Executive Vice President for Conservation and the Regions

Application deadline
Monday, 22 July 2024 – 09:00

Location
Cambridge (UK) or any BirdLife International Secretariat offices internationally

Full time
35 hours per week

Contract
Open-ended

Annual Leave
25 days pro rata in year 1, increasing by 1 day p/a to 28days

BirdLife International is a truly global partnership of environmental NGOs, national conservation organisations, all of whom share a common vision – to mobilise lasting, sustainable protection for the world’s birds, their habitats, and global biodiversity in general.

Together, we believe in a holistic approach to conservation – using the insight we gain from our rigorous studies on the health of the world’s bird species, to work for a world where nature and people live in harmony.

We are a global family of 123 national Partners covering all continents, landscapes and seascapes, with over 13 million individual members and supporters. We are driven by our belief that local people, working for nature in their own communities but connected and supported through our global Partnership, is the key to sustaining all life on this planet. Our world-class science guides us as we pinpoint and protect vulnerable bird species, which then help us identify and conserve the most vital habitats for nature. We work to make human impacts sustainable for the planet and to convince society to take positive action against climate change and biodiversity loss. As Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, the “godfather” of biodiversity said, “If you take care of the birds, you take care of most of the environmental problems in the world”.  

The Partnership is supported by a Secretariat made up of c.250 people from 58 nationalities working in 11 offices around the world. This Secretariat’s core purpose is to curate and mobilise the best available evidence about bird conservation to support and grow the capacity/capability of Partners so that together they inspire a world richer in nature.  In short, it provides the glue, the roadmap and occasionally the rocket fuel to drive conservation around the world.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and as a key member of the Global Leadership Team, the Executive Vice President for Conservation and the Regions will provide strategic leadership and vision to BirdLife International’s global conservation efforts.

This pivotal role will oversee the implementation of BirdLife’s conservation strategy, aligning global aspirations with regional delivery through a network of dedicated Partners. You will lead and manage the BirdLife Secretariat’s six regional Directors and the team responsible for coordinating the six global conservation programmes: agriculture, climate change, flyways, forests, marine and preventing extinctions.

The ideal candidate will bring a wealth of strategic leadership and management experience gained in an international, diverse and multi-stakeholder environment, with a deep understanding of global conservation challenges and approaches. You will bring a proven track record of influencing for impact, fundraising and a demonstrated capacity to manage and maintain high level donor relations. With strong communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills, you will have a high level of emotional intelligence and the ability to listen and engage with a wide range of stakeholders both internally and externally as well as be a compelling ambassador for BirdLife International. Your deep commitment to BirdLife’s values and approach will be evident through your ability to foster collaboration at local, national, and international levels to ensure the effective delivery of the BirdLife International’s conservation endeavours.

We are looking for people who are passionate about nature. Join our committed and diverse team and you will have the opportunity to play a part in creating a world where nature and people live in greater harmony, more equitably and sustainably. If you want to make a difference and join the world’s largest nature conservation Partnership, then we would love to hear from you.

For more information, or to apply, please submit a CV and covering letter, detailing how you fulfil the role description and personal specification quoting reference 7340. The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 22nd July 2024.

The role can be based at any of BirdLife International’s Secretariat offices internationally, and will require significant travel and communication across global time zones.

BirdLife values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive culture, a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We aim to promote a more inclusive environment, which attracts all candidates and signals our commitment to celebrate and promote diversity. For our full diversity, equity and inclusion statement please see here.

For a conversation in confidence, please contact Research Associate Isabela Betoret at [email protected].

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To see our candidate brochure, please click here.