Conservation Director

Position: Conservation Director.

Location: Quito, Ecuador.

Reports to: CEO & Executive Director in Ecuador

Type of contract: Full-time job with a minimum commitment of 3 years.

Salary: Negotiable according to candidate experience.

Estimated starting date: April 01, 2022

Application deadline: March 10, 2022, or until the position is filled.

About Jocotoco

Fundación Jocotoco is an Ecuadorian non-profit organization dedicated to protecting ecosystems and threatened species in the country. It conserves and restores approximately 30,000 hectares (~74.131 acres) of threatened habitats in a network of 16 private reserves, distributed throughout the four regions of Ecuador (including the Galapagos Islands), which makes it the biggest conservancy NGO in Ecuador. Jocotoco's conservation strategy focuses on acquiring land to create and expand reserves complemented by close work with government entities and localities neighboring Jocotoco's reserves.

More information at www.jocotoco.org

Position Summary

We are looking for a person with studies in Biology, Ecology, Conservation or related to cover the Head of the Conservation Department. The chosen person must develop and implement a conservation strategy to increase populations of threatened species and protect and restore habitats in our reserves. In turn, it must support fundraising to implement conservation programs and cover operating expenses. In addition, leading and supervise conservation projects within the Jocotoco's reserve.

We require a highly motivated and creative person with a minimum of 10 years of experience working within the conservation area. The ideal candidate should have high knowledge of Ecuadorian biodiversity, especially birds, and high performance and experience supervising projects and personnel.

The Conservation Director must have excellent communication skills in English and Spanish, oral and written, to interact with international politicians and executives, park rangers, community leaders, and fundraising.

The director collaborates closely with the CEO, Executive Director, and Development Department. Moreover, it supports other areas such as research, communication, reserve administration, local communities, park rangers, international scientists, the private sector, and other conservation organizations.

The chosen person will have to evaluate the impact of conservation programs and collaborations to fulfill the mission of Fundación Jocotoco. The new director will represent the Foundation in meetings with donors, politicians, scientists, and others.

The position is full-time, based in Quito, and requires frequent travel to Foundation reserves. The position may require working overtime and irregular hours, including weekends.

Required Qualifications:

1. Ph.D or Master degree in a relevant discipline (biological science, ecology, conservation, or related fields).
2. 10+ years of experience in activities related to biodiversity conservation in Ecuador or Latin America, ideally in national or international NGOs.
3. Demonstrated experience in implementing, monitoring, and follow-up of conservation programs, projects, and strategies and developing fundraising proposals.
4. Extensive knowledge of habitats and species conservation and restoration in Ecuador or Latin America.
5. Experience in organizational development, strategic planning and management, and supervision of teams.
6. Proven communication skills (oral and written).
7. Fluency in Spanish and English (spoken and written).
8. Strong interpersonal skills and an extensive capacity for collaborative work with experts in different areas.
9. Strong skills for conflict resolution and handling of sensitive political and cultural issues.

Other desirable skills:

• Good knowledge of the legal framework for conservation at the national and international level.
• Experience in scientific research.
• Experience in reforestation and restoration issues.
• GIS knowledge
• Experience in managing conservation agreements with international and multilateral organizations and familiar with the Secretariats' Work of Environmental Agreements.
• Leadership in convening scientific and technical workshops, meetings and conferences.
• Demonstrable ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and colleagues located in the office and in the field.
• Knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity and gender issues, and the willingness and commitment to integrate these perspectives in their work.

Working Conditions:

Fundación Jocotoco is one of the largest conservation organizations in South America. We offer dynamic and committed work with nature by collaborating with local communities and governments, national and international NGOs, universities, and various private sector institutions.

We Offer:

• Full-time and indefinite contract, under the Ecuadorian legislation.
• Salary according to the experience of the candidate and the internal salary scale.
• Accident insurance.
• Facilities for home installation (in the case of foreigners living outside of Quito, Ecuador)

The Application Process:

• Candidates must send their application in one PDF document to info@jocotoco.org, including:
• Curriculum Vitae that shows the fulfillment of all the requisites previously mentioned.
  • Include copies of certifications and most relevant publishings.
  • Include two professional references.
• Motivation letter in English (max. 2 pages)
• Essay in Spanish about the candidate's vision of Fundación Jocotoco role in the conservation of the natural heritage of Ecuador (max. 2 pages)
• Tell us in Spanish about a conservation achievement personally or in a team (1 page).

Application review will begin on March 15, 2022, until the position is filled.