Role purpose

The Global Safeguards Senior Manager leads design and implementation of TNC’s human rights-centered Environmental and Social Safeguards System.

Essential Functions

The Global Safeguards Senior Manager leads the development and implementation of TNC’s organization-wide, human rights-centered Environmental and Social Safeguards System (ESSS), based on existing materials and staff input to-date. They advise global strategies and regions in the development, implementation and active management of tailored, human rights-centered environmental and social safeguards strategies based on the ESSS. They will supervise a team charged with the development and implementation of the ESSS. They will provide technical leadership in designing, upgrading and delivering tools for the management of the ESSS. They will work with Regional Human Rights and Safeguards Advisors in the ESSS’s design, regional/local-level implementation and collective movement building to integrate new standards and processes in conservation projects, programs and strategies. They will provide oversight for all public funding safeguard requirements, such as risk categorization of projects. They will work closely with Global Indigenous; Community and Gender leads to implement standards that respect gender and the rights of Indigenous communities. They will be a part of the Equitable Conservation Team in the Chief Conservation Office and will report to the Global Director of Human Rights in Conservation.

The Global Safeguards Senior Manager influences TNC leadership and advocates for incorporating rights-based Environmental and Social Safeguards in organizational policies, processes and procedures. They ensure that the ESSS incorporates strategies guided by TNC’s Respecting Human Rights Policy (2022). They support TNC’s compliance with public funding mandates and requirements and build momentum around public funding compliance. They advise the Global Director of Human Rights in Conservation and the Equitable Conservation Leadership team on how to effectively embed safeguards into conservation programs, priorities and projects through the Chief Conservation Office. They work to develop a matrixed dotted-line network of managed strategy advisors in the field through active collaboration and support the development and uptake of ESSS resources and tools. They will lead organizational efforts to design and implement an ESSS training program for TNC staff and partners. They act as liaison to staff on global conservation teams and advise staff on active strategy management and capacity building. They oversee the development of culturally responsive training programs, educational materials and the development of a Train the Trainer program. They will convene, lead and coordinate activities of a TNC ESSS Steering Committee, support and collaborate with a network of TNC Human Rights and Safeguards project and program officers in global regions, and work with external partners to identify and advance best practices for ESSS.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads design and implementation of TNC’s human rights-based Environmental and Social Safeguards System.
• Leads technical reviews of larger projects, oversight and risk categorization.
• Advises global strategies, regions and country programs on human rights- and safeguards-related issues in community-based conservation work.
• Leads the design, implementation and management of Measures, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) systems that integrate safeguards and human rights, including data collection/management and development of tools and protocols.
• Leads the development and delivery of trainings, educational materials, and capacity building for TNC staff and partners or contractors, particularly on preventing human rights violations, promoting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and safeguards implementation.
• Designs and leads collaborative, complex, and diversified projects, coordinating the work of other professionals, managing budget and ensuring accountability.
• Ensures compliance with TNC policies and procedures and external requirements as appropriate, such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP), International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards, gender assessment and mainstreaming, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Relevant International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions; making decisions that may have wide impact and bind the organization financially or legally.
• Maintains confidentiality regarding frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
• Acts independently and resolves complex issues.
• May develop and administer budgets, evaluate results and develop corrective strategies.
• May supervise one or more administrative or professional staff, including training, professional development, establishing clear core objectives, setting “stretch” objectives and overseeing execution of day-to-day work.
• Makes strategic decisions based on analysis, experience and judgment.
• Incorporates cross disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
• Significant latitude to deal directly with field management personnel and organizational leadership.
• Ability to contribute management decisions.
• Requires willingness and ability to travel up to 25-30% both domestically and internationally, and to work occasional weekends and evenings to accommodate global teams.

