Senior Manager: Freshwater Programme

Description

Based in WWF offices in Newlands (Cape Town) or Braamfontein (Johannesburg)

WWF is the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisation, with over 6 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans 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.

WWF South Africa is a national office that is part of the WWF network. We are a local NGO that has worked for 50 years with the aim of inspiring all South Africans to live in harmony with nature, for the benefit of our country and the well-being of all our people. WWF’s work is for nature, for you.

Our work is challenging and exciting and we love what we do. To join our team, you need to be brilliant at what you do, passionate, results-orientated and have a positive attitude.

WWF is looking for a leader to drive vibrant engagement in the water sector to deliver WWF’s intended conservation impact. The Senior Manager Freshwater will be responsible for designing, leading and/ or forming part of teams who work in pursuit of WWF South Africa’s environmental outcomes. The freshwater team is composed of highly competent and dynamic individuals working across multiple themes; water and risk, water and tools, water and finance, water and dairy, water and forestry, nature based solutions like alien clearing, water stewardship, water and agriculture, groundwater, community engagement. The successful candidate needs to be able to build productive and lasting partnerships, lead a diverse and dispersed team and co-develop innovative approaches at the interface of water availability and access to water.  The Senior Manager Freshwater will function within the organisation’s broader Environmental Programme and will be based either at the WWF South Africa office in Newlands or Braamfontein.

Minimum Requirements

• Postgraduate qualification (PhD level preferred, but Masters as the minimum) in water sciences, hydrology or related discipline.
• A demonstrated understanding based on 10 years+ experience in the water sector, with the ability to network and build strong partnerships.
• At least 7 years’ experience in managing staff and overseeing operational responsibilities of a team coordinating both professional and administrative staff members.
• Ability to inspire people (in government, business and civil society) to act on the challenges that we face together in the water sector and to demonstrate thought-leadership.
• Demonstrated track record of successful project management and oversight.
• Widely acknowledged as a thought leader and strategist.
• A sound understanding of the freshwater policy landscape, with high level strategic relationships in government.
• A highly versatile and adaptable water sector professional who can grasp and communicate concepts quickly and well.
• A clear understanding of the contemporary national and international policy imperatives to South Africa’s environmental challenges and specifically related to the water sector.
• Exceptional leadership skills, including the ability to contribute to teams led by others.
• A willingness to innovate and drive interdisciplinary approaches.
• A good understanding of the broad range of projects undertaken by WWF and knowledge of the relevant institutional landscape in South Africa.
• Experience with budget planning, project monitoring and evaluation, and reporting to donors.
• Proven ability to secure project funding including successful proposal development and maintaining strong reporting relationships with international government Demonstrated writing, media communication and presentation skills.
• An ability to convey complex environmental issues in a powerful way to diverse audiences.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide strategic thought leadership to WWF South Africa’s Freshwater Programme.

• Establish credible recognition for WWF South Africa as a thought leader across the broad range of issues in the water sector.
• Lead and manage the freshwater thematic team to plan, integrate and collaborate with other thematic experts across the Environmental Programme portfolios.
• Contribute to and influence policy formulation in support of securing South Africa’s strategic water source areas (SWSAs)
• In addition to demonstrating deep freshwater expertise, understand the interplay between water access and the economic development, particularly as it pertains to infrastructure and the necessary investments for water security and climate-resilience.
• Mobilise established networks of partners and experts to pursue outcomes around regenerative supply chains, particularly in terms of stimulating water stewardship actions within the private sector.
• Deepen WWF’s work and strategic partnerships in relation to issues of improved access to water within the SWSAs.
• Lead in transformative approaches with different sectors to promote freshwater conservation.
• Influence national and international policy development by developing, communicating and advocating position statements in relation to SWSA in South Africa.
• Identify new, impactful and innovative projects aligned with the WWF’s Strategy 2025 outcomes and as appropriate.
• Ensure the Head of Environmental Programme, Delivery and Impact Leads and Chief Executive Officer of WWF South Africa are kept informed of key developments relating to SWAs, freshwater and related topics.

2. Maintain key networks and participate in partnership processes.

• Understand and engage in the complexity of sectors involved in freshwater conservation in South Africa, including government, private sector, other conservation bodies and civil society structures.
• Maintain a strong collaborative and supportive approach with key partners and stakeholders, including national, provincial and international governments to ensure delivery on existing high impact projects to address freshwater conservation challenges.
• Be the lead and/ or facilitate effective stakeholder relationships including with public, private and community partners in areas where WWF SA works and across issues of relevance.
• Lead or participate in partnership steering committee meetings as required.
• Undertake an active role in processes relating to relevant international Conventions.

3. Manage the proper functioning of the Freshwater Programme in line with set organisational policies, procedures and delegated authority.

• Drive the management and implementation of key existing Freshwater work.

• Oversee an effective project cycle management process and manage reporting and alignment processes for the Freshwater Programme.
• In consultation with the Delivery Lead, Impact Lead and Head of Environmental Programmes, ensure alignment with WWF’s Global Freshwater Practice.
• Lead, with Freshwater Programme Co-ordinator to ensure that projects are developed and approved as part of the Project Co-Creative & Design Approval process.
• Contribute to a robust monitoring and evaluation system to ensure full accountability against pre-identified targets for all programs specifically the contribution from the fresh water related projects.
• Ensure all internal process and policies are applied as it relates to Finance, People & Culture, IT, Strategic Communications and Legal aspects.

4. Assist with staff development, mentorship and transformation of the staff and, where relevant, partners linked to the Freshwater Programme.

• Oversee performance appraisal process for all Freshwater Programme staff and identify opportunities to incentivise performance.
• Identify new and upcoming talent to accelerate transformation in the organization and support the development of an organisational talent management approach.

5. Build sustainable funding streams to continue implementation of the Freshwater Programme of work towards WWF Strategy 2025.

• Identify funding opportunities for projects aligned to the WWF 2025 Strategy.
• Develop proposals with support from the Business Development Unit and others in the WWF network.
• Maintain strong funding and technical relationship with current donors and donor offices within the WWF International network.
• Maintain and increase relationships with corporate donors and partners.
• Build sustainable funding streams to support implementation of the Freshwater Programme objectives and contribute to the WWF Global Freshwater Practice

6. Work with the Strategic Communications team to develop internal and external communication material regarding the Freshwater Programme to meet Programme goals and broaden and engage constituencies.

• Develop technical content and media releases around key topical items and Programme outputs, in collaboration with PCG.
• Support WWF’s public facing campaigns such as the Journey of Water with relevant technical facts.
• Act as a representative spokesperson for WWF South Africa’s Freshwater Programme
• Assist the WWF International network in informing wider audiences about WWF’s Freshwater work and
• Inspire interest in freshwater conservation from a range of constituents.

7. Perform further duties as necessary.

• Manage knowledge development and sharing around Freshwater conservation within the Portfolio and the broader Environmental Programme.
• Play an active role in shaping the WWF SA and Environmental Programmes strategy, participate and where applicable, lead in relevant fora (EP Senior Managers Meeting and relevant working groups).