Colombia Program Officer

Re:wild’s Andes program aims to effectively protect and restore the Andean region, supported by a regional movement that values natural ecosystems and helps ensure their protection in perpetuity. Together with our extensive network of partners, the Andes program’s focus is to save the region's incredible biodiversity through legal protection and effective management of natural ecosystems, and support the rights and solutions of the Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local communities that call the region home. Alongside governments, civil society organizations, communities and donors, Re:wild’s collaborative program for the Andes has 4 workstreams: legal protection of critical areas for biodiversity and climate; bolstering management, governance and guardianship; restoring critical ecosystems; and advocating to reduce threats to nature and its defenders.

The Andes program works with more than 50 partners across Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. One of Re:wild’s main strategies for generating impact is convening diverse stakeholders and aligning them around a unified plan, and through this process ensuring government and donor controlled enabling conditions are in place for implementation by local partners. Identifying political opportunities where such convening is possible, and successfully bringing together stakeholders to collaborate on a plan to achieve the greatest impact possible is a key part of this. Yet it can also be challenging and require different strategies in different places. However, we are an adaptable organization that can be flexible in which partners and what work we support to achieve our vision. Our program in Colombia has a diversity of partners, and we are now developing a closer relationship with national and subnational governments to ensure a greater level of programmatic coherence across the country that enables even more cost-effective impact and systemic change.

Re:wild seeks an Colombia Program Officer to scale-up our work with protected and conserved areas across Colombia. This position is part of a high-profile initiative in the Andean countries and will provide a dynamic opportunity for a mid-level conservation professional to advance their career.

The successful candidate will have a strong ability to be a neutral convener and mediate between diverse stakeholders to achieve conservation outcomes. The Colombia Program Officer will play a role in project selection and monitoring/implementation, grant management, and communication with local partners and government stakeholders, with a primary focus on Colombia, assisting the portfolio in Ecuador as needed. Additionally, the candidate will play a role in co-designing, evolving, and advancing the programmatic goals of Re:wild’s Andes program. This will include working with local organizations, Indigenous and local communities, international organizations, funders and governments to leverage even greater conservation opportunities via public and private funding streams and improved collaboration. The existing portfolio of projects we support in Colombia includes efforts to establish and manage protected and conserved areas, and improve protection, governance and management of Indigenous and Afro-descendant territories.

The Colombia Program Officer will be expected to work with a significant amount of autonomy and be dynamic, adapting to different opportunities and scenarios. The preferred candidate will have experience in convening diverse stakeholders, managing a portfolio of grants, and be skilled at creating alliances to advance towards conservation goals. The candidate will also have experience with Colombian legislation and regulations related to protected area establishment, land tenure legislation and sustainable financing mechanisms including carbon markets. The Colombia Program Officer will work within Re:wild’s Latin America team and report to the Andean Countries Coordinator.

Specific day to day responsibilities will include:

• Collaborate closely with potential partners and grantees in the co-design and co-development of projects to advance legal protection and effective management of natural ecosystems, and support the rights and solutions of the Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and local communities in Colombia.

• Assist Re:wild and partners to develop sustainable financing approaches for a suite of protected and conserved areas in Colombia.

• Cultivate and manage relationships with a suite of local partner organizations (civil society and Indigenous, Afro-descendant and local communities) and provide necessary support to ensure project goals are met.

• Cultivate robust partnerships with relevant national and regional government institutions to enhance program impact, inform program strategy and leverage support and funding for Re:wild initiatives.

• Convene and coordinate local stakeholders and donors as needed to streamline efforts, support a common vision, avoid duplication and foster collaborative grant-making efforts to leverage great conservation opportunities.

• Manage the entire lifecycle of partner grant-making process, from application review and selection to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

• Assist with fundraising efforts and donor reporting.

• Work closely with the Re:wild communications team to identify stories and support the development of external communications strategies, including social media and press releases related to the Program.

• Collaborate across Re:wild as required to engage thematic experts, communications experts, and others to ensure program success.

• Experience: Has at least seven years of experience in the conservation field in Colombia, ideally with additional experience in the Andean countries. Experience managing, funding, or working with a diversity of conservation projects. Knowledge of legislation and regulations related to Indigenous rights, land tenure and the protected area system in Colombia.

• Independence and autonomy: Displays an ability to work with a small team but also maintain a significant level of independence and make decisions quickly on a day-to-day basis.

• Strategic Thinking: Able to develop sustainable strategies to ensure high conservation impact of Re:wild grantmaking in the region, with a particular focus on projects involving Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. Experience designing and managing a portfolio of conservation projects.

• Nimble and adaptable: The candidate should be comfortable multitasking between different levels of program oversight: from high-level strategic thinking and engagement to day-to-day management of a grant portfolio.

• Communication skills: Speaks clearly and persuasively; navigates effectively in positive and negative situations; listens and seeks clarification when necessary; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in meetings; is not perturbed by conflict and disagreement; writes clearly and diplomatically; acts as a neutral convener seeking conflict resolution.

• Motivation: Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.

• Collaborative: Able to work with a diverse team of Re:wild staff and partners, efficiently communicating and sharing knowledge and ideas, and seeking advice when needed.

• Languages: Spanish and English proficiency required.

Location: Colombia
Compensation: Competitive salary commensurate with experience
Travel: Frequent travel to meet with key stakeholders in the Andean countries, and occasionally to the United States or elsewhere for regional planning
Position: Full-time
Date Posted: June 2024

Apply: Send resume and cover letter to careers@rewild.org a with subject line "Program Officer Colombia” by July 30th, 2024. The cover letter should clearly state why you consider you can successfully navigate the responsibilities, and how you meet or exceed the qualifications. Additionally, please complete this survey.

Re:wild is committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and are taking steps to meet that commitment. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.