Job Summary:
Program Manager, Coral Reef Conservation oversees the daily operations of the Coral Reef Program across WCS regions (currently Mesoamerica and Western Caribbean, Western Indian Ocean, South Asia and Bay of Bengal, Southeast Asia Archipelago and Melanesia) and provides coordination support for external partnerships with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), researchers and funders.
The position will work closely with a small team of coral reef science, conservation, and communication experts as well as WCS specialists in other fields including small-scale fisheries, international policy, and area-based conservation. This position will work closely with the Director, Coral Reef Conservation to develop and implement streamlined project management tools to communicate progress to internal and external partners, and lead reporting on global grants to deliver a collaborative, science-based and cutting-edge conservation program for coral reefs.
Major Responsibilities:
Manage the development and delivery of the WCS global coral reef strategy. This involves leading internal WCS information flow and collaboration, helping to translate the global coral reef strategy into actionable plans and initiatives that ensure alignment across WCS regions and global teams, tracking coral reef media trends and news as related to the strategy in key geographies. Responsible for monitoring progress of strategy implementation and providing regular updates to the Director, Coral Reef Conservation on the status of key projects.
Facilitate effective communication and benchmarking across WCS regions and WCS global programs, including support for internal and external communications with the Director, Coral Reef Conservation, and the ability to filter and prioritize information to organize a timeline of critical issues, decisions, and deadlines.
Ensure effective project management of global coral reef conservation with WCS regions. Lead regular reporting on the program’s progress including tracking performance metrics and reports to funders for centrally managed coral reef grants.
Support partnership and communication by fostering collaboration and teamwork within the coral reef program team and across the organization. Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance implementation of the global coral reef strategy. Facilitate and maintain regular coordination, collaboration, and active dialogue with key stakeholders and WCS regions.
Work with the Director, Coral Reef Conservation to develop and implement fundraising strategies to secure financial resources for the program. Develop timelines and lead strategic engagement with WCS regional programs on new funding proposals and reporting on existing funding: develop timelines, lead writing and review by WCS programs, take responsibility for delivering submissions in coordination with WCS Global Resources team.
Oversee the preparation and management of consultancy contracts and sub-grant agreements for the global coral reef program and Marine Ecological Research Management Aid (MERMAID); working with the Business Manager, Marine Conservation to ensure timely processing of payments for invoices, reimbursements, stipends, other paperwork, and assist in procurement orders.
Working with the Business Manager, Marine Conservation to support the development of financial reviews and budget management on global grants and programs, including the preparation and review of proposals, reports, and quarterly budget reviews.
Coordinate engagement at international conferences, including coordinating preparatory meetings, managing deadlines, working with relevant staff to identify strategy and messaging, coordinating event and travel logistics, and representing the program at conferences when needed.
Manage regular coral reef team meetings to ensure the team is on track to meet program goals and deadlines. Setup shared and collaborative online processes for the team to manage deadlines and scheduling. Foster a positive and inclusive team culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Ensure effective communication and collaboration across the team using shared online project management/calendar tools, e.g., internal deadlines, external events.
Adhere to and promote WCS health and safety policies, especially those activities relating to area-based marine conservation.
Support self-development and development of team members through coaching, education, training, and experience.
Qualification Requirements
Job Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree, preferably in natural sciences or international conservation policy, or equivalent work experience. Master’s degree preferred.
Minimum of 3 years of experience in project management with demonstrable expertise in writing technical reports, preparing, and monitoring budgets and contracts, and overseeing project reporting.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects and teams, including communicating information across stakeholders and efficient reporting to funders.
Demonstrated excellence in writing, reviewing, and editing of reports (technical and donor facing).
Must be able to work calmly within short deadlines and respond quickly and efficiently to donor requests.
Ability to be proactive and anticipate challenges while identifying potential opportunities and solutions. Demonstrated integrity, trust, and discretion.
Understanding of general conservation issues. Experience in coral reef ecology, monitoring and conservation is a distinct advantage.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures and within a remote and globally distributed team across WCS programs.
Demonstrated experience in building and maintaining effective partnerships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and private sector entities.
Proven track record in supporting fundraising, grant writing and donor relations in a non-profit environment.
Additional Requirements:
Willingness to travel internationally is required.
Licenses & Certifications:
Certifications or diplomas to show learning in change management/project management are highly desired.