Background

World Wide Fund WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 38 million followers and a global network active through local leadership in over 100 countries, WWF Zambia was established in 1962. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

At its core, WWF Zambia envisions a future where both people and nature thrive. The organization works across key thematic areas: Biodiversity, Food Systems and Green Economy and Climate Action. WWF Zambia operates in three key landscapes: the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, the Kafue System, and the Upper Zambezi. These landscapes are critical for sustaining biodiversity, supporting livelihoods, and enhancing climate resilience. Driven by science, advocacy, and multi-sector partnerships, WWF Zambia catalyzes impactful solutions that ensure communities benefit from healthy ecosystems while safeguarding vital habitats for future generations.

Responsibilities

The Landscape Manager provides strategic leadership, technical guidance, and coordination for WWF Zambia’s conservation programme within a designated landscape. The role ensures high-impact, community-responsive, and science-based conservation outcomes aligned with WWF Zambia’s Office Strategic Plan, Road Map 2030 and the national conservation priorities. Responsibilities include programme design, implementation, stakeholder engagement, fundraising, reporting, and oversight of field teams and transboundary programmes within the landscape.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Programme Development and Implementation

• Lead development, review, and implementation of a Landscape Conservation Action Plan (LCAP) and Annual Workplans aligned with WWF Zambia’s Office Strategic Plan.
• Oversee planning and execution of conservation activities, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and WWF standards.
• Provide technical support in monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptive management using WWF performance systems (e.g., dashboards).
• Promote integrated, multi-sectoral approaches involving livelihoods, climate resilience, biodiversity management, water stewardship, and sustainable financing.
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality technical, financial, and donor reports.
• Serve as focal point for at least one WWF Global Practice (e.g., Food, Climate & Energy, Green Economy, Governance, or Biodiversity).

Partnerships, Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and strengthen partnerships with government ministries (Forestry, Fisheries, Tourism, Water, Local Government), traditional authorities, community resource boards, private sector partners, and conservation NGOs.
• Facilitate cross-programme collaboration within WWF Zambia and the WWF Network.
• Support knowledge generation (research, innovation, publications) and represent WWF Zambia in relevant national and regional conservation platforms.
• Support domestication and implementation of national and regional conservation policies at landscape level.
• Facilitate transboundary collaboration (e.g., shared ecosystems with Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique, DRC) when relevant.
• Demonstrated experience in Integrated landscape approaches, linking biodiversity conservation, livelihoods, climate resilience, and governance.
• Manage multi-stakeholder platforms, including government, traditional leadership, communities, and private sector actors.

Resource Mobilisation and Budget Management

• Develop bankable conservation proposals as part of WWF Zambia’s fundraising strategy.
• Lead budgeting, financial planning, and expenditure tracking for all landscape interventions in collaboration with the Finance Unit.
• Ensure efficient and transparent management of WWF Zambia’s assets and resources within the landscape.

Leadership and People Management

• Provide day-to-day leadership and supervision of all field and programme staff in the landscape.
• Coordinate annual work plans and individual performance targets; conduct periodic performance reviews.
• Identify training needs and work with People & Culture to develop capacity-building opportunities.
• Uphold organisational values, accountability, compliance, and ethical standards across all field operations.
• Lead conflict resolution and maintain positive team culture within the landscape teams.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Ecology, Forestry, Fisheries, Wildlife Management, Conservation Biology, Climate Change, Sustainable Development, or Environmental Economics or related fields
• Advanced management or leadership training is an added advantage.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience, with at least 5 years at management level in conservation or natural resource management.
• Proven experience in programme development and management, including budgeting, technical and financial reporting, and donor compliance.
• Experience working with government, communities, private sector, and conservation partners in Zambia.

Skills and Competences

• Demonstrate agility and adaptive management.
• Strong programme design, planning, and management skills.
• Leadership, team management, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Excellent problem-solving, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills.
• Strong technical writing and proposal development capabilities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Financial management and budget oversight skills.
• Ability to conceptualise, plan, and implement strategic conservation initiatives in complex socio-ecological landscapes.
• People management skills.

Working Relations

Internal

• Head of Conservation Programmes
• Country Director
• Conservation Programme Managers
• M&E Unit
• Finance & Operations Teams
• People & Culture
• Other WWF Zambia staff

External

• Government agencies (Forestry Department, Fisheries, DNPW, Water Resources Management Authority, Local Authorities)
• WWF Network Offices
• Local and international NGOs
• Community groups (CRBs, cooperatives, traditional leadership)
• Academic and research institutions
• Private sector partners
• Regional bodies such as KAZA, ZAMCOM, SADC, COMESA etc., as appropriate.

Embodiment of WWF Global Behavioural Competencies

Interested persons should have interest and align themselves with the WWF’s organization core values which are: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration

• Lead development, review, and implementation of a Landscape Conservation Action Plan (LCAP) and Annual Workplans aligned with WWF Zambia’s Office Strategic Plan.
• Oversee planning and execution of conservation activities, ensuring compliance with donor requirements and WWF standards.
• Provide technical support in monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptive management using WWF performance systems (e.g., dashboards).
• Promote integrated, multi-sectoral approaches involving livelihoods, climate resilience, biodiversity management, water stewardship, and sustainable financing.
• Ensure timely submission of high-quality technical, financial, and donor reports.
• Serve as focal point for at least one WWF Global Practice (e.g., Food, Climate & Energy, Green Economy, Governance, or Biodiversity).
• Build and strengthen partnerships with government ministries (Forestry, Fisheries, Tourism, Water, Local Government), traditional authorities, community resource boards, private sector partners, and conservation NGOs.
• Facilitate cross-programme collaboration within WWF Zambia and the WWF Network.
• Support knowledge generation (research, innovation, publications) and represent WWF Zambia in relevant national and regional conservation platforms.
• Support domestication and implementation of national and regional conservation policies at landscape level.
• Facilitate transboundary collaboration (e.g., shared ecosystems with Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique, DRC) when relevant.
• Demonstrated experience in Integrated landscape approaches, linking biodiversity conservation, livelihoods, climate resilience, and governance.
• Manage multi-stakeholder platforms, including government, traditional leadership, communities, and private sector actors.
• Develop bankable conservation proposals as part of WWF Zambia’s fundraising strategy.
• Lead budgeting, financial planning, and expenditure tracking for all landscape interventions in collaboration with the Finance Unit.
• Ensure efficient and transparent management of WWF Zambia’s assets and resources within the landscape.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and supervision of all field and programme staff in the landscape.
• Coordinate annual work plans and individual performance targets; conduct periodic performance reviews.
• Identify training needs and work with People & Culture to develop capacity-building opportunities.
• Uphold organisational values, accountability, compliance, and ethical standards across all field operations.
• Lead conflict resolution and maintain positive team culture within the landscape teams.

• Demonstrate agility and adaptive management.
• Strong programme design, planning, and management skills.
• Leadership, team management, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Excellent problem-solving, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills.
• Strong technical writing and proposal development capabilities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Financial management and budget oversight skills.
• Ability to conceptualise, plan, and implement strategic conservation initiatives in complex socio-ecological landscapes.
• People management skills.

• Master’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Ecology, Forestry, Fisheries, Wildlife Management, Conservation Biology, Climate Change, Sustainable Development, or Environmental Economics or related fields
• Advanced management or leadership training is an added advantage.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience, with at least 5 years at management level in conservation or natural resource management.
• Proven experience in programme development and management, including budgeting, technical and financial reporting, and donor compliance.
• Experience working with government, communities, private sector, and conservation partners in Zambia.