Programme Manager
About the Legacy Landscapes Fund
The Legacy Landscapes Fund (LLF) aims to make a significant contribution to the conservation of global biological diversity through an innovative approach. Under the legal form of a charitable foundation with public and private (philanthropic) funds, the LLF will provide long-term to permanent core funding for globally essential biodiversity areas, that is Legacy Landscapes, in partner countries of the Global South. To ensure efficient and impact-oriented management of Legacy Landscapes, the LLF will promote partnerships of protected area authorities, and local communities, with experienced NGOs. These partnerships will strive to manage the Legacy Landscapes for improving the conservation of biological diversity, while at the same time securing the rights of the local populations and their livelihoods.
About the Role
The Programme Manager (PM) will lead the corporate finance and grant management processes of the LLF, which was officially established as a charitable foundation under German law in December 2020. With the guidance of the LLF Management Board, the PM will design and implement the finance strategy and the grant management processes and manuals. The PM will support the LLF Management Board in its work on vision and strategy for the foundation and on reporting to the LLF Supervisory Board and relevant authorities. The incumbent will guide and advise the Management Board on all matters related to process and compliance in implementing the LLF grant programme.
To this end, the PM will create the financial governance manuals of the Legacy Landscapes Fund, and develop clear and precise guidelines for grant applicants and grantees along relevant statutory provisions and criteria set forth by respective private and public LLF donors. The PM will support the Management Board in preselecting funding proposals and preparing decision memos for the Supervisory Board to decide the most suitable support programmes. The PM will design and implement the appraisal system to monitor and evaluate the program performance both for technical and financial criteria. The PM will be the contact point between the LLF and the grantees and will communicate assertively with applicants during the selection and implementation processes. The PM will closely coordinate with his peers in private and public LLF donor organisations.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Development of policies and procedures for the foundation, including procurement and compliance with relevant legal requirements (foundation law, labour law, money laundering, environmental and social safeguards, etc.).
- Analyse project proposals, create a preselection roster and ensure that they are aligned with the strategic objective of the organisation.
- Exchange regularly with and report to the Supervisory Board and Management Board, organise regular Board of Directors meetings, and prepare relevant documentation as well as the presentation of proposals.
- Monitor the implementation of the selected projects according to grant agreements, thus promoting the quality of implementation while monitoring and overseeing their effectiveness, sustainability, and impact.
- Monitor the contribution of projects to attaining the agreed overall LLF objectives and the defined programme indicators.
- Be in continuous communication with grantees and support them in the reporting process.
- Align expectations between donors and NGOs in terms of social and economic dimensions.
- In cooperation with the Management Board, ensure the financial management, budgeting and planning, including assurance of annual audits, risk management, and reporting as a foundation and to public and private donors.
Skills and Experience
Grant Management
- Relevant experience managing grants giving or receiving.
- Experience developing financial mechanisms, including processes standardisation and manuals.
- Experience in developing, delivering and managing programme portfolios.
- Track record evaluating and monitoring programmes.
Pioneer Attitude
- A hands-on professional with an eye for detail.
- Experience demonstrating out of the box approaches to achieve objectives.
- Track record thinking ahead into the future.
Communication and Networking
- Experience pitching concise project proposals to high-level stakeholders, including Boards
- Experience with corporate fundraising and philanthropies
- Experience dealing with German public sector funding
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Knowledge of German, French or Spanish beneficial
International Mindset
- Experience understanding the opportunities and challenges around the establishment of financial cooperation in conservation, humanitarian or development.
- Experience working in the area of nature conservation is an advantage
- International experience with a global mindset