Officer, Blue Nature Alliance, Latin America Region

The Pew Charitable Trusts • Washington, DC

14d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Officer, Latin America is responsible for leading a portfolio of engagements in Latin America and the Caribbean region to establish and improve management effectiveness of large-scale ocean conservation areas for the Blue Nature Alliance. This position will represent the Alliance at meetings with government officials and partners, and will advise leadership on the management, implementation, and progress of an existing regional portfolio that encompasses more than ten countries. The Officer is skilled at building and maintaining strong existing relationships with internal and external stakeholders and implementing partners in a manner consistent with Alliance values, and requires expertise in the design and execution of successful conservation campaigns, marine conservation and environmental policy, capacity building, and demonstrated experience working effectively in diverse cultural contexts. The Officer will drive partner implementation of engagement strategies and provide technical oversight of grantees and contractors to ensure success for assigned engagements. The Officer will also provide technical expertise and guidance to other Regional Officers and partners as appropriate. The position also includes management of one direct report, a Principal Associate (remote), to implement a portfolio of site engagements in the Latin America region. The Officer, Latin America, reports to the Director of the Blue Nature Alliance and is located in Washington, DC or Santiago, Chile. This position participates in Pew’s hybrid works program with core days in the office and the flexibility to telework the remaining days. Staff also enjoy four telework “flex weeks” per year.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Generally, eight years of applicable experience.
• Expertise in the design and conduct of successful conservation campaigns, marine conservation, and environmental policy.
• Demonstrated project management experience and capacity to work effectively in diverse cultural contexts.
• Strong political, strategic, and analytical skills with proven experience developing, executing, and evaluating a range of diverse strategies to achieve goals.
• Strong oral and written communications skills.
• Demonstrable experience managing projects in dispersed geographies and developing and managing productive relationships with consultants, partners and others who contribute to the development of a project by anticipating possible outcomes.
• Fluency in English and Spanish.
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with seasoned judgment and analytical capacity, and must demonstrate a strong collaborative spirit and an aptitude to justify recommendations.
• Experience and track record of cultivating conservation action in Latin America.
• Well-versed in the diplomacy skills required to enter into dialogue and negotiation with government representatives, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
• Expertise relating to Indigenous perspectives, transforming governance, ocean science and research, and/or communications.
• Fluency in Portuguese or other relevant language.

Responsibilities

• Lead regional portfolio of sites in securing conservation objectives
• Develop, nurture, and maintain strong relationships with key government staff, community, policymakers, and civil society leadership in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in support of shared conservation objectives.
• Oversee the management of grantees in delivery of targets, including regular check-in meetings, to support partners in the implementation of strategies.
• Liaise internally within the Blue Nature Alliance team and across relevant technical partners to bring in needed expertise in the delivery of ocean conservation targets, including political/campaign strategy, capacity and learning, strategic communications, conservation finance, monitoring control and surveillance, or other areas.
• Provide technical support as needed to advance site-based objectives and support local capacity building.
• Advise on the political strategy for partner-led initiatives, identify key events or opportunities to advance targets, and attend relevant meetings with partners and government officials in-country.
• Oversee the monitoring and tracking of progress towards targets, and liaise with relevant staff to ensure shared expectations, and identify and address any crucial gaps in program delivery to keep projects on track.
• On occasion, there may be ad-hoc opportunities for scoping new projects for area-based ocean conservation at scale: Creation of new marine protected areas; catalytic investments in existing marine protected areas to improve effectiveness, design, and trialing of innovative models for area-based ocean conservation.
• Foster a work environment that inspires excellence, values impact, encourages transparency, builds mutual trust and respect, embraces and values diversity, and is collaborative, caring and compassionate.
• Manage one Principal Associate staff member to assist in the delivery of site targets, grants management, and reporting.
• Facilitate grant agreement development and finalization with grantees and Alliance Grants Manager.
• Review grantee reports and make adjustment recommendations to implementing partners and Blue Nature Alliance delivery team as needed.
• Participate in activities that support program and Pew-wide objectives.

Benefits

• comprehensive, affordable health care through medical, dental, and vision coverage
• financial security with life and disability insurance
• opportunities to save using health savings and flexible spending accounts
• retirement benefits to help prepare for the future
• work/life benefits to maintain a good balance

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level