Foodscape Project Director

Africa

This position will be based in Nanyuki Town, Kenya

The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) 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 includes a and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our  or on .  

Our 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. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

TNC’s work in Africa transcends three key pillars: securing ownership rights to lands and resources for indigenous people, strengthening leadership and resource management, and helping communities value nature through a holistic appreciation of its benefits while increasing revenue streams for conservation efforts and socio-economic development. Together with our partners, we are witnessing critical milestones in integrated land and fisheries management, ocean and source water protection, energy development, and sustainable food production working together and strengthening our resolve in tackling global challenges such as climate change, habitat and biodiversity loss that stands to adversely impact the nearly 1.4 billion people that share Africa.

Food production systems are responsible for approximately 80% of deforestation, 70% and 50% of terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity loss, respectively. They contribute about 23% of all greenhouse gas emissions.  In Africa, agricultural landscapes are where people and natural systems co-exist. Agriculture must go far beyond nature protection, to develop equitable household and community-level incentives for sustainable conservation. Traditional conservation efforts focused around protected areas will achieve little without going where nature is intertwined with agriculture. Lessons show that the future of agriculture in Africa will be derived directly from healthy ecosystems. Agriculture will be at the heart of climate mitigation, significantly and positively influencing Carbon sequestration, water and nutrient cycles, pollination, and genetic diversity that are key for long-term viability of land enterprises.  In view of these, TNC’s Africa Agriculture program, Global Regenerative Food Systems team, Africa Business Unit, and other teams are working to better understand this and other complexities that underpin our global food system as a first step toward changing it. By driving systems change at the level of a foodscape we hope to build bridges between global ambition and local implementation.

TNC is working with partners to catalyse a transition to regenerative food systems; productive socio-cultural/economic arrangements that enable food security, food sovereignty, secure livelihoods, while supporting and valuing nature.  Regenerative food system goes beyond sustainability.  It ensures benefits and eliminate trade-offs.  By developing smart strategies in partnership with producers and communities, we work to make farms, rangelands, ranches more productive, protect freshwater, increase biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst securing the food supply for a rapidly growing population.  This work constitutes TNC’s systemic effort in regenerative foodscapes across the globe. For more information on TNC’s work in Foodscapes, visit:

Foodscapes are the geographical components of the global food system, a combination of production system and place that represents the world food system spatially.  Foodscapes are “living laboratories” that can be replicated and scaled for collective global impact.  They are systems-level and science-based approach to coalition building, co-planning, market development, supply chain actions and public policy.  TNC is establishing a portfolio of foodscapes to demonstrate how to engage local producers and communities, the private sector, and policymakers to accelerate regenerative practices.  The Central Highlands Ecoregion Foodscape (CHEF) is part of this global portfolio, and the first in Africa.  Its goal is to transition to regenerative outcomes that meet climate, biodiversity, water, and livelihood targets.

CHEF is tailored to connect four different geographies, climates, ecosystems, social and economic contexts, and the motivations of relevant stakeholders, including local communities. CHEF will cover an area spanning from source water locations in counties around the Aberdare range and Mt Kenya, through production areas leading to the rangelands of Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu Counties. Solutions from the CHEF will be cross-border, national and local in nature. It is a partnership program for integrated action around solutions that fall in five action areas. (1) Foodscape innovation hubs.  These are physical and virtual spaces for connecting actors, for innovation, for regenerative SMEs and start-ups, for innovative financing, for partnership governance.  (2) Testing and scaling agricultural conservation strategies. This includes applying regenerative practices in crop, livestock, fish, and forest (margin) systems. (3) Market systems and business models and innovations that enable sustainable livelihoods. (4) Policy engagement at the county and national governments for the development of regenerative food systems.  (5) Building innovative capacities and multi-actor processes for social-ecological resilience.

