Landscape Director, Kidepo Valley

Position: Landscape Director, Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape (DKVCL)

Supervisor: Country Director, Uganda

Matrix Manager: Senior Vice President, Conservation Programs

Supervises: Key Staff Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape (KVCL)

Division: Conservation Programs

Location: Kidepo, Uganda

Background

The Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape (KVCL) is one of East Africa’s most ecologically vital yet climate-vulnerable wilderness areas. Facing intersecting pressures from climate change, local community economic insecurity, and historical infrastructure gaps, the long-term survival of this landscape requires a shift away from short-term interventions toward an integrated, long-term, and financially self-sustaining management framework.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) are designing a Collaborative Management Partnership (CMP) for KVCL. The CMP is anticipated to apply landscape approaches that optimize conservation and sustainable development, supporting conservation and socio-economic aspirations across areas with varied land and natural resource tenure, management regimes, wildlife and forest protected areas, and connecting corridors.

Position Summary

AWF is seeking a Landscape Director, for the Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape (KVCL) who will support the design and ensure successful implementation of the CMP. in adherence to the intended AWF/UWA partnership vision to drive an integrated conservation and development approach across the landscape to deliver lasting positive outcomes for people and wildlife. This includes programme operations leadership, team management, political, institutional liaison and capacity building, as well as resource mobilization, and reporting. The successful candidate will bring a strong track record of success in CMP, strategic leadership, landscape management, project delivery, and multi-stakeholder management, demonstrating the ability to influence diverse stakeholders and drive impactful outcomes.

The position will report to the Country Director, Uganda with a matrix-line relationship with the Senior Vice President, Programs.

Key Responsibilities

Landscape Program Leadership and Strategic Management

• Ensure successful design and implementation of the CMP in line with all AWF and UWA technical and legal requirements, including operational leadership, team management, technical advisory and capacity building, resource mobilization, and reporting.
• Represent AWF and manage complex multi stakeholder relationships within the Landscape.
• Oversee the technical and managerial aspects of projects and interventions in the KVCL Landscape, working with project managers for specific programs.
• In collaboration with relevant AWF departments and teams, lead the development of the AWF strategy for the KVCL landscape to guide ongoing and future AWF investments in the landscape.
• Apply AWF’s existing policies, procedures, standard operation procedures related to, amongst others, human resources, finance, procurement, risk and compliance, community engagement, tourism development, counter poaching in program execution
• Serve as the technical point of contact with key donors, program implementing partners, and stakeholders on all aspects of the program/grants in Kidepo.
• Supervise project staff, consultants, sub-grantees and others as assigned by applying AWF’s values and staff policies, creating and sustaining a work environment of mutual respect where the project team strives to achieve excellence.
• Ensure coordinated input from AWF technical, fundraising, policy, brand, and other teams in support of the landscape program, and ensure the program contributes to AWF goals.
• In collaboration with Risk Management and established response teams, identify and incorporate key risks into the risk register, and ensure identified mitigation measures and safeguards are developed and implemented.

Program Execution, Monitoring and Capacity Building

• Oversee day-to-day operations of all programs in KVCL, which includes effective team management, effective administration and tracking of project finances, program monitoring and evaluation, timely donor reporting, and effective coordination and cooperation between project implementing partners among others.
• Review and consolidate tracking metrics from the field-level teams, prepare executive dashboards to facilitate monitoring of field operations and timeline adherence.
• In collaboration with relevant teams, lead the development and implementation of conservation strategies in alignment with the KVCL co-management agreement, Integrated Management Plan, and Strategic Business Plan.
• In collaboration with the Species Conservation team, lead the design and implementation of a monitoring plan for wildlife, key habitat indicators, and illegal activities to support evaluation of progress and adaptive adjustments in park security operations.
• In consultation with the Law Enforcement team and key stakeholders, develop a training schedule, standard operating procedures, rights-based safeguards, informant network, and early threat warning strategies for anti-poaching.
• Work with UWA to develop and oversee the implementation of a general management plan (including the development of key infrastructure development including roads and bridges, radio/control rooms, ranger outposts, key observation and communications posts, staff office, tourism facilities, signage and other facilities).
• Oversee a rigorous training program designed to build the capacity of UWA field staff and leadership.
• Ensure quarterly and yearly means of verification (MOVs) are defined, delivered and recorded in BOX in a timely and transparent manner.
• in collaboration with the AWF communications team, draft strategic messaging, press releases, and internal briefs for endorsement, ensuring all outbound project communications aligned with parameters established in the CMP Master Agreement.

Financial Oversight and Compliance Management

In collaboration with the Finance and Administration teams in KVCL, Kampala, and Headquarters, the role will:

• Oversee the development of costed annual implementation budget plans and continuous monitoring of spending against budgets to ensure strict adherence to donor targets, including ensuring activities are conducted on time and on budget.
• Conduct regular budget reviews to ensure an appropriate burn rate, and explain significant variations to the Country Director, Senior Director, Conservation Programs, and Chief Financial Officer or designate.
• Ensure full compliance with the Donors and AWF policies and procedures and that there are no disallowable expenses.
• Ensure partner compliance with terms and conditions of their agreements and that partner performance is adequately monitored and their capacity strengthened.
• Provide timely and adequate technical progress and financial reports for the project.
• Ensure effective procurement of project equipment and other essential resources.
• Ensure effective monitoring of materials usage and maintenance to assure optimal longevity, utilization and deployment.
• Ensure effective use of project funds including proper handling of cash.

Key Requirements

Academic Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s Degree in Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Wildlife Management or related field. A lower qualification with relevant experience will be considered.
• Solid Project Management experience with at least 15 years’ experiences successfully managing a conservation project. Protected area management experience is an added advantage.
• Proven experience in:
• Experience implementing Conservation Co-Management agreement or donor projects.
• Planning and development of conservation areas
• Management of large Protected Area/s, including conservation and tourism development
• Working with rural communities in the field of governance, resource use and livelihood programmes and projects
• Experience of collaborating with governmental institutions, military structures and private sector, such as hunting concessionaires and tourism operators, and conservation/PA-management NGOs.
• Experience working effectively with local communities to build mutually beneficial collaborations.

Competencies & Critical Attributes

• Demonstrated ability to build capacity of multiple stakeholders to engage in landscape planning and management.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills include the ability to build coalitions, negotiate, and manage conflict situations.
• Good understanding of financial management and budgeting.
• Proven ability in managing and motivating a qualified team of professionals in different fields.
• Capacity to facilitate complex multi-stakeholder processes.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Willingness and ability to live and work in a very remote location under physically challenging conditions.

Deadline: November 09, 2026

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