Director, Strategy, Asia Pacific Field Division

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Conservation International

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Singapore, Singapore

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SUMMARY

As the Asia Pacific region continues to gain attention for possessing some of the most biodiverse, culturally rich, carbon-dense, and strategic areas related to combatting climate change, the pressure to develop and execute projects and programs that deliver comprehensive and impactful outputs continues to grow. Implementing country and field programs, recognize the need to strengthen our approach and processes related to program and project design, management, and implementation. Providing strategic design, strategy, and support for various programs and/or projects not only strengthens CI’s ability to deliver results, but also increases capacity across the Asia Pacific Field Division (APFD) while ensuring increased competitive advantage for large funding opportunities.


To address these demands, the Chief Field Officer for the Asia Pacific Field Division has established a core team to focus on three areas – design, strategy, and development – in support of the APFD’s strategic outcomes for the next five years:

1. Accountability: Increased accountability through measurable and repeatable programs/projects and systems

2. Funding: Programs are driven by strategic priorities and impact (not by donors)

3. Teams: Teams have capabilities and expertise to learn, adapt, and deliver impact


Team responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the development of a regional strategy; the design of a framework for developing country level strategies that can also be adapted for specific program and/or project development; the design of a regional monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive learning (MEAL) approach; a regional development and fundraising strategy; and other priorities as identified by the Chief Field Officer. To deliver on the above, this team will work closely with each APFD country program and with CI global program teams as needed.


At this time, the team is comprised of the following four roles, with additional roles/staff added if/as needed.

1. Senior Manager, Executive Assistant, Chief Field Officer Team, APFD

2. Senior Director, Design, APFD

3. Director, Development, APFD

4. Director, Strategy, APFD


The APFD Director, Strategy will lead the development of the APFD Regional Strategy and the development of APFD Country Strategies, including a strategic MEAL and Safeguards approach, with the support of the rest of the Chief Field Office Team. He/She will directly supervise a technical team inclusive of M&E Specialist, Safeguard Specialist, and others as identified. The APFD Director, Strategy will also support program and project design to APFD regional initiatives together with the APFD Senior Director, Design, and support the design of a fundraising and partnership engagement strategy together with the APFD Director, Development. Finally, the APFD Director, Strategy will provide technical support and leadership to specific country projects and/or initiatives in Asia and Pacific. This position will report to the Vice President, Pacific Region, with a dotted reporting line to Chief Field Officer, APFD.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Lead APFD Regional and Country Strategies development:

  • Develop the regional APFD Strategy 2025-2030
  • Create a framework for the APFD Country Strategies 2025-2030 development which include a MEAL approach (information cascade – from Southern Cross to APFD Regional to APFD Countries)
  • Together with the APFD country programs, develop a strategy for each Pacific and Asia CI country program (Japan, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Eastern Himalayas, Palau, Samoa, New Caledonia, Fiji, Aotearoa, and Australia)
  • Build and directly supervise a small technical team focused on monitoring, evaluation, and learning as well as safeguards. Additional technical roles may be added once identified by the Chief Field Office team.
  • Provide technical expertise on ocean management and lead engagement with scientific experts within CI, including freshwater, restoration, and others.
  • Ensure the representation and integration of Pacific islands context and priorities during strategic development and planning.
  • Summarize and track country-level goal contributions to APFD goals/outcomes.

2. Support APFD Design and Development regional priorities:

  • Create a strategy framework that can be adapted to the design phase of projects and initiatives.
  • Ensure alignment and integration between country projects/initiatives and country strategies during design phase.
  • Ensure MEAL and Safeguards systems are integrated with regional and institutional priorities.
  • Strengthen institutional learning of field program’s strategy development and delivery and technical responsiveness via sharing with other regions (Americas, Africa, etc.)
  • Support the creation of Fundraising and Development strategies for each country in alignment with programmatic country strategies.

3. Technical support/lead implementation of specific Asia and Pacific countries’ projects:

  • Provide technical support or lead to specific projects, programs and initiatives in the Pacific Islands and Asia regions especially related to management plans and roadmaps/strategies.
  • Improve capacity building in countries through trainings to CI staff and national/regional partners/stakeholders.
  • Directly liaise with CI experts (e.g. PDM) and/or other project managers to ensure project excellence as continuous improvement and growth to enable the delivery of impact.

PEOPLE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

This position can represent CI externally, lead projects, and manage partnerships with leading stakeholders; convene and lead meetings with partner organizations, CI staff from other divisions, and to engage directly with CI field programs; and to manage and commit budget resources as well as supervise employees and/or interns if required. Additionally, this position will require direct supervision of at least one senior staff member within the APFD.


QUALIFICATIONS

  • At least 7-10 years of working on project management, planning, strategy design and delivery, and technical support to countries across the Asia Pacific region, with Pacific islands experience required.
  • A Master's degree in environment, ecology, conservation biology, marine studies/oceanography, or another relevant field is required.
  • Strong technical or subject matter expert to guide peers and other staff
  • Proven experience as a project manager for projects with more complex deliverables that are completed within one year.
  • Ability to develop complex and varied data and other specialized information.
  • Ability to recommend solutions to achieve work results and play a role in managing programs, projects, or initiatives within and outside the division.
  • Ability to provide direction on goals and priorities with impact across program and/or regional field division
  • Ability to regularly bring collaborative new ideas and opportunities to program or senior leadership.
  • Proven experience in assessing, strengthening, and forecasting strategic work plans for projects and the program, anticipating future opportunities and needs
  • Strong time management skills, and ability to juggle multiple deadlines and competing priorities.
  • Strong organizational skills for individual, as well as team organization and communication skills.
  • Very effective team player with comfort working across time zones and in exceptionally globally and regionally diverse environment.
  • Competence in engaging with indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as government officials, especially within the Pacific.
  • Comfort with working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and under minimal supervision.
  • Experience in applying conservation management tools, especially Conservation Standards. Proven experience in working toward ocean financing
  • Ability to take initiative, to solve problems under minimal supervisor direction.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, a helpful and personable attitude, and evident desire to assist partners.
  • Ability to build good inter-personal relationships with other staff is necessary, must team up with other CI Pacific sub-region countries office staff and CI staff globally.
  • Formal training/certification in project management and monitoring and evaluation
  • Experience in designing project logframes, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, theories of change, etc.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience in conservation work and community development in the Pacific region and Asia region.
  • Experience in strategy development and design
  • Experience in program and project management, with particular expertise in M&E.
  • Experience managing public funding such as GEF, GCF, US Government-funded programs.
  • Experience in interacting and communicating with customers or partners and independent problem solving.

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Position requires travel to field locations, CI offices (country offices and HQ), partner facilities, and partner workshops and/or conferences.
  • Position is located where necessary to provide intensive project and/or program design and start-up support to drive achievement of outcomes and impact. Singapore will serve as the base for this role at least for the first year given it is the current base for the Chief Field Officer, APFD.