  Ensure adaptive integration of cross-cutting themes and landscape-relevant implementation: planning, linking livelihoods and landscape, gender, climate resilience, and human rights aligned with the ESMS at the site level.
  Ensure alignment between landscape, national and international policy frameworks (e.g., SADC TFCAs, MAZA, NDPs, catchment planning, GMPs).
• Stakeholder Engagement, Communication and Governance Support
  Cultivate, develop the design and manage partnerships with government ministries, departments, provincial and district levels, CSOs, academic institutions, and the private sector, in support of the NLCP landscape outcomes (Stakeholder engagement and Communication plans reviewed, developed, and implemented).
  Manage partnerships with civil society, knowledge institutions, and the private sector.
  Develop strategies for inclusive stakeholder engagement using FPIC principles.
  Provide strategic support to the NLCP team for the strengthening of governance and institutional capacity of the MAZA TFCA structures, CRBs, VAGs, CFMGs, District and chiefdom committees.
  Support policy dialogue and government engagement at TFCA, National and District levels.
  Facilitate negotiation processes, conflict mediation, and consensus-building for shared landscape management.
  Oversee engagement, development of and management of agreements with key donors and strategic landscape partners.
• Provide Technical support and oversight functions to the NLCP MAZA field-based team:
  Securing the Natural capital to restore, maintain and protect ecosystem connectivity and ecosystem health.
  Human-Wildlife Coexistence (HWCoex) technical support to the NLCP MAZA field-based team
  Nature based value chains and conservation livelihood activities technical support in the identification and development of nature-based value chains and livelihood activities
  GMA and Land use planning technical support for Park and GMA General Management Plan (GMP) development, implementation and land use planning.
  Resource Mobilisation and innovative financing support for nature-based finance solutions for the MAZA project area.
  Knowledge Management and Information sharing through overseeing the EU NaturAfrica MERL tracking, knowledge product dissemination, and participation in relevant forums.
• Capacity Development
  Support targeted training and mentorship programmes for community organisations, landscape staff, and institutional partners within the MAZA extension footprint.
• Team Leadership and Staff Management
  Support Staff recruitment for the NLCP MAZA project, and provide technical support to field-based staff.
• Financial and administrative management
  Budget planning, expenditure tracking, and financial and administrative reporting.
• Cross-departmental support
  Strategy development, implementation and adherence to the Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, and support to the implementation of the Grievance feedback mechanism.

Your Profile

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in conservation, natural resource management, business development/administration, or related field.
• 10+ years demonstrated success in implementing integrated landscape management, participatory governance, and community-based conservation, or which at least 5 years have been in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of FPIC, environmental policy, climate adaptation, and ecosystem-based management.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills across diverse socio-cultural settings.
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, build institutional capacity, and manage complex projects.
• Experience working with NGOs, donors, and government partners (preferred).
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English; other languages are an asset.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication.
• High attention to detail and administrative precision.
• Conflict resolution and active listening.
• Field-readiness and flexibility in work style.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and basic reporting tools.
• The position will require the willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time to remote field sites and adapt to varying field conditions.

Behavioural Attributes

• Good team player and collaborator.
• Strong initiative, self-starter, and adaptable.
• Empathetic and approachable.
• Culturally respectful and inclusive.
• Discreet, trustworthy, and principled.
• Community-oriented with a service mindset.

What We Offer

• A chance to support a meaningful conservation impact.
• A supportive and mission-driven team environment.
• Opportunities for professional development.

• EU NaturAfrica project governance: Oversee all EU NaturAfrica MAZA Committee processes in accordance with the project proposal, MAZA TFCA structures, and in consultation with DNPW. Oversee the development and/or review of relevant policies, procedures, strategies and plans pertaining to transboundary governance, biodiversity and socio-economic outcomes. Oversee the review and/or development, implementation and monitoring of Safeguard policies, risk assessments, and Grievance Feedback Mechanisms (GFMs). Ensure adherence to all donor, administrative and financial procedures.
• Strategic Planning and Coordination: Co-design and refine the NLCP MAZA Extension project with the NLCP team in line with the NLCP mission and strategic pillars, ensuring it reflects ecological priorities, socio-economic realities, and institutional capacity. Manage the EU NaturAfrica project (strategic, work plan, grant management support, grant reporting, impact reporting, budgets, MERL and TFCA engagement), and integrate with other NLCP MAZA projects. Manage the relationship with the EU NaturAfrica sub-grantee Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) to ensure timely project implementation in Malawi and reporting. Ensure adaptive integration of cross-cutting themes and landscape-relevant implementation: planning, linking livelihoods and landscape, gender, climate resilience, and human rights aligned with the ESMS at the site level. Ensure alignment between landscape, national and international policy frameworks (e.g., SADC TFCAs, MAZA, NDPs, catchment planning, GMPs).
• Stakeholder Engagement, Communication and Governance Support: Cultivate, develop the design and manage partnerships with government ministries, departments, provincial and district levels, CSOs, academic institutions, and the private sector, in support of the NLCP landscape outcomes (Stakeholder engagement and Communication plans reviewed, developed, and implemented). Manage partnerships with civil society, knowledge institutions, and the private sector. Develop strategies for inclusive stakeholder engagement using FPIC principles. Provide strategic support to the NLCP team for the strengthening of governance and institutional capacity of the MAZA TFCA structures, CRBs, VAGs, CFMGs, District and chiefdom committees. Support policy dialogue and government engagement at TFCA, National and District levels. Facilitate negotiation processes, conflict mediation, and consensus-building for shared landscape management. Oversee engagement, development of and management of agreements with key donors and strategic landscape partners.
• Provide Technical support and oversight functions to the NLCP MAZA field-based team: Securing the Natural capital to restore, maintain and protect ecosystem connectivity and ecosystem health. Human-Wildlife Coexistence (HWCoex) technical support to the NLCP MAZA field-based team. Nature based value chains and conservation livelihood activities technical support in the identification and development of nature-based value chains and livelihood activities. GMA and Land use planning technical support for Park and GMA General Management Plan (GMP) development, implementation and land use planning. Resource Mobilisation and innovative financing support for nature-based finance solutions for the MAZA project area. Knowledge Management and Information sharing through overseeing the EU NaturAfrica MERL tracking, knowledge product dissemination, and participation in relevant forums.
• Capacity Development: Support targeted training and mentorship programmes for community organisations, landscape staff, and institutional partners within the MAZA extension footprint.
• Team Leadership and Staff Management: Support Staff recruitment for the NLCP MAZA project, and provide technical support to field-based staff.
• Financial and administrative management: Budget planning, expenditure tracking, and financial and administrative reporting.
• Cross-departmental support: Strategy development, implementation and adherence to the Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, and support to the implementation of the Grievance feedback mechanism.

• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication.
• High attention to detail and administrative precision.
• Conflict resolution and active listening.
• Field-readiness and flexibility in work style.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and basic reporting tools.
• Good team player and collaborator.
• Strong initiative, self-starter, and adaptable.
• Empathetic and approachable.
• Culturally respectful and inclusive.
• Discreet, trustworthy, and principled.
• Community-oriented with a service mindset.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in conservation, natural resource management, business development/administration, or related field.
• 10+ years demonstrated success in implementing integrated landscape management, participatory governance, and community-based conservation, or which at least 5 years have been in a leadership role.
• Deep knowledge of FPIC, environmental policy, climate adaptation, and ecosystem-based management.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills across diverse socio-cultural settings.
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, build institutional capacity, and manage complex projects.
• Experience working with NGOs, donors, and government partners (preferred).
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English; other languages are an asset.