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About WWF International

WWF is the world’s largest independent conservation organisation, with over 30 million followers and a global network active in nearly 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature.
WWF does this by:

• conserving the world’s biological diversity,
• ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable,
• promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

WWF is a credible and trusted global brand committed to acting with integrity, transparency and accountability while honouring diversity in the organisation. WWF is known for its robust, science-based approach and willingness to stand up for nature. While focusing on the impact on the ground, WWF simultaneously works by engaging in powerful and influential partnerships with the institutions and businesses that matter in moving policy and practice towards sustainability. The brand essence is ‘together possible’.

WWF believes that tackling the planetary emergency requires organisations to think and act bigger and faster – helping the world pull together to deliver a New Deal with science-based targets that address the crisis facing people and nature.

About the Role

The Director, Programme Quality is responsible for the development, scalability and quality assurance of high-impact, innovative programmes, working closely with Europe and North Africa Country Offices in an enabling role and with relevant department heads and Practices at the global level to ensure programme quality and strategic alignment in line with operational requirements. The Director, Programme Quality enables raising significant funds, and the role ensures effective mapping of conservation programming with fundraising opportunities to grow income and impact in the region.

Purpose of the Role

Working within the Europe and North Africa regional team, the Director, Programme Quality leads the development of a portfolio of high-impact and quality programmes and initiatives which support the delivery of at-scale conservation to address the threats and opportunities present in the region in line with global 2030 goals and thematic priorities. The Director, Programme Quality ensures monitoring, evaluation and learnings embedded in programme design for improved impact assessment and adaptive management.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, support and capacity building to the offices in building a portfolio of at-scale programmes and initiatives which support significant income generation and impact delivery
• Programme Quality and Quality Assurance: Support conservation programme quality, monitoring & evaluation and risk mitigation to reinforce the WWF Global Network Performance Framework and enable effective KPI and Impact Monitoring at various levels
• In collaboration with the Risk and Quality Assurance Manager in the Regional team and WWF International Quality Assurance and Environmental and Social Safeguard Framework (ESSF) teams, ensure programme screening mechanisms are in place at the landscape and country level for strategic, quality and risk checks in project development and that approvals processes and escalation protocols are followed as needed for high-risk projects and landscapes.
• Ensure Risk, Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (ESSF), and Quality Assurance processes are in place in the development and implementation of individual programmes and initiatives drawing on office, regional and global expertise as required.
• Provide guidance and support for offices to increase strategic alignment with global goals, outcomes and targets in the development of proposals, projects, programmes and initiatives.
• Working with colleagues in National Offices, Practices, and WWF International, support offices to find and secure relevant fundraising opportunities and lead mapping of programme and initiative portfolio in the region to sources of income to support income growth, financial sustainability and impact delivery at scale.
• In collaboration with others, develop strategic partnerships and networks to help offices and the region secure large/multi-country Public Sector Partnerships funding and from other sources for priority programmes and initiatives.
• Work with the offices and Regional Impact Manager (Asia and Europe) to develop and implement monitoring processes and reporting to demonstrate the progress of the conservation portfolio towards regional and Global Goals.
• Support the Regional Director to embed a programme quality culture within the country offices
• Bring in relevant colleagues from National Offices, Practices, WWF International and partners to ensure due diligence and quality assurance for programmes and initiatives.
• Develop capacity building, training and regional cross-learning opportunities to improve conservation-related data collection, analysis, reporting and publication to feed into evidence-based conservation in the region
• Monitor and provide regular updates to Regional and Country Office leadership on global and regional initiatives related to programme development, risk, Quality Assurance, monitoring and evaluation and ensure relevant training and support are provided in case of changes
• Liaise closely with the Directors, Programme Quality in Asia Pacific and Africa to share best practices, knowledge and key trends and indicators
• Performs other duties as requested by the Regional Director- Europe and North Africa Country Offices

Skills and Experience

• University Degree in a conservation or international development-related field or equivalent experience
• Minimum 10-15 years in conservation delivery and/or international development, large-programme design and management, monitoring and evaluation, and fundraising in the not-for-profit sector
• Fundraising track record working on multi-million dollar transnational project development.
• Ability to recommend and implement strategies and provide solutions which benefit both the department and organisation; Proven experience in setting standards and establishing operating policies and procedures, preferably in a project or programme management context
• Able to take a strategic, ‘big-picture’ view, making connections between individual issues for the purpose of sharing knowledge, experience and recommendations across the wider organisation
• Leadership and communication skills, coupled with diplomacy, numeracy, and business acumen; Proven interpersonal and people-management skills, complimented by excellent written and spoken English; Ability to work and communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of individuals within a broad range of cultural environments and at all levels
• Prior leadership roles with complex matrix management and regional/global coordination will be an added advantage.
• Strong conservation science background, including in monitoring and evaluation processes and measuring conservation impact.
• Identifies and aligns with the core values of the WWF organisation: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration

Working Relationships:

Internal – Country Management Teams, Country Offices Leadership Team, Regional Director and Teams, Global & Regional Conservation Team, Policy and Partnership Team, QA Planning and Performance Team, Safeguards Team, Risk Team, Resource Mobilization Team, Practice core teams, NO management.

External – Interacts with donors, partners, representatives, consultants and field offices as required in fulfilment of duties.