WWF Nedbank Green Trust Manager at WWF South Africa

• The WWF Nedbank Green Trust is transitioning from a traditional conservation funding model to a systemic, people-centered approach. Our goal is to catalyse locally led, nature-positive economies across priority landscapes. This pivotal role sits at the heart of this shift, ensuring institutional alignment between WWF-SA and the Green Trust.
• As the Green Trust Manager, you will act as the primary integrator between WWF, Nedbank’s Social Impact Unit (SIU), implementing partners, and local communities. You will be a portfolio manager, a co-creator of sustainable partnerships, and a catalyst for nature-positive enterprise development and stewardship.

Duties and Responsibilities    
Strategy Implementation & Portfolio Management

• Oversee the Green Trust strategy and operating model, ensuring all funded projects deliver integrated ecological, social, and economic outcomes.
• Manage the full project lifecycle: from concept co-creation and due diligence to implementation support and exit.
• Maintain a balanced, diversified, and catalytic portfolio that strengthens governance and enabling conditions for lasting impact.

Nature-Positive Economies & Enterprise Support

• Guide implementing partners in identifying and incubating nature-positive enterprises.
• Access technical skill sets to strengthen business models, market access, and investment readiness.
• Coordinate business development funding and facilitate connections to Nedbank SIU support and impact investors.

Partnership Management & Convening

• Manage complex relationships between PBOs, community institutions, and corporate stakeholders.
• Convene cross-partner engagements to align roles and resolve tensions.
• Build trust-based, long-term partnerships rooted in adaptive management.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Support the Board of Trustees and ManCom with portfolio reporting, risk mitigation, and budget oversight.
• Ensure all projects meet fiduciary, legal, and Section 18A requirements.
• Oversee the design of a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework that aligns with WWF-SA standards to track socio-ecological returns.

Leadership & Communications

• Line-manage the GT Communications & Marketing Manager to translate impact into compelling narratives.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and mentoring to the GT Intern/Programme staff.
• Ensure timely and professional stakeholder reporting to both Nedbank and WWF.

Minimum Requirements    

• Postgraduate qualification in Conservation / Sustainability / Development Finance / Economics / Business, or a related field
• 8–12+ years of experience in conservation, development, or landscape-based programmes.
• Demonstrated experience working at the interface of ecology, livelihoods, and finance.
• Proven track record in portfolio management and working with PBOs and community institutions.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to view conservation through a strategic, integrated lens.
• Adaptive Leadership: Skilled at navigating complex environments and managing diverse actor interests.
• Communication: High-level facilitation, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Integrity & Judgment: A high degree of professional ethics and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Experience with nature-based value chains, blended finance, or catalytic funding.
• Familiarity with SROI (Social Return on Investment) frameworks.
• Experience working within South African corporate sustainability or social impact units.
• You recognise yourself in the values of WWF: Courage, Integrity, Respect, Collaboration and Inclusion.

Deadline:16th March,2026