PROGRAMME ASSOCIATE

PROGRAMME ASSOCIATE – POSITION DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

We are a private international charitable foundation which seeks to support environmental recovery, supported by cultures and economies grounded in Earth lore, in line with our “breathe freely” ethos.  As such we are committed to grants and other investments that are healing to the climate, to biodiversity, and to human cultural relations with the other-than-human. The foundation is currently based in a Hong Kong family office, with personnel in Hong Kong and the UK, as well as Cameroon, Brazil, Australia, Papua, and the US.

ROLE

The position provides an opportunity to work with several of our programmes with differing contexts and scales including one of our longer established Regional programmes and an emerging stream of our Global programme.

Working closely with the Programme Manager and other relevant foundation Operations and Programme staff, as appropriate, you will utilize your expertise to continue to enhance the Foundation’s quality and breadth of grantmaking in line with its mission and values. You will specifically be working with the following programmes: Southeast Asia – Wildlife, Southeast Asia – Biocultural, the Marine Species stream of the Global Programme, and Hong Kong and Surrounds.

The responsibilities of the position will include, but are not limited to:

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme management and grant coordination

• Manage relationships with potential and existing grantees
• Identify, evaluate and recommend potential grantees and projects
• Facilitate the grantmaking cycle from concept note to funding including carrying out due diligence as needed
• Evaluate results and progress of existing grants.
  (This role offers flexibility in expectations around the full grant cycle, recognizing that expertise in some areas can be complemented by a willingness to learn and adapt in others).

Programme enhancements

• Provide recommendations to the ongoing delivery of programme areas
• Provide input to the refinement of programme strategies as appropriate.

General and Other

• Represent the Foundation in agreed forums for improved collective impact of funders and allied groups in line with Foundation strategy.
• Travel as required for execution of duties
• Work collaboratively with other Foundation programme areas for optimal synergy and to contribute added value through exchanges, learning and other connections.
• Keep abreast of regional and thematic developments relevant to assigned programmes.
• Such other duties as are consistent with your role and experience as the Foundation continues to evolve.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will likely reflect much of the following profile:

Essential

• Advanced university degree in a field related to the work or equivalent combination of educational and work experience
• Minimum five years’ experience working with complex rural projects, wildlife conservation, tackling illegal wildlife trade, civil society organizations, and/or rural community-based conservation organizations
• Ability to identify, analyse and evaluate issues related to biological and cultural diversity in the region and produce relevant recommendations and background documentation
• Demonstrated understanding of financial and other organizational information and processes with experience in budgeting and financial statement analysis.
• Ability to work respectfully and effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse people and organizations from all sectors, including rural villagers, academics and governmental actors and to build and maintain effective partnerships across sectors
• Ability and willingness to travel as required by the job description including to rural areas. Travel conditions may require physical stamina
• Excellent, hands-on knowledge of web-based systems (for grants and expenses) and office suite platforms (proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite preferred).
• Comfortable in complex and highly matrixed environments. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively with peers across disciplines and functions in shared efforts with proven ability to influence without direct formal authority.
• Comfortable working remotely.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to be flexible and re-prioritize as needs arise.
• Pleasant and effective communication skills, written and oral. (English is our working language.)
• Experiential cross-cultural understanding and perspective, aware and appreciative of differing worldviews and the ability to communicate with and learn from the wide variety of people who comprise our grantees, allies and staff.
• Kind and generous with partners and colleagues.

Desired

• Prior experience in grantmaking with an international non-profit organization or philanthropic foundation.
• Fluency in a second language with preference for dominant languages of one of our working regions (e.g. French, Portuguese, Bahasa, Thai, Lao, Burmese).
• International living and/or working experience including in the Global South.
• Strong analytical, conceptual, and creative problem-solver who continually looks for new ways to improve processes with a “can do” attitude and a sense of humour.
• Able to legally work in Hong Kong.

Alongside this we will value applicants who are:

• While a strong understanding of Indigenous and ecological knowledge is highly valued, a passion for, and willingness to learn in these areas, will also be considered favorably.
• Humble, recognising humanity’s place amongst all living creatures on this one planet.

We pride ourselves on being diverse and inclusive.

REMUNERATION

Remuneration will be commensurate with skills and experience, norms in the field and internal equity.