Profile

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in sociology, anthropology, political science, public policy, international relations, international development, human rights or related field and at least 7 years of related experience or equivalent combination in a relevant sector.
• Knowledge of and applied experience in respecting and promoting human rights, including the co-creation and -implementation of human rights-based approaches with communities.
• Experience applying compliance-based environmental and social management system (ESMS) processes and concepts at the project level.
• Experience leading and managing complex projects and strategic initiatives in an unstructured environment.
• International work experience.
• Experience in research, critical analysis, and evaluating information from divergent sources and compiling it into cohesive reports.
• Experience writing and editing promotional, informational and/or training materials.
• Experience presenting to and/or communicating with diverse audiences such as internal and external teams, senior leadership, governments, community or business leaders and/or partners.
• Project management experience and experience meeting deadlines.
• Experience developing end products with software such as MS Office Suite (PowerPoint, Word, Excel), cloud and web-based tools including SharePoint, WebEx/conferencing software, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and DropBox or other similar tools.

Desired Qualifications

• Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams across multiple levels in a highly matrixed organization.
• Master’s degree.
• Self-starter with ability to generate work plans with limited support in line with the overall Conservation Strategies Team outcomes, goals, strategies and plans.
• Experience developing rights-focused strategy assessments, particularly with screening tools, environmental and social impact assessment, interested parties’ assessment, project-level grievance redress and risk-specific plan guidance.
• 5 or more years of experience applying rights-based environmental and social due diligence in project-level implementation and management and/or developing and managing the implementation of social and environmental safeguards specifically, including screening, impact assessment and mitigation measure development.
• Experience with human-rights based conservation approaches and supporting Indigenous and community leadership in conservation.
• Experience implementing gender assessment and mainstreaming processes.
• Experience with methods of collecting and assessing disaggregated data, particularly by gender and vulnerable groups.
• Experience project managing the development of complex, cross-functional initiatives, work products, and/or policies.
• Fluency in language other than English (e.g. Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese).
• Knowledge of politics and society with respect to environmental and international affairs.
• Willingness to learn and develop expertise in new conservation strategies, economic drivers, management tools, and global affairs.
• Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization, including with senior management, and with Conservancy partners.

Organizational Competencies

Builds Relationships

• Builds productive relationships by interacting with others in ways that enhance mutual trust and commitment

Collaboration & Teamwork

• Works collaboratively with stakeholders across levels, geographies, backgrounds, and cultures to improve decisions, strengthen commitment, and be more effective.

Communicates Authentically

• Communicates proactively and in a timely manner to share information, persuade, and influence with the appropriate level of detail, tone, and opportunities for feedback.

Develops Others

• Takes ownership to help develop others’ skills, behaviors, and mindsets to help them maximize their workplace contributions.

Drives for Results

• Sets challenging goals and objectives based on a strong sense of purpose and high-performance standards and steadfastly pushes self and others for tangible results, while ensuring work-life balance.

Leverages Difference

• Demonstrates commitment to harnessing the power of differences strategically; consistently sees, learns from, and takes strategic action related to difference; and demonstrates the self-awareness and behaviors to work across differences of identity and power respectfully and effectively with all stakeholder. Actively seeks to build and retain a diverse workforce and fosters an equitable inclusive workplace by drawing upon diverse perspectives.

Systems Leadership

• Thinks and acts from a broad perspective with a long-term view and an understanding of 1) the dynamic nature of large-scale challenges and 2) the need for integrating five key practices: skillfully engaging appropriate people; providing a clear process for change; taking a holistic view of situations; focusing on a small number of strategic actions, while learning from and adapting them over time; and being aware of how one’s own thinking or patterns of behavior may be limiting change.

Terms of Appointment

It is an open-ended employment.

Location

The location of this position is flexible within the countries where TNC is a registered NGO and has an already established office. This position is eligible for relocation, visa, or immigration assistance.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please ensure you complete the Application Form provided below by 16 April 2025 (23:59 hrs, GMT -4). It is essential that you submit your CV in English, specifically in Microsoft Word format (.doc/.docx), not exceeding 10MB.

Applications in other languages or formats will not be considered.

Rest assured, all information will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

SRI Executive is exclusively retained by The Nature Conservancy to undertake this assignment.