The Foodscape Director oversees all aspects of CHEF project leadership to ensure the initiative implements successfully and delivers on its ambitious outcomes. They’re responsible for coordinating, implementing, and overseeing all CHEF operations and projects/initiatives. They monitor partner progress in community programs and supervise CHEF field staff. The Director ensures that all actions necessary to implement the program model, including guiding partnerships, agreements/MoUs, and project development are aligned with key stakeholders in the geography, including governments, investors, civil society, development partners and local communities.  They oversee the establishment of the Foodscape Innovation Hub, thus responsible for developing transaction modalities acceptable to all parties. They play a key role in establishing relationships among relevant stakeholders, main project partners, and team members, ensuring strong local ownership for the CHEF. They are primarily responsible for ensuring that this initiative delivers target outcomes for livelihoods, land health, water, climate, and biodiversity.

The Foodscape Director works closely with the Africa Agriculture Program members, Global Provide Food and Water, NatureVest, Kenya Country program, the Kenya Project Finance for Permanence Team, Northern Kenya program, the Freshwater team, The Climate team, The Indigenous People and Local Communities team, CHEF Steering Committee, the Africa leadership team to align to the TNC Kenya Conservation Strategy and advance progress across the five action areas of the CHEF.  They will also work closely with the TNC Global teams on Climate, Finance, among others, collaborate with government agencies, other conservation organisations, foundations, communities, and other stakeholders.

The Foodscape Director reports to the Agriculture Director, Africa and will be based in Nanyuki Town, Kenya and will supervise staff. No employment visas or relocation assistance is being offered with this position except for the local labor employment requirements.

Are you looking for a career to help people and nature? Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that people and nature can thrive together.

We’re looking for someone who is passionate and a motivated problem-solver. Our team in Africa is dedicated to protecting the continent’s unique natural wonders, improve peoples’ lives and create vibrant and sustainable economies. Join us!

Specific Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a strategic and action-oriented work-plan to meet the goals of the CHEF program in consultation with key internal and external partners and lead its successful implementation.
• Supervise and coach CHEF staff and consultants and oversee/ensure integration of all the technical work.
• Serve as primary contact for the program, ensuring strong TNC internal coordination with other relevant programs and offices.
• Apply critical systems thinking to CHEF strategic functioning and obtain any required approvals at key decision points.
• Provide financial management oversight, analyze budgets, and provide updates to the BU on budget expenditures.
• Establish, lead the development of key partnerships, and manage required connections with key stakeholders.
• Lead the CHEF (partner) secretariat to define and implement common strategies, plans, and joint operational models.
• Support donor engagement and fundraising efforts and seek opportunities to collaborate with other relevant programs being implemented in the region.
• Responsible for timely delivery of required plans, monitoring of activities, and evaluation of the program performance.
• Responsible for risk management, issue resolution, conflict management and collaborative complex problems solving.
• Clearly, regularly, and timely communicates the progress of CHEF initiatives to internal and external stakeholders, including triannual program reporting and review.

•    BA/BS degree in an agricultural or related field and minimum 7 years’ experience in agriculture, conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
•    Experience in critical systems thinking at the agriculture-conservation nexus.
•    Experience writing and editing skills for scientific documents such as grant proposals, and technical reports.
•    Experience with strategic partnership management skills for maximising the success of the complex agriculture-conservation program.
•    Experience leading complex programs; building strong team spirit and supervision of multi-disciplinary teams.
•    Experience with financial management of a large program.
•    Experience with technical expertise in one or more the following technical areas: land health, water management, biodiversity, climate mitigation, and livelihoods and community development.
•    Experience with ffundraising and/or donor relations, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
•    Experience in living and working in remote field sites often with limited amenities.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•    Master’s degree in an agricultural or related field such as business management, rural development, and 10 years of experience in agriculture-conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
•    Strong experience in partnership management/development with major scientific organisations, non-profit partners, and proven track record in influencing and working productively with these stakeholders.
•    Strong English language communications skills, including ability to communicating clearly via written, oral, and graphical forms, and ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
•    Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
•    Experience developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
•    Experience and knowledge of methods and approaches to conceiving and implementing strategic and transdisciplinary initiatives.
•    Experience working in a matrix organisational setting.
•    Developing practical applications of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
•    Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant 
•    Politically savvy.

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 on our on nature.org/careers. 

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

To apply for job ID 56061, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at . Need help applying? Visit our page or contact .

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character 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 with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.