We invite you to join us in achieving remarkable outcomes through collaborative effort and shared commitment. Together, we can drive innovation, foster growth, and create lasting impact by leveraging our combined strengths and diverse perspectives. This role requires a proactive approach, adaptability, and a passion for excellence to contribute meaningfully to our mission.
The Conservation Impact System Team (IST) within the Chief Conservation Office is instrumental in advancing global conservation efforts. By collaborating with conservation teams, leaders, and executives, the IST empowers them to leverage evidence-based approaches in adaptive management and reporting, ensuring The Nature Conservancy (TNC) delivers on its commitments to biodiversity, climate resilience, and human well-being. Comprising the Conservation Data Team (CDT) and Conservation Strategy Team (CST), the IST delivers cohesive support through their specialized functions. The CDT is tasked with strengthening conservation data capabilities, maintaining data integrity, advancing scientific and technical systems, and facilitating organizational reporting—including executive and global board-level insights and recommendations. This role is centered on equipping regional teams with the tools and frameworks needed to consistently produce, validate, and apply high-quality data and evidence through robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems, standards, and methodologies. The position partners closely with regional MEL leads to synchronize CDT initiatives with regional priorities, processes, and operational practices.
Essential Functions:
The Africa Regional Advisor will collaborate with the CDT to enhance direct and integrated support for conservation data, addressing the needs of conservation teams and leaders across TNC’s Africa Region. This role aims to empower decision-makers with robust evidence, thereby improving the quality of their choices and maximizing their impact.
The Africa Regional Advisor will foster insights into the factors influencing customer satisfaction—specifically, the needs of TNC conservation teams and leaders—across the Africa region while enhancing the delivery of CDT support. Serving as a cross-cultural and organizational facilitator, the advisor will champion knowledge sharing, ensuring that innovations and best practices originating from the Africa region—or other TNC regions—are disseminated, adapted, and integrated. This collaboration will cultivate a unified, contextually relevant conservation data toolkit that aligns with TNC’s broader objectives.
The Africa Conservation Data Advisor will cultivate and sustain robust, trust-based relationships with key stakeholders and specialists across the Africa Region, including the monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) regional team, scientists, and portfolio managers. The incumbent will partner with Africa-based MEL staff to ensure the Conservation Data Team’s (CDT) assistance aligns with their conservation science data objectives, MEL frameworks, and reporting mechanisms to strengthen evidence-based adaptive management within the Africa Portfolio. Additionally, this role will engage with regional MEL leaders and partners to tailor science data support to high-priority needs, enhancing MEL data quality and advancing adaptive management practices. Close collaboration with the Africa MEL lead, CDT colleagues, and the CST Africa regional counterpart will ensure cohesive support across MEL initiatives and strategic processes. The position will play a pivotal role in delivering CDT solutions while providing technical and data science expertise. Operating with an iterative, hands-on approach, the advisor will drive the development, implementation, and refinement of CDT offerings, enabling rapid learning and adaptive adjustments.
This role is designated for a fixed term of two years.
The Conservation Data Advisor – Africa position requires the candidate to reside in and possess valid work authorization for one of the TNC Africa program countries, specifically Kenya, Tanzania, or Zambia.
Seeking a highly motivated individual to join our team, we invite you to consider this opportunity.
Offer specialized direction and assistance geared toward developing and applying evidence within adaptive management frameworks, ensuring alignment with regional priorities and requirements.
Deliver hands-on assistance to teams, driven by agile methodologies, data science best practices, and implementation science frameworks.
Provide regionally and culturally appropriate support to teams by adopting a collaborative approach to develop tailored solutions, and engage local contractors as necessary.
Ensure that the conservation data science support delivered to teams aligns with and reinforces regional portfolio management and reporting processes.
Support teams in leveraging evidence syntheses to address critical science evidence gaps identified through their adaptive management processes, thereby bolstering confidence in their reported outcomes.
Collaborate with fellow regional team members to ensure proficient use of conservation data tools, aiding in the support of high-priority teams and programs.
Develop the foundational elements necessary to facilitate the creation and application of evidence within adaptive management and prioritization frameworks across the Africa Region.
Develop strong, reliable partnerships with essential leadership within The Nature Conservancy’s Africa Region.
In partnership with the MEL Regional team and MEL Specialists, cultivate the foundational framework necessary to facilitate the integration of high-quality evidence into adaptive management practices.
Working in close partnership with the Africa MEL team, you will refine and strengthen data analytics processes, transforming validated and evidence-driven data into practical reporting and learning outputs—such as impact briefs, analytical summaries, and data reports—to guide strategic decisions at the program, portfolio, and leadership levels.
Partner with CDT staff to uphold the region’s conservation data integrity and reporting benchmarks while assisting regional leadership in reinforcing adherence to these standards.
Collaborate closely with leaders in Africa Regional Conservation and Strategies to pinpoint the most critical teams requiring conservation data and learning support, directing resources and assistance toward these high-priority groups.
Partner with Africa Regional Conservation and Strategies leadership to leverage conservation data effectively in prioritization and strategic decision-making, thereby enhancing regional impact, and collaborate on the development of dashboards designed to facilitate portfolio management and inform key leadership decisions.
