Senior Project Team Leader and Coordinator

Taking Root

10d • Remote

About The Position

Taking Root is delivering a watershed management project in Nicaragua focused on climate change adaptation, protecting water recharge zones and scaling agroforestry systems across the Upper Rio Coco River Basin. As Senior Project Team Leader and Coordinator, you'll serve as the principal expert responsible for the overall coordination, technical direction, and delivery of this work. You'll work closely with the funding delegation, Taking Root departments, and a multidisciplinary, international project team to ensure implementation aligned with donor standards, project objectives, Taking Root's operational realities, and farmer realities on the ground. This is a project management role that combines strategic project administration with hands-on coordination of technical experts, community partners, and government counterparts in one of Central America’s most climate-vulnerable landscapes.

Requirements

• University degree in environmental sciences, forestry engineering, or a closely related field
• Postgraduate qualification (Master’s or PhD) in engineering, geology, water resources, environmental or forestry sciences, sustainable natural resource management, or equivalent — or 5 additional years of directly relevant professional experience
• Fluent written and spoken Spanish and professional working proficiency in English.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in project coordination and/or applied research in sustainable development, environment, conservation, or international cooperation, including at least 3 years in Latin America
• Minimum 5 years coordinating the design and implementation of EU-funded or equivalent international cooperation projects, managing multidisciplinary teams across government, NGO, and community sectors
• Minimum 6 years of cumulative experience across two or more of the following: integrated natural resource management, protected areas, forestry, biodiversity, or climate change; applied research in these fields with government and private sector actors; administrative management and reporting under EU services contracts or comparable donor frameworks; institutional strengthening and capacity development

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated knowledge of Nicaragua’s legal and institutional framework for natural resources and water governance
• Experience managing procurement and subcontracting processes under EU or comparable donor guidelines, including drafting Terms of Reference
• Prior professional experience on projects implemented in Nicaragua
• Familiarity with voluntary carbon markets, carbon monitoring methodologies, and nature-based solutions

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact between Taking Root, the funder, and all project stakeholders
• Lead coordination meetings with the funder's project manager and participate in project steering committee sessions
• Coordinate the work needed from the Taking Root team and local implementation partners to meet project goals, centralizing the flow of information between Taking Root and funders or partners
• Develop and maintain work plans and progress reports in alignment with the project framework
• Oversee the backstopping model, distinguishing clearly between expert tasks and administrative support
• Ensure financial and contractual compliance across all project activities and subcontractors
• Guide the preparation of technical studies, including identification and prioritization of water recharge zones, multi-temporal land use change analysis, and agroforestry intervention design
• Maximize integration of gender, indigenous rights, and social inclusion into all technical activities as local realities permit
• Coordinate local teams to deliver training programs for producers, community organizations, and government officials on reforestation, sustainable forest management, and watershed conservation
• Coordinate local teams to ensure the participation of women, youth, and indigenous peoples in all capacity-building activities
• Lead the systematization phase, including final reporting sessions, communication of results, and lessons learned documentation
• Ensure knowledge products are published and shared with relevant stakeholders
• Collaborate with external evaluators for mid-term and final evaluations
• Prepare implementation and final reports to funder standards

Benefits

• Taking Root has a diverse team of talented people across gender and racial spectrums.
• We have created a culture of innovation, diversity, and inclusivity, striving for open discussions and best hiring and operational practices.
• We hire and promote based on merit, competence, performance, successful milestones, and business needs.
• We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind, be that based on race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, ancestry, disability, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by applicable laws.
• Taking Root may use automated or AI-assisted tools at limited stages of the recruitment process. These tools are used to assist (not replace) human decision-making. All hiring decisions are ultimately made by people. We are committed to using technology responsibly and in line with applicable employment and privacy laws.

What This Job Offers

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