Gabon Country Director

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Country Director will lead TNC’s strategy, conservation portfolio, partnerships and operations in Gabon. Over the next two to three years, the role will prioritise successful first-phase implementation of the Project Finance for Permanence (PfP) initiative; coordinated technical support for upcoming Blue Bond conservation milestones; and strengthening the forestry portfolio and its contribution to TNC’s Congo Basin strategy and priority landscape outcomes. Central to this mandate will be mobilising expertise across TNC and strengthening national institutions through practical knowledge transfer and capacity building. The position will also provide operational oversight, including resource mobilisation, partner relations, staff supervision, recruitment, escalated problem resolution and coordination, and will report to the Program Delivery Director.

We’re Looking for You:

The Country Director serves as TNC’s principal contact for government agencies and other strategic partners in Gabon. They will build and maintain effective relationships with governmental, multilateral, bilateral, private-sector and non-governmental organisations; lead the implementation and coordination of the country conservation portfolio; and mobilise expertise from across TNC to respond to partner priorities. The Director is accountable for the quality, timeliness and coordination of TNC’s contribution, while recognising that government, FPBG and other partners retain their respective mandates and implementation responsibilities.

Specifically, the Country Director will deliver:

Strategic leadership

• Develop country strategic plan for Gabon and ensure its implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning progress review.
• Provide TNC leadership with an account of the country impact and targets aligned with the overarching strategic goals.
• Provide leadership for the establishment and implementation of TNC regional and global strategy projects and initiatives in Gabon to ensure they are aligned with and contribute to the country strategic plan.
• Lead and coordinate TNC’s support for first-phase PfP implementation, ensuring clear workplans, agreed responsibilities, timely technical assistance and effective internal coordination across country, regional and global teams.
• Work with the government Project Management Unit (PMU) and FPBG to agree and deliver a structured capacity-building and knowledge-transfer plan, using joint delivery, mentoring, practical tools and documented procedures to build lasting institutional capability.
• Coordinate TNC’s technical contribution to upcoming Blue Bond conservation milestones, maintaining a forward-looking view of deadlines, dependencies, support requirements and delivery risks.
• Build TNC’s standing as a trusted long-term technical partner through reliable delivery, transparent communication, respect for national ownership and technical assistance that is timely, coherent and responsive to government and partner needs.
• Strengthen and deliver a coherent Gabon forestry portfolio that advances TNC’s Congo Basin strategy and Gabon’s agreed contribution to priority landscape outcomes. Provide strategic oversight of the CAFI-supported Sustainable Forest Management programme, strengthen implementation partnerships, and develop a focused pipeline of opportunities with clear conservation outcomes, resource requirements and measures of progress

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Program Management

• Provide implementation oversight of all in-country programs and projects.
• Ensure all country programs and projects are implemented on time and on budget.
• Provide oversight of in-country project and program adaptation and provide quarterly program reviews and monitoring updates.
• Establish clear accountabilities and agreed delivery commitments for TNC’s technical support across country, regional and global teams.
• Convene regular portfolio reviews covering milestones, budgets, partner needs, capacity-building objectives and risks, ensuring that corrective actions are agreed and unresolved constraints are escalated promptly.
• Develop and monitor country budget in line with allocated funds, to support the deputy country director, strategy leads, the project/program leads and the finance team.
• Provide oversight of in-country budget management including operational costs and risks for budget adjustments.

Fundraising

• Play a key role in fundraising and reporting to donors by working closely with our private and public fundraising teams.

Policy & Partnership Management at National Level

• Provide oversight for policy development towards aligning TNC conservation goals to the development agenda of Gabon, as a country.
• Manage and monitor relationship with country-specific partners including government, communities, key stakeholders, and implementation partners.
• Ensure technical support embeds practical knowledge transfer and strengthens the implementation capacity of government and national partner institutions.
• Maintain clear, transparent communication on TNC’s commitments, progress, dependencies and delivery risks while respecting national ownership and partner mandates.
• Relay feedback from partners to the rest of the organization.

People management

• Responsible for day-to-day management of all staff in-country.
• Manages and/or mentors multi-disciplinary administrative and conservation staff and responsible for performance management, training, and career development.
• Facilitate effective collaboration and communication across multiple departments and teams in–country using matrix management principles.
• Mobilise multidisciplinary expertise across country, regional and global teams, including colleagues outside the direct reporting line, to meet agreed portfolio priorities and milestones.
• Make in-country hiring decisions and performance management.

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

Who We Are:

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our mission and guided by our values, which include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube   to hear stories from staff or visit  Glassdoor.

One goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.”

What We Bring:

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world! 

TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.

We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [email protected]  with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.