Manager, climate change adaptation

Summary

As part of Conservation International’s (CI’s) Global Change and Ecosystem Services (GCES) unit, the Manager Climate Change Adaptation will work closely with the Senior Researcher and Senior Manager on climate change adaptation in managing specific projects and initiatives within CI’s climate change adaptation program. This position plays a key role in developing and implementing CI’s climate change adaptation efforts, which helps place CI in the forefront of organizations working to define global adaptation response and helps ensure that the conservation outcomes that CI has worked for, and will work for in the future, are robust to climate change.

Purpose of the job

This position will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the IKI funded Ecosystem-based Adaptation project, which includes project development, field implementation and broader capacity building for Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). EbA seeks to employ ecosystem services to meet human adaptation needs in response to climate change, as well as safeguarding natural systems from climate change impacts. The position will assist CI’s Brazil program in the design and implementation of their climate change adaptation and vulnerability assessment. It will assist other programs, especially in Latin America and in close coordination with the Senior Researcher and Senior Manager, in designing research and implementation of adaptation activities.

The position will have project management and fundraising responsibilities. Some supervisory responsibility of consultants may be required. The position will work with the GCES adaptation team, the broader GCES team, CI’s cross-divisional adaptation sub-team, and will coordinate with field offices and the marine adaptation team to support implementation of IKI activities. The position will also participate in and support key research and publication production undertaken by the adaptation team.

Responsibilities

Coordination of IKI Project Technical Support:
- Under the supervision of the Senior Researcher, the Manager is responsible for effectively implementing and managing Ecosystem-based adaptation activities associated with the IKI project. These responsibilities include designing climate change adaptation and vulnerability assessments, assistance to the field in carrying out vulnerability assessments, designing adaptation activities and monitoring of progress in cooperation with field programs.
- Specific activities include: coordinating GCES inputs to the IKI project, supporting field programs in developing and implementing vulnerability assessments, working with field programs in developing Ecosystem-based Adaptation activities, ensuring close consultation and communication with the Senior Researcher and Senior Manager, liaising with partners, scientists, managers and other stakeholders involved in the IKI project, developing and disseminating products, including adaptation techniques and policy instruments, identifying and developing follow-on activities.

Fundraising Support:
- In collaboration with the Senior Manager, provide fundraising support with special emphasis on Ecosystem-based Adaptation, to the Senior Researcher. This will include writing proposals for a broad variety of funding sources. Maintain close working relationships and regularly liaise with the other teams within Science + Knowledge, other CI divisions, and external partners on fund-raising.
- Ensure successful completion and maximum integration of proposal development and fund-raising activities.

Broad Technical Support:
- Participate in the development and implementation of CI’s adaptation strategy to include designing assessments, implementing adaptation activities and monitoring of results, with special emphasis on Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries.
- Ensure close consultation and communication with the Senior Researcher and Senior Manager on administrative issues, project development and implementation of projects.
- Provide technical support in adaptation and ecosystem-based adaptation to field programs not involved in the IKI project.
- Work closely with and consult with the Senior Manager on a frequent basis.
- Participate and be an active team member in the Adaptation sub team.

Qualifications

Required:
- Advanced degree in climate change, biology or related field (including social sciences), with at least two years related work experience
- Fluency in spoken Portuguese and Spanish
- Knowledge of climate change adaptation and research methods
- Knowledge of climate change impacts on biodiversity
- Strong organizational and financial management skills
- Proven ability to engage and collaborate with diverse teams and individuals across various disciplines, cultures and backgrounds to achieve shared goals
- Ability to work well independently and coordinate teams remotely.
- Ability to deliver results while managing competing priorities under tight deadlines
- Strong written and oral English communication skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to travel at least 25% time.

Preferred:
- Ability to write in Portuguese and/or Spanish
- Proposal writing experience
- Advanced degree in climate change, freshwater or environmental discipline