Collaborate with members of the Africa Regional leadership team to drive the enhancement of essential enabling conditions across the region, thereby improving data quality and its application in adaptive management and prioritization efforts. This involves integrating conservation and financial data more effectively and aligning planning processes to support these objectives.
Grow CDT’s influence and reach to enhance its mission and value proposition. Expand the scope of CDT’s initiatives to drive greater engagement and measurable outcomes. Strengthen partnerships and collaborations to amplify CDT’s presence in key sectors and communities. Implement strategic growth plans to increase visibility, credibility, and long-term sustainability. Identify and pursue new opportunities to diversify CDT’s funding sources and resource base. Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement to ensure CDT remains a leader in its field. Develop and execute initiatives that align with CDT’s strategic objectives while addressing evolving market needs and challenges.
Evaluate and track the efficacy of CDT assistance rendered within the designated region.
To collaborate with other regional CDT leads and uncover avenues for growth, evaluate ways to enhance support models, ensuring they align with regional requirements and amplify CDT’s influence.
Offer strategic recommendations to CDT, identifying potential enhancements to support models through collaborative efforts with regional leadership.
Contribute to the identification of opportunities for CDT tools or processes to better align with team requirements.
Employ a hands-on, experiential methodology to continuously evaluate, refine, and enhance CDT support mechanisms.
Actively identify and pursue opportunities for collaboration with other regions to advance CDT’s objectives, ensuring that insights and best practices are systematically documented and disseminated. Engage in cross-regional dialogues to facilitate knowledge exchange and foster a cohesive approach to shared initiatives.
What You’ll Bring:
A Master’s Degree in a science-related field, coupled with at least four years of professional experience in enhancing data quality and leveraging data for management and business applications, is required. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in large conservation or development organizations, agencies, or equivalent roles. Alternatively, equivalent combinations of education and practical experience may be considered.
Proficiency in conservation and/or development metrics is required, along with expertise in monitoring and evaluation data systems, impact measurement, and results-based reporting for programs and portfolios.
Demonstrated expertise in ensuring the rigor, consistency, and validation of program indicator methodologies is essential.
Adept in data analysis and visualization tools including Power BI, Tableau, GIS, Python, Excel, and R, enabling guidance on analytics design, validation of outputs, and facilitation of capacity-building initiatives across regional teams.
Proven ability to guide and develop teams while enhancing individual and collective capabilities through effective mentorship and capacity-building initiatives.
Demonstrates a history of utilizing data to underpin conservation strategies and inform decision-making processes.
Demonstrated ability to lead or contribute to cross-functional teams is required.
Adaptable to accommodate varying time zones through a flexible work schedule.
Possesses demonstrated ability to independently guide intricate, open-ended initiatives toward successful completion.
Proficient in integrating equity, justice, and inclusion principles and practices into professional operations, demonstrating a steadfast dedication to these values.
Proficiency in engaging and collaborating with diverse individuals across various backgrounds.
Proven capability to collaborate seamlessly across diverse cultural, national, and regional environments.
Proven ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders through clear communication and collaborative problem-solving.
Professional with extensive multicultural or cross-cultural exposure across the Africa Region.
Demonstrated eligibility and consent to live and work within specified TNC Africa program areas, including Kenya, Tanzania, or Zambia, along with the capacity to travel to additional regional destinations such as Gabon, Angola, and South Africa.
Fluency in written and verbal English communication is essential.
Desired qualifications include a minimum of five years of relevant experience in a comparable role, along with a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard software and tools is essential, as is the ability to analyze complex data sets and derive actionable insights. Strong interpersonal skills are required to foster collaboration and communication across teams. Candidates should demonstrate problem-solving abilities, adaptability to evolving priorities, and a commitment to continuous learning and professional development. Experience with project management methodologies is a plus.
A proven track record in implementing and scaling conservation strategies or solutions through data-driven approaches, including the use of Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems for ecosystem markets.
Domain expertise is required in one or more of the following areas: large-scale land, freshwater, or ocean protection and management, climate or biodiversity policy development, renewable energy siting, natural climate solutions implementation, conservation finance and market mechanisms, regenerative agriculture practices, sustainable fisheries or aquaculture systems, watershed management strategies, community-based resource management approaches, or equitable conservation frameworks.
Seasoned professionals seeking to leverage their expertise in overseeing multifaceted projects, specifically those requiring meticulous financial oversight and strategic coordination of team members and external stakeholders, are encouraged to apply.
Proactively driven with a strong inclination toward immediate execution.
Proficient in utilizing cutting-edge technology to deliver optimal outcomes.
Thrives in a dynamic agile team environment where adaptive methodologies and continuous improvement drive operational excellence.
Proven expertise in Indigenous and Traditional knowledge systems is essential.
Proficiency in adopting a growth mindset, demonstrating creativity, and leveraging resourcefulness is essential.
Demonstrated expertise in strategy formulation or execution of strategic initiatives is required.
Fluency in either French or Portuguese is required.
Qualifications
MBA/MSc/MA
Experience Required
4 years
