Strategy And Operations Manager

About Enduring Earth

Enduring Earth is an ambitious partnership between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and ZOMALAB’s Global Permanence Fund intended to help governments around the world expand and sustainably protect Nature and benefit communities with the target to conserve more than 500 million hectares in 20 Project Finance for Permanence deals over the next 10 years.

Experts have identified the need to protect 30% of the world’s natural habitat for the benefit of people and nature. According to a recent report by the Paulson Institute, a major barrier to achieving this goal is long-term financing. Enduring Earth utilizes a proven model, known as Project Finance for Permanence (PFP), that employs private sector finance principles to ensure entire systems of protected areas are sustainably managed and financed.

Project Finance for Permanence has been used to protect more than 90M hectares of critical ecosystems. Examples of PFP deals include

• Costa Rica Where a PFP enabled the country to become the first developing nation to meet its 30% protected area goals; and
• Great Bear Rainforest Where a PFP protected 8M hectares of old growth forest in British Columbia, helping to end the timber wars in Canada.
• Bhutan Where a PFP helped put more than 50% of the entire nation under permanent conservation protection.

To date, a pipeline of 30+ new projects has been identified that will yield large scale protection of nature, strong benefits for people, and measurable climate impacts. These include creating new national parks in Chilean Patagonia; expanding marine protected areas in Belize; supporting community conservancy models in Namibia and Kenya; and creating Indigenous protected areas that return management rights to traditional owners in Colombia.

Position Summary

You’ll join a top-notch remote-first team and innovative partnership at the leading edge of biodiversity conservation and community economic development through the durable protection of land and ocean. The Strategy & Operations Manager will work within the Enduring Earth hub team, responsible for partnership operations, board and management team governance and strategy, and general program support in partnership with EE’s Deputy Director, the Managing Director, and across the Enduring Earth partnership at the highest levels. You will report to the Deputy Director and will engage in strategic projects in support of efficient and effective partnership operations and strategy, a robust and diverse project pipeline, and durable conservation initiatives globally.

Operations & Strategy (40-50%)

• Lead general operational tasks including project management for hiring processes, strategic human resources support, implementation of partnership operations manual (once finalized).
• Own strategic projects including project management, content development for quarterly partnership retreats, support for partnership metrics, strategic data analysis.
• Refine and build as necessary processes for committee function, adoption of norms, and decision-making framework including tracking, codifying, disseminating decisions.
• Serve as a cross-functional team player supporting broader Enduring Earth programs including communications, PFP portfolio.
• Own the development of annual workplans across the Partnership, monitor progress, and lead reporting with the appropriate tools.
• Develop medium (2-3 year) and long-term (5-7 years) partnership workplans to ensure that overall goals (e.g., 20 PFPs by 2030) are met.

Board & Management Team Support (30%)

• Support specific Management Team members partnering with Managing Director and Deputy Director on key cross-cutting projects (e.g., dashboards development, impact storyline, etc.).
• Execute preparation and strategy for quarterly board meetings, including agenda-setting, material preparation across committees, working groups, and hub team.
• Lead development of regular (2x month) Management meetings, including content development across committees, strategic projects, and working groups.

Financial Management and Analysis (20-30%)

• Experience managing budgets and familiarity with basic financial concepts and analysis.
• Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel, project management software (proficiency in Tableau, PowerBI or other data visualization software a plus).
• Develop and manage tools and processes for key areas of partnership financial management including accounting for annual partner contributions, annual budgeting, and quarterly financial reporting with support from Deputy Director as needed.
• Ability to learn new information and concepts and synthesize those across various audiences.
• Strong skills in data analysis and demonstrated ability to draw conclusions from multiple sources of insight (quantitative and qualitative).
• Work experience in a consulting and/or investment firm, multi-lateral agency, or a global development contractor preferred.
• 5 to 8+ years of experience in business, government, or non-profit operations and/or strategy.
• Support generation of reports and data analysis for the team, including dashboards and materials for decision-making.
• Strong time management and organizational skills including experience managing multiple project flows.
• Rigorous ability to prioritize, work independently, and generate and implement solutions to complex problems.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and facilitate collaboration across multiple partners, institutions, and international cultures to achieve shared goals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (French and/or Spanish a significant plus).
• Bachelors degree in a related field, Masters degree preferred.

Characteristics for success

• Committed to serving others and collaborating to achieve the results that define team success.
• A trusted team member, who exhibits integrity, discretion, and good judgment every day.
• Brings a great attitude and positive energy, is resourceful to advance projects independently and flexible and adaptable when priorities change.
• Go-getter with a knack for finding new ways to do things, looking to build a best-in-class partnership and shape the future of conservation.
• Passion to do high-quality work, continuously learn and achieve results.
• Acts humbly, listens actively, and engages in open and constructive dialogue to find the best ideas and solutions.

Compensation And Benefits

Benefits Comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees (and their families). Employees are able to enroll in 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits. Employees will receive XX hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.

How To Apply

Please send your CV and cover letter to [email protected] by June 5th 2023. We will be interviewing in a rolling basis, so we recommend applying as soon as possible. - Applications submitted using the WWF system will not be visible to the Enduring Earth hiring team. -

Hiring Statement

Enduring Earth Deal Fund and Hub is a project of Windward Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Windward Fund is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Windward’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

COVID-19 Policy

To center the safety and well-being of its employees, Windward Fund requires that any employee who is required to conduct in-person activities for their job must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 within four weeks of their start date. This position may require candidates to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Accommodations may be sought and approved in accordance with the law by contacting human resources at [email protected].