Conservation International , Senior Manager – French Government Liaison

Start date: September 2012 Type: Permanent Duty station: Conservation International Europe, Brussels Background Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature for the well-being of humanity. CI works in more than 40 countries on four continents. CI Europe is in charge of leading CI’s engagement in the European Union (EU). Its role is to engage EU institutions on policies relevant to CI’s mission that have a global impact, and to provide a hub for the whole organization, coordinating CI’s engagement with European stakeholders on policy, partnerships and funding. The Government of France is a strong global ally in raising awareness for the importance of biodiversity conservation and the protection of ecosystem services for the benefit of human well being. Over the past eight years CI has developed excellent relations with the French Government through agencies such as AFD, FFEM, MEDDTL and MAEE. The Government of France provides substantial support to CI through project and program funding and through dialogue at a technical level. The Liaison is primarily responsible for maintaining, and further developing relationships with the French Government but will also be tasked with reaching out to French Foundations and the French private sector to establish new partnerships. The Liaison will raise CI’s profile with key agencies through dialogue and will monitor of the execution of projects to ensure commitments are executed according to the donor’s expectations. Main responsibilities · Reinforce CI’s position as a trusted advisor to French government and French speaking partners by organizing high-level meetings and exchanges for senior CI staff visiting Europe and French partners visiting field programs or HQ. · · Manage the relationship with the French government and French speaking public and private supporters by maintaining regular communication and by developing communication tools. Organize meetings in France (and potentially Switzerland and Belgium), Brussels, HQ or in the field as needed to discuss ongoing and future partnerships with the French Government sources as well as French foundations or private sector. · Support programs to raise French public funds and funding from French, Swiss and Belgian foundations and private sector in collaboration with HQ offices responsible for Foundation Relations and Private Sector Relations: o Advertise new opportunities o Review proposals and reports o Develop new tools as necessary o Respond to ad hoc requests from CI’s programs for donor information · Support CI-Europe goals by promoting CI-Europe’s policy objectives, sharing strategic contacts and contributing to coherent EU wide approaches · Raise awareness about the role of the French government and other French partners to the internal CI audience and create awareness for the importance of engaging French partners and other stakeholders By cultivating strategic relationships, the senior manager will help CI meet its goals in terms of policy, funding and corporate contribution. He/she will build on CI’s strong existing relations in France and elsewhere, and will organize high-level meetings for senior CI staff visiting Europe. He/she will coordinate discussions with public and private sector partners and support the negotiation of corporate partner agreements in program areas including climate leadership and forest carbon, field conservation projects and business tools for conservation. In serving as CI's primary point of contact with selected French donors and partners, the senior manager will draw upon and manage participation from all parts of the organization necessary to ensure success. The senior manager will be part of the CI Europe office, managed by the Center for Conservation and Government (CCG) division of CI. He/she will also work closely with the Ecosystems, Finance and Markets (EFM) division and the Development division. This coordination with relevant teams within CI will be an essential role in all phases of the relationships development with external partners. The senior manager can also be asked to provide specific support to CI’s engagement in other countries and/or at EU level. Conditions This is a full time permanent position (Contrat à Durée Indéterminée). Candidates should be EU nationals or have a valid work permit for Belgium. Qualifications · Graduate degree in environmental studies, public policy, international relations/development studies or natural resource management and minimum 5-8 years of relevant experience. · Excellent knowledge of the French institutional framework and extensive contacts in the French environment and development communities. · Proven ability to fundraise and network, developing and managing partnerships across a range of stakeholders. · Excellent understanding of conservation, development and political issues in France, in Europe and globally. · Strong writing and oral skills. · Strong proven interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills. · Ability to work in a culturally diverse environment that requires collaboration and networking with others in dispersed locations. · Willingness to travel frequently to France, the USA and other locations. · Excellent command of both French and English is indispensable. Application For any questions, please contact us by email at europe@conservation.org Applications should be sent by email only at europe@conservation.org with the mention “Manager Operations and Finance” in the email title. Please send: • a CV with at least three references • a letter of recommendation from a former employer or supervisor • a cover letter (in English) Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview end August/beginning September. CI Values As we pursue our vision and mission, we are guided by these essential and values: · Passion: We are inspired by nature and cherish the diversity of life in all of its forms. · Respect: We respect and trust each other, and we embrace our diversity of cultures, talents, and experiences. · Integrity: We act with integrity and are accountable for our actions. · Optimism: We are optimistic about the future of life on Earth and are confident that, with our partners, we will achieve unprecedented conservation results. · Courage: We tirelessly pursue our vision, taking bold action and persevering through challenges

Job Email id:

europe(at)conservation.org