Adaptation Specialist at WWF South Africa

Minimum Requirements

• Post graduate degree in a relevant field such as climate change, development or related fields.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in adaptation project development and implementation
• Multi stakeholder and partnership engagement experience
• Good understanding of climate change adaptation, ideally in ecosystem-based adaptation context.
• Good understanding of adaptation policy processes
• Good project management skills including budget management and reporting
• Able to translate technical issues to a varied audience
• Understanding & knowledge of proposal processes
• Report writing skills: Technical & other
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Networking and relationship building skills
• Ability to work with diverse stakeholders
• Attention to detail
• Ability to communicate clearly, both written and verbal
• Ability to work in tight deadlines
• Collaborative working style
• You recognise yourself in the values of WWF: Courage, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration and Inclusion

Duties and Responsibilities

Assist in developing WWF’s environmental program strategy

• Work with the Senior Climate Specialist and Cluster Lead to develop an adaptation strategy that integrates into WWF’s program thematic
• Develop a workplan to roll out adaptation work across Systems Chans and Landscape teams

Manage and support area-based adaptation projects

• Conduct climate risk and vulnerability assessments in key landscapes (2 landscapes in first instance)
• Engage with project partners and stakeholders to support understanding and uptake of climate adaptation approaches
• Co-develop and track monitoring and evaluation indicators for project implementation
• Ensure delivery of specific outcomes as agreed with partners.
• Ensure regular reporting to key partners.
• Present research findings in both technical reports and media-friendly formats.
• Manage subcontracts and project disbursements.

Support the mainstreaming of climate adaptation approaches into WWF’s key landscapes

• Cooperate with landscape managers and implementation teams to build internal capacity for adaptation planning
• Identify opportunities for ecosystem-based and community-based adaptation linked to key landscapes
• Co-develop projects and funding applications to establish a long-term adaptation programme
• Develop strategies and/or toolkits for integrating adaptation approaches and focus into landscape clusters

Engage national and sub-national climate adaptation policy processes

• Work with partners and key stakeholders in targeted for to influence climate adaptation policy and strategies
• Provide thought leadership on climate adaptation
• Engage with working groups such as the Adaptation Network to ensure WWF is kept abreast of national development and opportunities
• Respond to ad-hoc demands for speaking at workshops, conferences as needed by WWF.
• Publicly represent WWF on climate adaptation issues

Participate in the effective functioning and delivery of the systems change group

• Contributing to the sustainable funding of the unit by supporting proposal preparation processes.
• Participate in unit meetings, strategy sessions and reading seminars.
• Prepare communication materials as required including blogs, opinion pieces, articles and others as identified by the unit communication strategy.
• Engaging in activities as directed from time to time by the Cluster Lead
• Attend meetings, events and workshops to ensure WWF’s profile and positions are well recognised and opportunities capitalised on.