Senior Vice President, Center for Environment and Peace, Arlington, VA, United States

Post:Senior Vice President, Center for Environment and Peace, Arlington, VA, United States
Conservation International
2011 Crystal Dr #500
Arlington, VA, United States
Tel: +1 703-341-2400
In support of Conservation International's overall mission and as a member of CI's senior leadership team,
the Senior Vice President for the Center for Environment and Peace (CEP) will work with governments, bilateral and multilateral institutions, international development agencies and organizations, and international conventions and conferences to further the understanding of the value of natural capital and to embrace policies, good governance, and development investments that recognize nature's essential role in healthy, sustainable – and peaceful – societies.

Throughout the history of our organization, CI has worked improve the management and governance of natural resources through partnerships and by promoting effective policies and practices. These pursuits have helped lay the foundations for lasting cooperation and peace and contributed to conflict avoidance. With the launch of CI's Center for Environment and Peace (CEP), we are making an even more explicit commitment to demonstrate and foster nature's role in conflict avoidance and peacebuilding, placing the conservation of resources at the forefront of conditions necessary for peaceful relations and strategic cooperation among nations.

While CI has not previously included peace as a specific focus, there have been many projects and activities in which the work we do has contributed to peacebuilding and conflict avoidance. Under the Center for Environment and Peace, the Senior Vice President will work with CEP staff and across CI to selectively pursue a targeted strategy and activities that promote lasting solutions in conflict-prone nations by incorporating the importance of natural capital.

The Senior Vice President, Center for Environment and Peace will play a prominent leadership role in influencing key stakeholders in the public sector to establish natural capital valuation and conservation as a core element of the global development paradigm and to amplify CI's mission to improve human well-being through conservation. S/he will work with CEP staff and in close collaboration with CI's Field Divisions, Science Center and Ecosystem Finance & Markets unit to link high-level policy efforts with applied natural and social science and field demonstration to build robust, integrated policy frameworks from the global to national and local scales.

The SVP will lead the strategic, programmatic and financial operations of CEP. S/he will be responsible for leveraging $50 million in financial resources to support the efforts of CEP and will contribute to the overall financial health of the organization by securing multimillion-dollar level gifts from public funding sources on an annual basis (approximately $25 million per year). S/he will identify, develop and implement standards and best practices to effectively marshal the organization's resources to achieve results on a global basis and ensure the organization's leadership and staff have the tools, resources and information needed to be successful in their own work to amplify and influence.

This position will oversee approximately 30 staff in the areas of public funding, international policy, social policy and operations. This position will represent CI both internally and extrernally and will require engagement with CI's Board of Directors. The SVP, is called on to represent CI at the highest levels in the public sector. S/he has the authority to legallly bind the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy

•     Refine and implement the strategy for the Center for Environment and Peace Division to influence and persuade selected audiences in support of CI's mission of delivering human well-being through the conservation of healthy ecosystems and the goods and services they provide.
•     Oversee the development of CEP's new area of work around peace by implementing a targeted strategy and set of activities that promote lasting solutions in conflict-prone nations. Seek to incorporate the importance of natural capital and build the capacity of sustainable institutions to improve policies and practices for natural resource governance.
•     Identify key constituents (governments, multilateral/bilateral institutions, development organizations, strategic fora) that CI must engage and/or partner with to positively influence the development paradigm and to amplify our work. Provide leadership to guide the management of these relationships, agreements and engagements.
•     Oversee the development of CI's global policy and public funding agenda to shape and influence national, international, multinational policies on the connections between environment and development agendas. Liaise with the US Government Policy team, Field Divisions, Science Center and Ecosystem Finance & Markets unit to ensure close collaboration.
•     Oversee CI's focus on social policy, accountability, and practice in all of CI's work (i.e., research, guidelines, practice, safeguards and measurement) as a set of underpinning and crosscutting issues that impact achievement of sound governance of natural capital and its integration into development agendas at global, national and local levels.
•     Oversee and integrate CI's hubs of influence in Japan and Europe to best support CI's mission.

Leadership

    Serve as a member of CI's senior leadership. Represent the Center for Environment and Peace in various leadership fora including the Leadership Group and other senior-level committees responsible for decisions affecting the institution.
    Serve as a liaison to the Board of Directors in matters under the purview of the Center for Environment and Peace, in particular the Policy Subcommittee.

Fundraising

    Fundraise and secure gifts at the multimillion-dollar level, with a target of $25 million annually, from public funding sources to ensure the funds needed to carry out CI's mission.
    Ensure the financial sustainability of CEP by fundraising and securing gifts at the multimillion dollar level from high net-worth individuals and foundations for the operational expenses of CEP as well as for the CEP endowment fund, with a target of $50 million over the next 4 years.
    Support CI's engagement with European-based foundations.
    Ensure coordination of efforts among all fundraising units including those under his/her purview and those units not under his/her direct supervision.

Partnerships
    Foster and develop new partnerships with major development organizations.
    Build partnerships and collaborate with institutions that can help CI address the destabilizing impact of resource depletion on the well being of people and reduce conflict through the preservation of the natural capital need to sustain the healthy ecosystems.
    Represent CI in fora and build partnerships needed to advance CI's agenda. Secure broad buy-in and support of our efforts.
    Develop and maintain relationships with key constituents to promote CI's global policy objectives and to influence policy decisions by Governments and leading institutions.

People and Program Management
    Oversee staff and budgets in the departments that comprise the Center for Environment and Peace. Align staff toward objectives and manage performance. Ensure fiscal oversight of the unit's budgets. Provide management and oversight of CI affiliates in Europe and Japan. Provide coordination with all relevant programs in CI.
    Fulfill all legal obligations required as member and/or director or trustee of independent affiliates. Act as CI's representative for contractual matters, legal and regulatory compliance.

Working Conditions

    This position is based in CI Headquarters in Arlington, VA
    Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 40% time

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

Education and Experience

•     Advanced degree in natural or social sciences, international or development policy and a minimum of 15 years experience in progressive management/leadership-level positions in fundraising, public funding or business development (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
•     More than 10 years experience developing and implementing programs and systems to support a multi-million dollar, multi-location global organization working on conservation.
•     Experience in management and implementation of development and/or conservation projects in developing countries.
•     Proven experience engaging with and influencing governments, policy institutions and other key constituents globally to embrace an agenda including natural capital and its links to human well-being.
•     Strong executive-level financial management experience including demonstrated experience successfully managing and leading large teams and fundraising.

Skills and Abilities

•     Ability to conceptualize, develop and implement programs designed to influence and persuade.
•     Proven knowledge of the global development agenda and the role of natural capital in that agenda.
•     Proven ability to utilize strong analytical, critical decision-making and strategic planning skills.
•     Demonstrated strong network with bilateral and multilateral institutions, including in Europe and Asia.
•     Ability to fundraise at the multi-million dollar level.
•     Clear and concise verbal and written communications skills, including effective presentation and negotiation skills.
•     Ability to conceptualize and implement innovative strategies, partnerships, and programs.
•     Ability to analyze and recommend improvements to processes, procedures and systems.
•     Proven ability to lead, engage, and collaborate with individuals across various disciplines, cultures and backgrounds to achieve shared goals.
•     Passion for the conservation of nature.
•     In-depth understanding of the linkages between biodiversity, climate change, food security, fresh water and human well-being, and proven ability to develop strong innovative policy approaches in these fields.
•     Strong interpersonal skills, presence and ability to effectively build strong relationships both internally and external to the organization.
•     A reputation for high ethical standards and integrity.

Preferred:
    Fluency in Spanish, French or Portuguese.
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1369060026671