Senior Director, Mission Impact, and Integration

Title:                                   Senior Director, Mission Impact, and Integration       

Division:                            Office of the CEO

Reports to:                       Chief of Staff                     

Matrix Management:    N/A      

Supervises:                       TBD

Location:                           Nairobi, Kenya

 

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Mission Level  Impact & Integration is a new position being created to more effectively implement and scale AWF’s strategic vision. This position reports to the Chief of Staff but works in close concert with the CEO to lead and represent AWF’s vision of African led conservation internally and with external audiences. The SDMI will be a partner to executives of AWF and to Director level leaders tasked with leadership of key elements of the institutional vision.

The SDMI will support the Chief of Staff to drive Integration across the institution and align all efforts with the strategic plan. The primary role of the SDMI will be to work across all levels and Divisions of the organization to define the right metrics, to lead analysis and adaptive management and integrate learning into everything we do. This work will require highly collaborative leadership, a focus on mission and ability to convey complex information across diverse audiences. As a senior level leader on the CoS team, the SDMI will assist the CEO and CoS in implementing the most critical cross functional initiatives of AWF.

Key Responsibilities

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:

Under the direction of the Chief of Staff, and in close collaboration with the executive team, lead the operationalization of an updated monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) approach that sets clear annual, medium- and long-term institutional targets and drives an organization wide focus on metrics, adaptive management and accountability. As a core team leader, the SDMI will:

• Lead a cross functional MEL team that will collaborate to define metrics, analyze performance, and lead institutional conversations about impact and adaptive management.
• Integrate metrics into the performance management system and project level monitoring institution wide and maintain regular and frequent reporting to AWF leadership and external stakeholders.
• Ensure M&E process meets international best-practices standards, fulfills donor requirements, and adequately monitors and evaluates the organization in the context of AWF’s strategic vision.
• Drive AWF learning agenda to foster development and use of best practices and improve outcomes. Help create a culture of sharing this knowledge among staff and grantees.

Strategic Planning:

Working closely with the Chief of Staff, the SDMI will facilitate strategic planning meetings of the executive and senior leadership teams, project manage and track implementation as well as work across all parts of the organization to develop alignment around strategy and delivery on institutional metrics. Specifically, the SDMI will:

• Plan and lead cross functional meetings, collaborating closely with the CoS on executive and senior leadership meetings, working with a great deal of independence with department leads;
• Prepare reports and present analysis for the Board of Trustees, working closely with the executive team.
• Collaborate with the Brand team to develop high quality materials that reflect the strategy, including impact against AWF’s Theory of Change.
• Represent AWF to external audiences.
• Ensure that the budget process and fundraising priorities are aligned with strategy by engaging directly in both.

Institutional Initiatives:

The CEO’s office is accountable for strategic and institutional level priorities envisioned to drive the organizational vision. The SDMI will often serve as lead to these initiatives, requiring a high degree of leadership, expert project management and collaborative workstyle. Current priorities that may be led by the SDI include:

• Implementation of an Account Management Framework designed to ensure effective delivery of donor funded projects that execute strategy and lead to solid financial management, including proper stewardship of donors.
• Definition of and internal alignment around Priority Unfunded Needs to guide fundraising action.
• Strategic partnerships with external institutions designed to scale AWF’s vision.
• Pilot projects intended to explore new areas of implementation that are key to AWF’s growth.

Given the strategic insight the SDMI will have on the organization’s priorities and future vision, this position will be highly visible, serving as a thought leader for the organization and a key partner to every division. The position will require extensive international travel throughout Africa and in donor/partner countries.

Requirements and skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Strategy, Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation
• At least 10 years’ experience consistent with the responsibilities outlined above.
• Excellent knowledge of impact measurement 
• Strong report writing and presentation skills.
• Strong facilitation and organization skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multidisciplinary and cultural environment.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills including the ability to build coalitions, negotiate, and manage conflict situations.
• Outstanding communication skills with ability to clarify strategy.
• Willingness and ability to travel.
• Knowledge of AWF and strong interest in Conservation

Application Deadline: August 5, 2025